April 16, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Indy Eleven News Release
IRVINE, Calif. – Indy Eleven searched for its second straight road win tonight at Orange County SC, but a penalty kick conversion at the half hour mark by reigning USL Championship Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski lifted the home side to a 1-0 victory at Championship Soccer Stadium on Saturday evening. Despite outshooting OCSC 13-8 and holding 39-8 and 11-2 edges in crosses and corner kicks, respectively, Indy failed to capitalize on its considerable time in the attacking third and was held scoreless for a third straight regular season contest.
It didn’t take long for Orange County to have a legit look at an opener, as just 20 seconds after kickoff Thomas Amang found his way into the top of the area and unleashed a shot from 15 yards that just soared over the Indy goal. Indy’s high press nearly paid dividends in the 7th minute through Douglas Martinez’s forced turnover and quick shot that pressed Orange County goalkeeper Cody Cropper into action for the first time. Indy forward Harrison Robledo, making his first start in league play for the Eleven, found a clean look from 20 yards in the 17th minute, the chance taking a deflection wide.
Just before the half hour mark Orange County earned a penalty when Bryce Jamison went to ground under the slightest of contact by Indy’s Aodhan Quinn, setting up a spot kick that defending USL Championship Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski finished low and right to put the home side up, 1-0. Minutes later Alex Villanueva had a look similar to Amang’s first minute blast to quickly double the lead, but the last look of note for either side for the rest of the half also rose over frame.
The Eleven came firing out of the gates to start the second half, as Jack Blake’s 47th minute shot pressed Cropper into a stop, and defender Adrian Diz Pe’s header from less than 10 yards missed just high shortly after. Indy defender Robby Dambrot began to assert himself into the match with the first of several successful dribbles into OCSC area in the 55th minute, which started a slew of chances off crosses and set pieces that would go for naught for the visitors. It was Oettl being forced to step up in the 58th minute, when he steered wide Alex Villanueva’s acrobatic header from close range.
The insertion of forwards Jonas Fjeldberg and Solomon Asante for Robledo and Douglas Martinez in the 65th minute only further swung possession and the volume of changes…
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