Orange County Soccer Club has one more match before starting USL playoffs at Great Park Stadiium

Aodhan Quinn scores the game winner on a penalty kick. (Photo courtesy OC Soccer Club)

In its regular season home finale, Orange County Soccer Club defeated Seattle Sounders FC 2-1 Saturday night.

In doing so, the club continued adding to its franchise record-breaking marks in wins and points in a season as well as its lead at the top of the USL’s Western Conference standings.

With Orange County’s win and Phoenix Rising FC’s draw, Orange County SC sits three points ahead of the Arizona side in the battle for the top spot in the USL’s Western Conference and clinched a top-two seed.

Orange County forward Michael Seaton had a couple major chances in the first half, with a powerful header ring off the crossbar and narrow miss getting on the end of midfielder Darwin Jones’ low cross. Jones would have a chance of his own go over the bar in the 12th minute. At the break, Orange County SC held 65 percent of possession and tallied nine shots to Seattle’s one.

Sounders FC 2 broke through in the 60th minute, when S2 midfielder Azriel Gonzalez curled a shot past goalkeeper Andre Rawls from well outside the penalty area. After announcing his retirement at year’s end and playing in his 400th pro match, Orange County SC midfielder Richard Chaplow scored the crucial goal to level things up. Off a corner kick, defender Alex Crognale headed it towards the goal and Chaplow deflected it into the back of the net.

On a quick counter attack for Sounders FC 2 later in the half, Rawls came up with a massive save to keep things even. In the 85th minute, Seaton broke in behind the Seattle defense and was pulled down by S2 defender Blake Malone. He was awarded a yellow card. Aodhan Quinn took the free kick from outside the area, but it was deflected by the wall.

With the match in second-half stoppage time, Orange County SC substitute Giovanni Ramos-Godoy was played over the top and was taken down in the penalty area. Quinn then stepped up to the spot and beat goalkeeper Calle Brown to put Orange County up 2-1. For the 10th time in 2018, the fans at Championship Soccer Stadium went home happy after a home win.

To close out the 2018 regular season, Orange County SC travels to northern Nevada to face Reno 1868 FC Saturday, Oct. 13. Looking ahead to post-season action, tickets are on sale for Orange County’s first round home playoff match on Saturday, Oct. 20. For more information, visit https://www.orangecountysoccer.com/2018playoffs.