July 27, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Orange County SC News Release
Orange County SC fell 3-0 to Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday, July 27 at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama. The County Boys had some promising chances, but ultimately were unable to find a goal for the third straight road match.
Birmingham had the first big chance of the night in the 23rd minute as forward Stéfano Pinho won a free kick just outside of the box. Midfielder A.J. Paterson took the ensuing free kick, sending a rocket to the top right corner of the goal. OCSC goalkeeper Tomás Gómez made an acrobatic save denying The Legion, and keeping the score 0-0.
The Black and Orange had their first chance in the 28th minute as midfielder Kyle Scott found a streaking forward Bryce Jamison just outside the box. Jamison got a foot to it, finding forward Ethan Zubak on the left side of the box. Zubak chipped the ball over Birmingham goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel and hit the woodwork, as the ball ricocheted off the goalpost before being cleared away by the Birmingham defense.
Scott again led the OCSC attack in the 31st minute after a steal by defender Jordan Chavez. Scott found Jamison in stride on the right side of the box. Jamison tapped it in behind the defense to Zubak in the center of the box, who fired a shot from close range that was saved by Van Oekel. However, the ball bounced off Van Oekel right to midfielder Ryan Flood. Flood chipped the ball over the bar, keeping the score at 0-0 heading into the break.
Birmingham had the first chance of the second half in the 47th minute as Paterson played the ball over the top to McCartney in the box. Gómez came up to deflect the ball off McCartney, however, the ball found its way back to McCartney on the left side of the box. McCartney tapped it back to midfielder Enzo Martinez who fired a right-footed-shot on the open goal that was deflected away by OCSC captain Markus Nakkim.
Birmingham broke through the OCSC defense in the 51st minute as midfielder Moses Mensah found McCartney on the left side of the box. McCartney crossed the ball into the center of the box finding Pinho who struck the ball past Gómez into the back of the net for the first goal of the game.
The County Boys attempted to answer in the 53rd minute as Jamison won a corner in the attacking third of the pitch. Flood sent in the ensuing corner kick to the back post to Chavez. Chavez headed the ball back into the box that deflected to Zubak. Zubak flicked the…