Orange County SC played to a 2-2 draw with Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday, March 25 at Championship Stadium in Irvine, CA on the club’s Support Local Soccer Night. Defender Alex Villanueva scored his first goal for the club and forward Milan Iloski later added the equalizer, his first of the season.
The match got off to a rather contentious start, with 11 fouls called in the opening 30 minutes of the match. Multiple fouls led to delays in the action, allowing neither side to find any sort of rhythm in the match.
The visitors found themselves on the front foot going into halftime, as former OCSC forward Erick “Cubo” Torres opened the scoring with a header from in close.
After halftime, the Black and Orange began to impose their will on the game in search of the equalizer. In the 58th minute, substitute Marc “Sparky” McNulty forced a save from Vegas goalkeeper Leo Diaz.
Sparky followed his rebound and played the ball back to Iloski just outside the six yard box, where he used a bicycle kick to find Villanueva at the far post to tie the game at 1 in the 60th minute.
The game was not level for long, however. Vegas retook the lead just two minutes later in the 62nd minute as Las Vegas midfielder Andrew Carleton found forward Pato Faz at the far post for a tap-in goal, and the Lights had a 2-1 advantage.
However, the Lights were then victims of a quick counterpunch themselves in the 64th minute. Lights defender Marcelo Lage turned the ball over straight into the path of an on running Iloski. Iloski dribbled past two defenders and fired home the game’s third goal in six minutes, and Orange County was level again at 2-2.
Substitute Bryce Jamison had Orange County’s best chance at the match winner in the 83rd minute, after defender Andrew Fox nodded on Brent Richards’ long throw, but Jamison’s headed effort was just high over the bar.
Orange County SC’s next chance to grab their first three points of the season will come in their first match away from the Champ this season, when they travel to Connecticut to square off with Hartford Athletic. They will return home on Wednesday, April 5 as they begin their march towards the CONCACAF Champions League in their Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round match with Capo FC. Ticket information for that match will be released at a later date.
MILESTONES AND FACTS:
Tonight was the first goal for defender Alex Villanueva in an Orange County shirt.
The 2022 Golden Boot winner, Milan Iloski opened his account for 2023 with a goal and also added an assist.
Forwards Thomas Amang and Marc “Sparky” McNulty made their club debuts tonight.
| TEAM | FIRST HALF | SECOND HALF | FULL TIME |
| LVL | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| OCSC | 0 | 2 | 2 |
SCORING SUMMARY:
44’ Erick “Cubo” Torres (LVL)
60’ Alex Villanueva (OCSC)
62’ Patricio Botello Faz (LVL)
64’ Milan Iloski (OCSC)
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY:
ORANGE COUNTY SC
45+4’ Kevin Partida
56’ Kyle Scott
90’ +1 Markus Nakkim
LAS VEGAS LIGHTS FC
50’ Cubo Torres
64’ Eric Oteng
90’ +5 Jacob Bushue
ORANGE COUNTY SC LINEUP:
Cody Cropper (GK); Brent Richards, Andrew Fox, Markus Nakkim, Alex Villanueva; Dillon Powers (C) (Thomas Amang 75’), Kevin Partida, Kyle Scott (Daniel Pedersen 56’), Ashish Chattha (Marc McNulty 46’), Milan Iloski, Emil Nielsen (70’ Bryce Jamison)
Unused subs: Colin Shutler (GK), Seth Casiple, Ryan Doghman
Head Coach: Richard Chaplow
Possession: 63% | Shots: 11 | Shots On Goal: 3 | Corners: 4 | Fouls: 14 | Offsides: 0 |
LAS VEGAS LIGHTS FC LINEUP:
Leo Díaz (GK); Luke Stauffer, Marcelo Lage, Alejandro Mitrano (Eric Oteng 52’), Jordan Ayimbila (Issa Rayyan 92’), Tyler Bagley, Jacob Bushue, Andres Jimenez, Andrew Carleton (Alexander Romero 90’ +2), Patricio Botello Faz (C), Erick “Cubo” Torres (Azriel Gonzalez 79’)
Unused subs: Andre Zuluaga (GK), Preston Tabortetaka, Danny Rios
Head Coach: Isidro Sanchez
Possession: 37% | Shots: 12 | Shots On Goal: 5 | Corners: 8 | Fouls: 22 | Offsides: 0 |
Orange County SC vs. Las Vegas Lights FC
2023 USL Championship | Matchday 3
Date: March 25, 2023
Venue: Championship Stadium (Irvine, CA)
Weather: Support lOCal Soccer!