Five different Orange County SC players scored in a 5-2 victory over NISA’s LA Force in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Second Round on Tuesday, April 5 at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine.
In their first domestic cup competition match in over two years, OCSC used a three-goal first half and a complete team performance to eliminate the third division side. The only blemishes were two LA Force goals that came late in each half.
OCSC midfielder Daniel Pedersen got the scoring started in the 24’ with a thundering strike from the center of the box. The goal was Pedersen’s first in Orange County since coming in from the first division in Norway.
The lead was doubled seven minutes later when OCSC forward Milan Iloski headed in an errant pass from the LA Force goalkeeper who was attempting to play the ball out of the back. Two minutes later, OCSC forward Ugo Okoli tripled the lead with a goal of his own. Both Iloski and Okoli lead OCSC with three goals in all competitions.
After giving up a goal late in the first half, OCSC scored in the 53’ with OCSC midfielder Mikko Kuningas connecting on a ball with his left foot from close range. It was Kuningas’s first goal of the 2022 season.
The fifth and final OCSC goal was scored by 17-year-old defender Kobi Henry in the 69’ with a powerful strike from inside the box. The goal was Henry’s second of his professional career and first in 2022.
On Friday, April 8 at 9:00am PDT, OCSC will learn their next round opponent from a draw. More information on date, opponent and location will be provided after draw occurs. OCSC will continue their homestand with a rematch of the 2021 Western Conference Final against San Antonio FC on Saturday, April 9 at 7:00 PM, tickets can be purchased here.
TEAM | FIRST HALF | SECOND HALF | FULL TIME |
OCSC | 3 | 2 | 5 |
LA FORCE | 1 | 1 | 2 |
SCORING SUMMARY:
24’ Daniel Pedersen (OCSC)
31’ Milan Iloski (OCSC)
33’ Ugo Okoli (OCSC)
37’ Samuel Goni (LAF)
53’ Mikko Kuningas (OCSC)
69’ Kobi Henry (OCSC)
90’ Clayton Torr (LAF)
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY:
ORANGE COUNTY SC
50’ Patrick Rakovsky
52’ Milan Iloski
LA FORCE (NISA)
35’ Kyle O’Brien
43’ Jonathan Garcia
50’ Jaime Chavez
Orange County SC vs LA Force (NISA)
2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup | Second Round
Date: April 5, 2022
Kickoff: 7:33 PM PDT
Venue: Championship Soccer Stadium (Irvine, CA)
Weather: Raining Goals.