Kickoff: Saturday, July 22 (5:30 PM PST)
Where: AutoZone Park (Memphis, TN)
How to Watch: ESPN+, The Harp Inn (Costa Mesa, CA)
Orange County SC travels to Memphis, Tennessee to face Memphis 901 FC for the second time in club history, and first time on the road. The Black and Orange will look to win their second straight and fifth game in the last six contests as they fight for playoff positioning in the tightly stacked USL Championship Western Conference.
MEMPHIS BLUES
Memphis 901 FC enter Saturday’s match in 4th place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference, in a comfortable position despite being winless in their last four matches. After winning four out of five matches in the month of June, the team has gone winless in their last four matches (0-2-2). They have had trouble scoring goals in that stretch, only putting two shots in the back of the net. The team is led by midfielder Rodrigo da Costa with six goals and four assists and forward Nighte Pickering with four goals and four assists in the 2023 USL Championship regular season.
2023 Regular Season Record: 8-4-6 (4th in USL-C Eastern Conference)
Goals Scored: 32 | Goals Allowed: 28 | Clean Sheets: 4
Players to Watch
F Nighte Pickering
M Rodrigo da Costa
SPARKY SHINES AS OCSC RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS
Orange County SC recorded a dominant 3-1 victory over Loudoun United FC last Saturday. A first Orange County SC goal from forward Marc “Sparky” McNulty and two more from forwards Korede Osundina and Milan Iloski sealed all three points for the Black and Orange. With the goal from Iloski, he scored his 30th Orange County SC goal, becoming the 18th player in USL Championship history to reach that mark for a single club. The Black and Orange have faced Memphis 901 FC once before last year at The Champ where they played to a 1-1 draw behind a first half goal from forward Brian Iloski. Orange County SC goalkeeper Colin Shutler was named to the bench of the Week 19 USL Championship Team of the Week last week after a strong performance in the 3-1 victory over Loudoun United FC. He is currently tied for 9th in the league with five clean sheets and has recorded 30 saves in the 2023 USL Championship regular season.
Players to Watch
F Milan Iloski
GK Colin Shutler
All-time record:
Orange County SC is 0-0-1 all-time against Memphis 901 FC.
Previous Matchup: 2022 USL Championship
Orange County SC 1-1 Memphis 901 FC (Championship Stadium, Irvine,CA)
Scoring summary: Brian Iloski 43’ (OCSC), Jeremy Kelly 85’ (MEM)
TOUCH-A-TRUCK RETURNS ON JULY 29TH
After a three game road trip, Orange County SC returns home on Saturday, July 29 against New Mexico United at 7:00 PM for our Family Game Night! Bring out the kids for an experience they won’t forget, as they get to have hands-on experience with construction vehicles, firetrucks and more! Don’t miss out on this fan favorite event and another great night of professional soccer in the OC! Tickets can be purchased here.
COME EXPERIENCE AN AWAY DAY WITH THE CLC!
Do you miss watching the match with fellow fans while the Black and Orange are on the road? The County Line Coalition, Orange County SC’s Official Supporters Group, will be hosting a watch party at The Harp Inn in Costa Mesa! Come on down and enjoy good food, drinks and an OCSC match day with some fellow fans!
FLEX PACKSGet your 10-game Orange County SC Flex Packs for the upcoming 2023 season. When you buy 9 tickets, you get a 10th for free! You can spread out the ten tickets across multiple games or bring out the whole crew for a game at the Champ. Flex packs can be purchased at https://www.orangecountysoccer.com/flex-packs/.