April 26, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Orange County SC News Release
Orange County SC dropped a 3-1 match to Indy Eleven on Saturday, April 24 at IU Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. OCSC midfielder Mikko Kuningas scored for the visitors. Indy’s second half substitutes combined for two of the three goals.
In the first ever meeting between the two clubs, OCSC grabbed the early lead less than 15 minutes into the match with Kuningas’s goal. A long ball sent by goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky was headed on past the Indy backline by forward Ugo Okoli to Kuningas who was onside. The Finnish midfielder was one-on-one with the Indy keeper and sent the ball into the back of the net for his first goal in the 2022 USL Championship regular season.
With the possession battle nearly equal in the first 45 minutes, OCSC had more chances in Indy territory that led to close chances by Okoli and a disallowed goal by Cubo Torres. Indy had a goal of their own denied by an offside ruling near the end of the first half.
Just minutes after coming on as a second half substitute, Indy’s Noah Powder equalized for the home team assisted by Stefano Pinho who won the ball in the box and crossed it to the Trindinian and Tobogonian international. Pinho put Indy in front ten minutes later with a goal of his own after a sequencing that caused Rakovsky to be out of position. In second half stoppage time, Aris Briggs scored the dagger to make the score, 3-1.
OCSC defender Brent Richards made his 2022 USL Championship debut after being unavailable for the beginning of the season.
OCSC continues their roadtrip with a trip to south Texas to face Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Saturday, April 30 at 5:30 PM PDT at H-E-B Park on ESPN+. The Black and Orange return to Orange County on Saturday, May 7 in a rematch of the 2021 Western Conference Semifinals against Oakland Roots SC at 7:00 PM PDT at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine.
TEAM FIRST HALF SECOND HALF…