By orangecountysoccer.com Staff,

In their second home match of the season, Orange County SC displayed an intense attacking offense and tenacious goalkeeping as they dropped the match to top-ranked Real Monarchs SLC.

Real Monarchs SLC, who were on a six-game win streak coming into the match, paid a visit to Orange County for the first time in the regular season. The two teams met in the pre-season, where Orange County SC prevailed, scoring three goals in the process.

The match got off to a quick start as Real Monarch’s Chandler Hoffman scored on a cross served up by Charlie Adams in the first minute. Orange County SC countered quickly with two shots on goal in the first 15 minutes by Wuilito Fernandes, who was recently called up to the Cape Verde Men’s National Team for the World Cup Qualifiers.

Near the end of the first half, Orange County SC saw an opportunity to score as they were issued a penalty kick in the 45th minute of the match. But it would be Real Monarchs SLC Goalkeeper Connor Sparrow who would stop the attempt, sending both teams to the locker rooms.

During the second half, Orange County SC found a rhythm and fought aggressively for the equalizer. Behind the exemplary goalkeeping of Charlie Lyon, who notched four saves on the night, the defense held the Real Monarchs’ top-scoring offense at bay.

Orange County’s resilient offense notched 5 shots in the final 10 minutes of the match. Local standout Ami Pineda, who came in as a substitute in the 57th minute, not only had a shot that was inches away from scoring, but also created chances to score on two other occasions.

Orange County SC will next take the pitch when they face the LA Galaxy of the MLS in the fourth-round of the U.S. Open Cup on June 14 at the StubHub Center Track and Field Stadium in Carson. They will then continue their four-match home stand when they face off against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on June 24 at the Orange County Great Park.

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY SOCCER CLUB:

The Orange County Soccer Club is Orange County’s Professional Soccer Team. The club was one of 12 founding members of the new United Soccer League (USL) in its inaugural 2011 season. The predecessor club Orange County Blues were the 2015 Western Conference Regular Season Champions and have reached the Western Conference Semi-finals of the USL Playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The club’s brand-new owner, James Keston, is the Chief Investment Officer of LARO Properties, and will actively oversee all operations of the USL club in Orange County. Keston is dedicated to transforming the club into a world-class professional soccer organization that focuses on the fans, players, and youth clubs of Orange County.

For more information about Orange County Soccer Club or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.orangecountysoccer.com.

Contact:

Kelly Salmieri: VP, Marketing & Community Relations, [email protected],