2023 Orange County SC season

The 2023 Orange County SC season was the club's thirteenth season of existence, and their thirteenth consecutive season in the United Soccer League Championship, the second tier of American soccer.

Orange County SC
2023 season
ManagerRichard Chaplow
(until May 1)
Morten Karlsen (Interim)
(from May 1)
StadiumChampionship Soccer Stadium
Irvine, California
USL ChampionshipWestern Conf.: 2nd
Overall: 5th
USL Championship PlayoffsConference Semifinals
U.S. Open CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Milan Iloski (17 goals)
All: Milan Iloski (20 goals)
Highest home attendance5,500 (5 times)
Lowest home attendanceLeague: 3,047 (May 17 v.s. Sacramento Republic FC)
Open Cup: 1,588 (Second Round, April 5 vs Capo FC)
Average home league attendance4,411[1]
← 2022
2024 →

Orange County had a tumultuous start, only winning one out of their first eight games with a 1-4-3 record, leading to the team firing head coach Richard Chaplow and promoting the newly hired assistant coach Morten Karlsen to interim head coach on May 1, 2023.[2] Under new management, Orange County found form and finished the season on a three-game winning streak, going from 11th to 2nd place in the Western Conference,[3] and having a final record of 17–11–6.[4]

In the first round of the USL Championship playoffs, Orange County faced off against seventh seeded El Paso Locomotive FC at home, winning 1–0 with a goal from Forward Milan Iloski.[5] In the semifinals, Orange County hosted 6th seed Phoenix Rising FC, losing 2–1 in extra time to the eventual champions.[6][7]

This would be the last season that the team-leading goalscorer and All-League Second Team[8] Iloski would play for Orange County, as after this season he made a transfer to FC Nordsjælland in the Danish Superliga in the January transfer window.[9][10] Additionally, on November 10, appointed interim head coach Karlsen was signed to become the official head coach of Orange County.[11]

Roster

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As of 13 June 2024[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   USA Colin Shutler (team captain)
2 DF   USA Owen Lambe
3 DF   USA Alex Villanueva
5 DF   USA Dillon Powers
7 FW   USA Cameron Dunbar (on loan from Minnesota United FC[13])
7 FW   USA Milan Iloski
8 MF   USA Seth Casiple
9 FW   SCO Marc McNulty
10 MF   USA Brian Iloski
11 FW   USA Bryce Jamison
14 DF   NOR Morten Bjørshol
15 MF   USA Ashish Chattha
16 DF   USA Brent Richards
No. Pos. Nation Player
19 MF   USA Kevin Partida
21 FW   CMR Thomas Amang
22 DF   USA Joseph Buckley
23 DF   NOR Ryan Doghman
24 FW   USA Benjamin Barjolo
26 MF   USA Kyle Scott
29 GK   USA Juan Santana
30 DF   NOR Markus Nakkim
32 FW   USA Nicolas Ruiz
33 DF   USA Ashton Miles
35 MF   USA Benjamin Norris
36 GK   USA Fernando Aguirre

Technical Staff

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Role[14] Name
President of Soccer Operations & General Manager Peter Nugent
Head Coach Morten Karlsen
First Assistant Coach & IDP Manager Paul Hardyman
Assistant Coach Didier Crettenand
Goalkeeping Coach Victor Nogueira
Performance Data Analyst Amanda Preciado
Performance Consultant Dan Guzman
Head Academy Scout Shawn Beyer
Team Operations Coordinator Mario Lemus

Competitions

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Exhibitions

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Orange County, on January 31, announced six pre-season matches, with most matches being played against MLS Next and colligate teams behind closed doors.[15]

February 11 Preseason LA Galaxy II 1-2 Orange County SC Carson, California
11:00 AM Report Stadium: HDC University Field 1
Attendance: 0
February 18 Preseason Orange County SC 2-1 UC Irvine Anteaters Irvine, California
11:00 AM Osundina   31'
  89' (o.g.)
Report   46' Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 0
February 25 Preseason San Diego Loyal 3-0 Orange County SC Carlsbad, California
Report Stadium: MiraCosta Stadium
Attendance: 0
March 4 Preseason Orange County SC 4-1 UC Santa Barbara Gauchos Irvine, California
2:00 PM Chattha   5'
  26'
  57'
  89'
Report   67' Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 0

USL Championship

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Standings

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Sacramento Republic FC 34 18 6 10 51 26 +25 64 Playoffs
2 Orange County SC 34 17 11 6 46 39 +7 57
3 San Diego Loyal SC 34 16 9 9 61 43 +18 57
4 San Antonio FC 34 14 6 14 63 38 +25 56
5 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 34 16 13 5 49 42 +7 53
Source: USL Championship Standings
Rules for classification: 1) head-to-head points; 2) head-to-head goal differential; 3) points-per game within conference; 4) total wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) total goals scored; 7) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 8) disciplinary points; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots

Results summary

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Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
34 17 6 11 46 39  +7 57 9 3 5 21 14  +7 8 3 6 25 25  0

Source: USL standings

Match results

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Orange County announced their full season schedule on January 9, 2023.[16]

All times in Pacific Time.

March

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March 11 1 Orange County SC 1-3 Louisville City FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Richards   37'
Partida   40',   45' + 3'
Iloski   41'
Report McCabe   4'
Lancaster   19',   57'
Totsch   71'
Mushangalusa   88'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,267
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva
March 18 2 Orange County SC 1-1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Irvine, California
7:00 PM Chattha   34'
Nielsen   40'
Powers   90'
Report Lasso   75'
Herivaux   82'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,278
Referee: Brandon Stevis
March 25 3 Orange County SC 2-2 Las Vegas Lights FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Partida   45'+3'
Scott   56'
Villanueva   60'
Iloski   64'
Nakkim   90'+2'
Report Torres   44',   50'
Botello-Faz  62'
Oteng   66'
Bushue   90'+5'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 3,959
Referee: Alexis Da Silva

April

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April 1 4 Hartford Athletic 1-1 Orange County SC Hartford, Connecticut
11:00 AM Rad   6'
Amoh   45'+8'
Cedeno   65'
Hodge   70'
Barrera   72'
Logue   84'
McGlynn   90'+3'
Report Iloski   7'
Nakkim   65'
Partida   81'
Doghman   87'
Richards   90'+5'
Scott   90'+5'
Stadium: Trinity Health Stadium
Attendance: 3,030
Referee: Eric Tattersall
April 8 5 El Paso Locomotive FC 1-0 Orange County SC El Paso, Texas
6:30 PM Lyons   4'
Pavkovics   6'
Solignac   19'
Zacarias   44'
Kostyshyn   74'
Report Iloski   35'
Fox   58'
Buckley   88'
Stadium: Southwest University Park
Attendance: 6,013
Referee: Cristian Campo
April 15 6 Orange County SC 1-0 Indy Eleven Irvine, California
7:00 PM Iloski   30'
Jamison   56'
Scott   73'
Report Diz Pe   23'
Blake   36'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 3,977
Referee: Ricardo Fierro
April 22 7 Orange County SC 1-2 Birmingham Legion FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Nielsen   30'
Scott   55'
Partida   57'
Report Agudelo   33'
Kavita   40'
Crognale   53'
Martínez   59',   64'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,114
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
April 29 8 New Mexico United 3-1 Orange County SC Albuquerque, New Mexico
6:00 PM Hurst   22',   63'
Rivas   74'
Suggs   90'
Portillo   90'+2'
Report Suggs   58' (o.g.)
Casiple   90'+2'
Stadium: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
Attendance: 10,048
Referee: Sergii Boiko
May 6 9 Orange County SC 1-2 San Diego Loyal Irvine, California
7:00 PM Villanueva   18'
Iloski   59'
Richards   59'
Partida   60'
Doghman   80'
McNulty   86'
Powers   86'
Casiple   89'
Osundina   90'+6'
Report Moshobane   15'
Corona   19' (pen.)   49'
Moon   59'   90'+5'
Riley   81'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,616
Referee: Elijio Arreguin
May 13 10 Oakland Roots 3-0 Orange County SC Hayward, California
8:00 PM Formella   30'
Morad   43'
Rito   78'
Report Miles   90'+2' Stadium: Pioneer Stadium
Attendance: 5,855
Referee: Corbyn May
May 17 11 Orange County SC 1-0 Sacramento Republic FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Iloski   5'
Nakkim   23'
Lambe   42'
Pederssen   88'
Report Lewis   46'
Keko   81'
López   87'   90'+5'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 3,047
Referee: Deshun Beard
May 20 12 Orange County SC 0-1 Phoenix Rising FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Doghman   50'
Norris   71'
Nakkim   90'+3'
Report Fuenmayor   5'
Arteaga   67'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,301
Referee: Alexis Da Silva
May 27 13 Miami FC 0-0 Orange County SC Miami, Florida
4:00 P.M. Chapman-Page   16'
Craig   20'
Murphy   45'+4'
Akinyode   60'
Cabral   90'+4'
Report Pedersen   44'
Iloski   45'+4'
Stadium: FIU Football Stadium
Attendance: 1,374
Referee: Nabil Bensalah

June

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June 3 14 Orange County SC 2-0 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros Irvine, California
7:00 PM Iloski   4'
Lambe   13'
Osundina   16'
Scott   45'+2'
Pedersen   77'
Report Davilla   53'
Ruiz   75'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,268
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
June 10 15 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 4-0 Orange County SC Colorado Springs, Colorado
6:00 PM Skundrich   28'
Williams   60'
Henríquez   71' (pen.)
Rios   74'
Herrera   80'
Report Iloski   47'
Pedersen   70'
McNulty   80'
Stadium: Weidner Field
Attendance: 6,930
Referee: Olvin Oliva
June 17 16 FC Tulsa 0-3 Orange County SC Tulsa, Oklahoma
5:00 McCabe   18'
Yosef   27'
Malou   60' Fernandez   84'
Bonet   90'+5'
Report Iloski   26'
Osundina   49'
Shutler   51'
Nakkim   90'
Amang   90'+6' (pen.)
Stadium: ONEOK Field
Attendance: 4,333
Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero
June 24 17 Detroit City FC 0-1 Orange County SC Hamtramck, Michigan
4:30 Williams   63'
Lewis   70'
Carroll   72'
Report Iloski   23'
Iloski   55'
McNulty   61'
Partida   65'
Nakkim   90'
Scott   90'+6'
Stadium: Keyworth Stadium
Attendance: 6,669
Referee: Alejo Calume

July

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July 1 18 Orange County SC 3-1 Monterey Bay FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Powers   33'
Amang   70',   90'+1' (pen.)
Lambe   78'
Iloski   83'
Report Rebollar   52'
Martínez   56'
Fehr   64'
Doner   75'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Alex Beehler
July 9 19 Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 2-0 Orange County SC Edinburg, Texas
5:00 Ritondale   14'
Coronado   54'
Ackwei   69'
Ricketts   78'
Davila   84'
Report Casiple   22'
Iloski   43'
Iloski   87'
Stadium: H.E.B. Park
Attendance: 3,557
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
July 15 20 Loudoun United FC 1-3 Orange County SC Leesburg, Virginia
4:30 Landry   23'
Hopkins   42'
Leerman   37'   90'+3'
Garay   45'+3'
Rocha   59'
Report Nakkim   8'
McNulty   15'
Iloski   38' (pen.)
Villanueva   69'
Osundina   84'
Amang   90'+3'
Stadium: Segra Field
Attendance: 2,458
Referee: Joe Surgan
July 22 21 Memphis 901 FC 3-4 Orange County SC Memphis, Tennessee
5:30 Hyndman   6'
Buckmaster   22',   33'
da Costa   44'
Kelly   68'   74'
Peters   70'
Ward   88'
Paul   90'
Lapa   90'+1'
Pickering   90'+4'
Report Iloski   24',   43'
Doghman   31'
McNulty   32'
Powers   45'+2'
Doghman   45'+5'
Villanueva   77'
Jamison   86'
Stadium: AutoZone Park
Attendance: 3,971
Referee: John Griggs
July 29 22 Orange County SC 1-0 New Mexico United Irvine, California
7:00 Chattha   63'
Iloski   80'
Amang   85'
Shutler   90'+5'
Report Suggs   42'
Hamilton   74'   90'+7'
Seymore   84'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Gabriele Giusti

August

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August 5 23 San Diego Loyal 1-3 Orange County SC San Diego, California
7:00 Conway   8'
Martin   35'
Stoneman   50'
Damus   59'
Report Casiple   45'+1'
Scott   49'
Amang   52',   78',   53'
Iloski   60'
Shutler   85'
Osundina   90'+5'
Stadium: Torero Stadium
Attendance: 4,217
Referee: Malik Badawi
August 16 24 Orange County SC 1-0 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Iloski   40'
Partida   63'
Jamison   71'
Richards   78'
Report Farrell   14'
Ybarra   76'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,019
Referee: Brad Jensen
August 19 25 Orange County SC 2-0 Charleston Battery Irvine, California
7:00 PM B. Iloski   45'+1'
M. Iloski   48'
Scott   58'
Lambe   62'
Report Wynne   26'
Palma   43'
Avila   45'+2'
Dodson   60'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Elijio Arreguin
August 26 26 Sacramento Republic FC 0-2 Orange County SC Sacramento, California
7:30 Report Fox   19'
Amang   54'
Casiple   84'
Scott   84'
Stadium: Charles C. Hughes Stadium
Attendance: 20,231
Referee: Ricardo Fierro

September

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September 2 27 Las Vegas Lights FC 1-5 Orange County SC Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 Bushue   35'
Carroll   41'
Rios   69'
Report Iloski   13'
Amang   22'
Nakkim   38'
McNulty   82'
Lankford   89'
Stadium: Cashman Field
Referee: John Matto
September 9 28 Orange County SC 0-0 El Paso Locomotive FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM Scott   30'
Nakkim   69'
Partida   90'+1'
McNulty   90'+1'
Report Navarro   20'
Lyons   33'
Hinds   35'
Rose   60'
Gómez   90'+70'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Ramy Touchan
September 15 29 Orange County SC 0-1 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Irvine, California
7:00 Partida   25' Report Echevarria   61'
Magee   84'
Herrera   90'+3'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,344
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
September 23 30 San Antonio FC 4-0 Orange County SC San Antonio, Texas
5:30 Fogaça   6',   21'
Hayes   44'
Yacoubou   50'
Oluwaseyi   57'
Patino   61',   62'
Taintor
Report Iloski   51'
Casiple   53'
McNulty   67'
Nakkim   80'
Stadium: Toyota Field
Attendance: 7,513
Referee: Gerald Flores
September 30 31 Phoenix Rising FC 1-1 Orange County SC Phoenix, Arizona
7:30 Hernández   70'
Traore   84'
Cuello   85'
Report Iloski   61'
Fox   76'
Powers   84'
Stadium: Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 6,440
Referee: Matthew Thompson

October

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October 4 32 Orange County SC 3-1 Oakland Roots SC Irvine, California
7:00 Scott   22'
M. Iloski   45'+2' (pen)
Amang   45'+5'
B. Iloski   50'
Report Peláez   11'
Diaz   15'
Tamacas   39'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 3,378
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
October 7 33 Orange County SC 1-0 San Antonio FC Irvine, California
7:00 Casiple   11'
Iloski   44'
McNulty   55'
Scott   59'
Fox   79'
Amang   82'
Report Maloney   9'
Patino   50'
Azócar   59'
Boni   86'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Brandon Stevis
October 14 34 Monterey Bay FC 0-1 Orange County SC Seaside, California
7:00 Glasser   76' Report Lankford   22'
Iloski   39'
Partida   88'   90'+4'
Fox   90'+8'
Stadium: Cardinale Stadium
Attendance: 5,278
Referee: Eric Tattersall

USL Cup Playoffs

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October 21 Western Conference Quarterfinals Orange County SC 1-0 El Paso Locomotive FC Irvine, California
7:30 Iloski   45'+1'
Scott   87'
Report Dollenmayer   29'
Sonupe   58'
Rose   75'
Petrovic   86'
Díaz   90'+3'
Calvillo   90'+7'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Natalie Simon
October 28 Western Conference Semifinals Orange County SC 1-2 (a.e.t.) Phoenix Rising FC Irvine, California
7:00 Amang   24'
Scott   51'
Report Trejo   7'
Fuenmayor   103'
Uzochokwu   106'
Cuello   116'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,500
Referee: Calin Radosav

U.S. Open Cup

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As a member of the USL Championship, Orange County SC entered the tournament in the Second Round on April 5, 2023.[17]

April 5 Second Round Orange County SC 5-0 Capo FC Irvine, California
7:00 Nielsen   33'
Jamison   45'+1'
Partida   58'
Iloski   69',   90'+3' (pen.)
Chattha   84'
Amang   87'
Report Loya   12'
Cervantes   24'
Montes   26'   62'
Vega   43'
Scalzo   57'
Olivia   84'
Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 1,588
Referee: Jervis Atagana
April 26 Third Round Portland Timbers 3-1 Orange County SC Portland, Oregon
7:30 Blanco   30'
Loría   37'
Clegg   48'
Sulte   90'+1'
Niezgoda   90'+2'
Report Iloski   54',   57' Stadium: Providence Park
Attendance: 11,639
Referee: Olvin Oliva

References

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  1. ^ "2023 USL Championship Attendance". Soccer America. October 16, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  2. ^ "Orange County SC replaces coach Richard Chaplow after 8 games". Orange County Register. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  3. ^ "The Hype is Building". Orange & Black SoccerCast. 2023-12-15. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  4. ^ "Standings". uslchampionship.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  5. ^ "Orange County 1-0 El Paso (Oct 21, 2023) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  6. ^ "Phoenix 2-1 Orange County (Oct 28, 2023) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  7. ^ "Match Center | USLChampionship.com". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  8. ^ Staff, USLChampionship com (2023-11-07). "USL Championship Announces 2023 All-League Teams". USL Championship. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  9. ^ Burke, Elias. "Orange County SC's Milan Iloski moves to Nordsjaelland, continuing trend in USL". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  10. ^ "Orange County SC's Milan Iloski headed to Europe after USL season". Orange County Register. 2023-09-13. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  11. ^ "Orange County SC removes interim label for coach Morten Karlsen". Orange County Register. 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  12. ^ "Orange County SC Roster 2023". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  13. ^ "Minnesota United Loans Forward Cameron Dunbar to Orange County SC". August 15, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  14. ^ "Technical Staff". Orange County SC. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  15. ^ "ORANGE COUNTY SC POSTS 2023 PRESEASON SCHEDULE". Orange County SC. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
  16. ^ "ORANGE COUNTY SC ANNOUNCES FULL 2023 USL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE". Orange County SC. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  17. ^ "2023 U.S. Open Cup second round: Schedule and results". Pro Soccer Wire. 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2024-06-24.