21 May Match Recap: Orange County FC 3, ASC 1
When ASC squared off against Orange County FC on Saturday for control of first place in the NPSL Southwest Division, both teams came fired up and ready to play. It began as a physical, intense chess match from the opening whistle, and never let up. In the end, the OC squad got the better of ASC. It was a bitter pill to swallow for Ziggy’s squad, but for Orange County FC, the win was well-earned.
A physical battle…
Possession soccer ruled early, as both teams were looked to establish dominance through the midfield. OCFC were the first team to pose a threat, but Jean Antoine’s stellar goalkeeping kept them at bay. He made some remarkable saves early (as he would throughout the contest) and the score remained deadlocked 0-0 until late in the 41st minute.
Orange County broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute, as Connor Gordon demonstrated his clinical finishing ability. The 1-0 score held, and ASC San Diego went into the half looking to regroup regroup in order to attempt to pull off the comeback.
The second half was just as entertaining as the first, as both keepers made crucial saves throughout the game. ASC’s persistence paid off early, when in the 55th minute, Amani Walker connected with Dallin Cutler’s corner kick and tied the match at 1. . The fans erupted, and life was revived into the game!
As the match wore on, Orange County Football Club seemed to have a response for anything that ASC threw their way. Eventually, Connor Gordon struck again, putting away another goal in the 62nd minute. As ASC began to press higher up the pitch, OCFC countered, and eventually notched an insurance goal from Erik Mueller goal off of a corner kick two minutes later. As loud as the home supporters were, a strong OCFC contingent made the trek to San Diego, and made sure that they were heard!
ASC kept the pressure on though, and nearly came back when in the 67th minute, Dallin Cutler had a great opportunity to make it a one goal game, but OC keeper Brandon Gomez was on his game making the vital stop. The final score was Orange County Football Club 3, ASC San Diego 1.
Heads Held High…
Despite the loss, ASC should be proud of their performance. “Super” Jean Antoine had a phenomenal game, making some unbelievable saves. Kuba Waligorski proved his worth as well, making some stellar plays on defense, thwarting several OC attacks.In his post-game interview, Ziggy summarized the result as “disappointing” but highlighted the fact that 12 points were still available for the taking in this NPSL season.
ASC will host county rivals, Chula Vista FC on Friday May 25th at 6pm for a friendly matchup. If this game is anything like their previous meeting, you can expect another entertaining night of footy. Get your tickets early for this one – we’re expecting a packed stadium, with cheering crowds supporting both San Diego teams: https://www.classy.org/event/asc-san-diego-vs-cvfc/e173193
