Orange County SC entered Saturday night’s matchup at Lexington SC Stadium looking to bounce back and build positive momentum on the road. Lexington ended the three-match draw streak between the clubs and took control early, with Phillip Goodrum scoring twice and Marcus Epps and Nick Firmino also finding the net in a 4-0 home win. OCSC was unable to generate a response after falling behind and left Kentucky without a point.
Lexington struck first in the ninth minute when Phillip Goodrum finished a chance created by Nicolas Firmino. The hosts doubled their advantage six minutes later, with Firmino again involved in the buildup before Marcus Epps found the back of the net.
Goodrum added his second of the night in the 24th minute, finishing a Blaine Ferri assist to put Lexington ahead 3-0.
Orange County continued to push forward despite the early deficit, working to settle into the match and find opportunities to get Wathuta, Bunbury and Hegardt involved in the attack. OCSC looked to establish more possession as the half progressed and find a way back into the match.
Lexington added a fourth goal before the halftime whistle to take a 4-0 advantage into the break. Orange County continued to battle through the remainder of the opening 45 minutes and headed into the locker room looking to regroup, make adjustments and produce a response in the second half.
Orange County SC came out of the halftime break with a new face on the field, as 19-year-old Torrance, California native Paul Ngoie entered in the 46th minute to make his professional debut.
Goalkeeper Alex Rando provided one of the highlights of the night in the 61st minute, coming up with a penalty-kick save to deny Lexington from the spot. Rando was busy throughout the match and finished the night with eight saves, pushing him past 200 career saves.
Lexington added two more goals in the second half to extend its advantage, but Orange County continued to compete through the closing stages and pushed forward in search of a goal.
The final whistle brought a difficult night in Kentucky to a close for OCSC, with Lexington earning a 6-0 victory. Orange County will now turn its attention to the next opportunity, looking to regroup and respond as the club enters the closing stretch of the season.
Orange County SC is back home on September 23 for Owners Night and an “Uncorked” match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. For tickets and more information, click HERE.
Milestone:
- Paul Ngoie from Torrence, CA made his professional debut.
- With 8 saves tonight Alex Rando passes 200 career saves.
| TEAM | FIRST HALF | SECOND HALF | FULL TIME |
| OCSC | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LEX | 4 | 2 | 6 |
SCORING SUMMARY:
ORANGE COUNTY SC
LEXINGTON SC
9’ Phillip Goodrum (Assist Nick Firmino)
15’ Marcus Epps
24’ Phillip Goodrum (Assist Blaine Ferri)
35’ Nick Firmino – (Assist Malcolm Fry)
49’ Phillip Goodrum (Assist Marcus Epps)
85’ Cielo Tschantret
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY:
39’ Tyson Espy – Yellow Card
53’ Jacob Greene – Yellow Card
ORANGE COUNTY SC LINEUP: (4-4-2)
Alex Rando (GK); Tom Brewitt (C), Ryan Doghman, Tyson Espy, Jaylin Lindsey, Ousmane Sylla (64’ Marcelo Palomino), Stephen Kelly (46’ Paul Ngoie), Chris Hegardt, Efren Solis, Mataeo Bunbury (38’ Jerome Carter Jr.), Sydney Wathuta (83’ Mohamadou War)
Unused subs: Tetsuya Kadono (GK); Ethan Zubak, Yaniv Bazini, Grayson Doody, Finn O’Brien,
Head Coach: Danny Stone
Possession: 46% | Shots: 6 | Shots On Goal: 1 | Corners: 4 | Fouls: 16 | Offsides: 0 | Saves: 8
LEXINGTON SC: (4-2-3-1)
Oliver Semmle (GK); Xavier Zengue, Kendall Burks, Javain Brown, Jacob Greene (66’ Marqes Muir), Noble Okello (66’ Cielo Tschantret), Malcolm Fry (55’ Tarik Scott), Blaine Ferri, Nicolas Firmino (55’ Braudílio Rodrigues), Marcus Epps (72’ Milo Yosef), Phillip Goodrum (C)
Unused Subs: Brooks Thompson, Garrett Addams (GK); Andrew Caborn, Patrick Seagrist
Head Coach: Masaki Hemmi
Possession: 54% | Shots: 26 | Shots On Goal: 14 | Corners: 5 |Fouls: 10 | Offsides: 3 | Saves: 1
Orange County SC v. Lexington SC
2026 USL Championship Match 25
Date: September 19, 2026
Venue: Lexington SC Stadium, Lexington, KY