2021 Orange County SC season

Orange County SC 2021 soccer season

Orange County SC2021 season

Owner| James Keston
Head coach| Richard Chaplow
USL Championship| Pacific Division: 2nd
Western Conf.: 1st
USL Championship Playoffs| Champions
U.S. Open Cup| Cancelled
Top goalscorer| Ronaldo Damus
Highest home attendance| 5,386
(November 20 vs. SAFC)
Lowest home attendance| 2,042
(June 9 vs San Diego Loyal SC)
Average home league attendance| 3,302
Biggest win| LVL 0–3 OC (Sept 11)
Biggest defeat| TAC 4–1 OC (Oct. 9)

Home colors

Away colors

|

<- 2020

2023 ->

The 2021 Orange County SC season was the club's eleventh season of existence, and their eleventh consecutive season in the United Soccer League Championship, the second tier of American soccer.

Due to the continuing COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, the 2021 USL Championship season divided the league into two conferences with two divisions each. Orange County played in the Pacific Division which included teams LA Galaxy II, Las Vegas Lights FC, Oakland Roots, Phoenix Rising FC, Sacramento Republic FC, San Diego Loyal, and Tacoma Defiance. Pacific Division teams played each division member four times for 28 games, with four out-of-division games to fill out the 32 game schedule. Orange County SC's out-of-conference opponents were: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Rio Grande Valley FC, Charleston Battery, and El Paso Locomotive FC.[1]

Orange County opened the season with a 6-2-3 record losses to opening day against Tacoma Defiance and a 88th minute loss to LA Galaxy II. In mid-July OC faltered only earning one win in eight games, including a 2–1 loss to 10-men San Diego Loyal, and dropping points in late game situations against Sacramento, Galaxy II, and Phoenix Rising. Following a mid-week 0–3 loss to Tacoma Defiance, head coach Braeden Cloutier was relieved of his duties and assistant coach Richard Chaplow was appointed as interim head coach.[2]

Under Chaplow's leadership the team continued to struggle with a 3-3-2 record including a 1–4 loss to Tacoma Defiance, while dropping points in waning minute goals to El Paso and Phoenix Rising. Following the 1-4 Tacoma match, Orange County finished the regular season with a five-game win streak ending the regular season 15-10-7 with 52 points and 2nd place in the Pacific Division.

USL Playoff matchups were cross-division with Orange County matched up against Mountain Division 3rd place Switchbacks FC. Orange County defeated Switchbacks FC 1–0 at home in front of 4,194 fans. Ronaldo Damus scored the only goal of the contest in 1st half stoppage time. Orange County faced 1st-round upset Oakland Roots in the Western Conference Semifinal again at home and ended regulation and extra time at 0-0. Orange County advanced on penalties after Patrick Rakovsky stopped Oakland's Akeem Ward. In a dramatic finish, Ronald Damus' initial attempt was blocked by Oakland's Paul Blanchette, but was flagged for leaving the goal line early. Damus' second attempt was good and Orange County advanced to the Conference Final in front of 5,218 home fans, with a scoreline 0(6)-0(5). Orange County faced Conference favorite San Antonio FC at Championship Soccer Stadium in front of a record setting 5,386 fans. With goals by Damus and San Antonio's Marcus Epps, Orange County again went to penalties. San Antonio's Justin Dhillon's attempt went wide and Sean Okoli scored the winning goal advancing Orange County to the USL Championship Final for the club's first time.

Orange County faced the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium for the 2021 USL Championship Final in front of 7,521 fans. Tampa Bay was heavily favored to win by FiveThirtyEight with a 76% probability of winning in regulation.[3] Similarly, betting odds heavily favorited the Rowdies with Twin Spires having Orange County as the +400 underdogs.[4] The Rowdies controlled much of the game in the opening 20 minutes, until Kevin Alston fouled Yann Ekra in the penalty area and Rakovsky blocked Sebastián Guenzatti's PK attempt. Orange County responded with three unanswered goals by Damus (2) and Mikko Kuningas to finish the first half leading 3–0. Tampa Bay's Leo Fernandes scored in the 57th minute which would be the Rowdies only goal of the contest and the game ended regulation 3-1 and Orange County winning their first ever Championship title since the club's founding in 2010. Orange County SC finished the season with a nine-game win streak, outscoring opponents 5–2 in the playoffs and a total 47 goals for and 40 goals against.[5]

## 2021 roster

[edit]

As of July 24, 2022[6]
No.  | Position  | Player  | Nation

|
|
|

1  | GK | Patrick Rakovsky |  Germany
33  | GK | Abraham Romero |  United States
2  | DF | Kevin Alston |  United States
16  | DF | Brent Richards |  United States
4  | DF | Rob Kiernan |  Republic of Ireland
5  | DF | Blake Malone |  United States
6  | DF | Michael Orozco |  United States
7  | FW | Thomas Enevoldsen |  Denmark
8  | MF | Seth Casiple |  United States
19  | FW | Sean Okoli |  United States
3  | MF | Dillon Powers |  United States
10  | MF | Brian Iloski |  United States
13  | MF | Thomas McCabe |  United States
23  | DF | Kobi Henry |  United States
11  | FW | Ronaldo Damus |  Haiti
17  | FW | Darwin Jones |  United States
15  | MF | Eric Calvillo |  El Salvador
20  | MF | Ben Mines |  United States
21  | MF | Francis Jacobs |  United States
24  | DF | Nathan Smith |  United States
48  | GK | Danny Faundez |  United States
25  | MF | Mikko Kuningas |  Finland
9  | FW | Eero Markkanen |  Finland
18  | FW | Aidan Apodaca |  United States
26  | FW | Raymond Drai |  United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Orange County SC 2021 schedule". Archived from the original on March 30, 2019.
2. ^ "Orange County SC dismiss head coach Braeden Cloutier". Archived from the original on August 20, 2021.
3. ^ "FiveThirtyEight Club Soccer Predictions". Archived from the original on August 13, 2018.
4. ^ "Twin Spires Online Casino". Archived from the original on December 18, 2021.
5. ^ "FBref.com 2021 Orange County SC stats". Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
6. ^ "Orange County SC roster". OrangeCountySoccer.com.

* v
* t
* e

Orange County SC

Affiliated clubs|

* Orange County SC U-23 (USL2)

Stadiums|

* Titan Stadium (2011-13)
* Anteater Stadium (2014-16)
* Championship Soccer Stadium (2017-)

Key personnel|

* Owner/President: James Keston
* General Manager: Oliver Wyss
* Head Coach: Paul Hardyman

Culture|

* Supporter groups: County Line Coalition
* Seasons

Seasons|

* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

* v
* t
* e

USL Championship

Eastern Conference|

* Birmingham Legion FC
* Charleston Battery
* Detroit City FC
* Hartford Athletic
* Indy Eleven
* Loudoun United FC
* Louisville City FC
* Miami FC
* North Carolina FC
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
* Rhode Island FC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies

Western Conference|

* Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
* El Paso Locomotive FC
* Las Vegas Lights FC
* Memphis 901 FC
* Monterey Bay FC
* New Mexico United
* Oakland Roots SC
* Orange County SC
* Phoenix Rising FC
* Sacramento Republic FC
* San Antonio FC
* FC Tulsa

Future teams|

* Brooklyn FC (2025)
* Sporting Club Jacksonville (2025)
* Milwaukee Pro Soccer (2026)
* USL Arkansas (2026)
* Buffalo Pro Soccer (2026)
* USL Pro Iowa (TBD)
* USL New Orleans (TBD)
* USL Palm Beach (TBD)
* OKC Energy FC (on hiatus)

Former teams|

* Antigua Barracuda FC
* Atlanta United 2
* Austin Aztex
* Charlotte Eagles
* Charlotte Independence
* FC Cincinnati
* Dayton Dutch Lions
* Fresno FC
* LA Galaxy II
* FC Montreal
* Nashville SC
* F.C. New York
* New York Red Bulls II
* Orlando City B
* Orlando City SC
* Ottawa Fury FC
* Penn FC
* Philadelphia Union II
* Phoenix FC
* Portland Timbers 2
* Puerto Rico United
* Real Monarchs
* Reno 1868 FC
* Richmond Kickers
* Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
* River Plate Puerto Rico
* Rochester Rhinos
* Saint Louis FC
* San Diego Loyal SC
* Sevilla FC Puerto Rico
* Sporting Kansas City II
* Tacoma Defiance
* Toronto FC II
* VSI Tampa Bay FC
* Whitecaps FC 2
* Wilmington Hammerheads FC

Seasons|

* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Miscellaneous|

* Foreign players
* USL Championship Final
* United Soccer League
* USL League One
* USL League Two

* v
* t
* e

2021 USL Championship season

* Playoffs

Eastern|

| Atlantic|

* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* Hartford Athletic
* Loudoun United
* Miami FC
* New York Red Bulls II
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
* Tampa Bay Rowdies

|

Central|

* Atlanta United 2
* Birmingham Legion
* Indy Eleven
* Louisville City
* Memphis 901
* OKC Energy
* Sporting Kansas City II
* FC Tulsa

Western|

| Mountain|

* Austin Bold
* Colorado Springs Switchbacks
* El Paso Locomotive
* New Mexico United
* Real Monarchs SLC
* RGVFC Toros
* San Antonio FC

|

Pacific|

* LA Galaxy II
* Las Vegas Lights
* Oakland Roots SC
* Orange County SC
* Phoenix Rising FC
* Sacramento Republic
* San Diego Loyal SC
* Tacoma Defiance

* v
* t
* e

2021 in American men's soccer

« 2020

2022 »

National teams|

* Senior
* Nations League Finals
* Gold Cup
* 2022 FIFA World Cup third qualifying round
* U23
* 2020 Olympics Qualifying
* U20
* CONCACAF Championship

League competitions|

| Level 1|

* Major League Soccer (All-Star Game, Playoffs, MLS Cup)

|

Level 2|

* USL Championship (playoffs, final)

Level 3|

* USL League One (playoffs, final)
* NISA
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021

Amateur|

* NPSL
* USL League Two
* NISA Nation
* UPSL
* Spring
* Fall

Collegiate|

* NCAA
* Division I
* Division II
* Division III
* NAIA
* NJCAA

Cup competitions|

| Domestic|

* U.S. Open Cup (Qualification, Final)
* National Amateur Cup
* NISA Independent Cup
* Hank Steinbrecher Cup

|

International|

* CONCACAF Champions League
* Leagues Cup
* Campeones Cup

Friendly|

* Capital Cup
* Visit Tucson Sun Cup
* Dallas Cup

Youth competitions|

| Under-23|

* NCAA College Cup (Final)

|

Under-18|

* MLS Next
* 2020–21
* 2021–22

Club seasons

MLS|

* Atlanta United
* Austin FC
* Chicago Fire
* FC Cincinnati
* Colorado Rapids
* Columbus Crew
* D.C. United
* FC Dallas
* Houston Dynamo
* Inter Miami
* LA Galaxy
* Los Angeles FC
* Minnesota United
* CF Montréal
* Nashville SC
* New England Revolution
* New York City FC
* New York Red Bulls
* Orlando City
* Philadelphia Union
* Portland Timbers
* Real Salt Lake
* San Jose Earthquakes
* Seattle Sounders
* Sporting Kansas City
* Toronto FC
* Vancouver Whitecaps

USLC|

* Atlanta United 2
* Austin Bold
* Birmingham Legion
* Charleston Battery
* Charlotte Independence
* Colorado Springs Switchbacks
* El Paso Locomotive
* Hartford Athletic
* Indy Eleven
* LA Galaxy II
* Las Vegas Lights
* Loudoun United
* Louisville City
* Memphis 901
* Miami FC
* New Mexico United
* New York Red Bulls II
* Oakland Roots
* OKC Energy
* Orange County SC
* Phoenix Rising
* Pittsburgh Riverhounds
* Real Monarchs
* RGVFC Toros
* Sacramento Republic
* San Antonio FC
* San Diego Loyal
* Sporting Kansas City II
* Tacoma Defiance
* Tampa Bay Rowdies
* FC Tulsa

USL1|

* Chattanooga Red Wolves
* Fort Lauderdale CF
* Forward Madison
* Greenville Triumph
* North Carolina FC
* North Texas SC
* Union Omaha
* Revolution II
* Richmond Kickers
* Tormenta FC
* Toronto FC II
* FC Tucson

NISA
(20–21)
(Fall 21)|

* California United Strikers FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* Chattanooga FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* Chicago House AC
* Detroit City FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* Los Angeles Force
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* Maryland Bobcats FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* Michigan Stars FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* New Amsterdam FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* New York Cosmos
* Oakland Roots SC
* San Diego 1904 FC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021
* Stumptown AC
* 2020–21
* Fall 2021

*[GK]: Goalkeeper
*[DF]: Defender
*[FW]: Forward
*[MF]: Midfielder
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