Kickoff: Wednesday, August 16 (7:00 PM PST)
Where: Championship Stadium (Irvine, CA)
How to Watch: At the Champ, Bally Sports SoCal, ESPN+
Orange County SC returns to Championship Stadium from their bye week to square off with Eastern Conference leading Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC On Wednesday, August 16 at 7:00 PM PST. This midweek matchup will take place on Women’s World Cup Wednesday, celebrating the growth of the Women’s game!
TOP DAWG IN THE EAST
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC enter this Wednesday’s contest in first place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference. After losing two straight, they have rattled off three straight wins to right the ship. Their defense is tops in the East, conceding just 20 goals so far this season, good for a 0.8 goals per game clip, and have tallied 12 clean sheets on the season. Two of those clean sheets have come in their last two matches. They are led up top by forward Albert Dikwa, who is currently third in the USL Championship Golden Boot race with 12 goals. Their head coach, Bob Lilley, recently won his 100th match as Pittsburgh bench boss in their 2-0 win over Hartford Athletic last weekend. This Riverhounds team is formidable top to bottom…one place they might be vulnerable? On the road. Away from Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh is just 3-3-5 this season.
2023 Regular Season Record: 13-4-8 (1st in USL-C Eastern Conference)
Goals Scored: 34 | Goals Allowed: 20 | Clean Sheets: 12
Players to Watch
F Albert Dikwa
M Kenardo Forbes
DERBY DAY DELIGHT
Following their 3-1 victory over San Diego Loyal SC, Orange County SC have extended their current win streak to four matches and have now won eight of their last ten. No one in the league has claimed more points in that stretch. The Black and Orange claimed all three points behind a brace from forward Thomas Amang, in his return to Torero Stadium, and a stoppage time sealer from substitute forward Korede Osundina. Another milestone for the club occurred at that match, as it was the largest recorded crowd in OCSC Away Day history. A big shoutout to our supporters’ group, the County Line Coalition, and all of our amazing fans for making this possible. As the boys return from their bye week, two matchups against the current top two teams in the East means it is right back to work. OCSC will look once again to Amang for a source of offense, as well as team leader in goals forward Milan Iloski, and a defense that has kept opposing offenses at bay. During this streak, they have held opponents to one goal or less three times and goalkeeper Colin Shutler has made 11 saves.
Players to Watch
F Thomas Amang
D Owen Lambe
All-time record:
Orange County SC is 4-1-2 all-time against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
Previous Matchup: 2022 USL Championship
Orange County SC 1 – 1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA)
Scoring summary: Albert Dikwa 4’ (PIT), Milan Iloski 90’ (OCSC)
MILESTONE WATCH: ANDREW FOX
Defender Andrew Fox is just one appearance away from hitting the century mark in matches played in the USL Championship. An appearance on Wednesday will see him eclipse 100 USL Championship appearances.
USL CHAMPIONSHIP COACH OF THE MONTH: MORTEN KARLSEN
Head Coach Morten Karlsen was named the USL Championship Coach of the Month for the month of July, as voted by his peers. In July, he led his team to a 4-1 record, which was the best record in the league that month. Under his guidance, the Black and Orange have fought their way back in the playoff race, jumping all the way up to fifth place. Given when he took over, the team was in eleventh, Karlsen is well deserving of this recognition and becomes the first head coach in OCSC history to receive this award.
BEERFEST IS BACK!
The Black and Orange follow that Wednesday’s match with another home match this Saturday, August 19 against the Charleston Battery also at 7:00 PM PST, for our End of Summer Beerfest. Our General Admission seating for this fan favorite tasting event has already sold out!! Don’t miss out on your chance to be a part of all the fun, with over 50 different flavors of beer available to taste, including our DEcade of Goals collaboration with Brewery X. Tickets can be purchased here.
FLEX PACKS
Get 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 here.