San Diego Loyal and Orange County SC finish in 2-2 draw
Credit: SD Loyal
A late stunner from Orange County levels the game in stoppage time to force a draw.
The San Diego Loyal couldn’t hold on to claim three points on the road in Orange County. They remain in second place in the Western Conference, and that is where they will remain. The Loyal will host a playoff match when the bracket is set.
For Orange County, Brian Iloski scored in stoppage time, and his brother Milan scored in the 44th minute. It’s rare you see two brothers score in the same game at the professional level. OC is currently last in the conference with 33 points compared to the SD’s 59.
This match started strong for the Loyal. Thomas Amang found the back of the net in the 14th minute as the OC defenders were found out of position.
Thomas Amang is just goals and vibes. #OCvSD pic.twitter.com/emInKXWY3E
— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) October 2, 2022
Amang scored his 10th goal of the season, which is second on the team behind Kyle Vassell, who has 14.
Later in the match, Jack Blake smashed a free kick in the 53rd minute to give the Loyal the lead once again.
Go ahead and pick that out. #OCvSD | @jackblake94 pic.twitter.com/pkOJ7UlZp2
— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) October 2, 2022
San Diego looked strong early on. It wasn’t until late in the match when OC started to control possession looking for an equalizer. This was one of the first matches in a while where the Loyal didn’t end the match with the possession advantage. OC also attempted more shots, with 10 of 15 being inside of the box.
SD Loyal has scored in 28 of its 32 games, more often than any other team this season.
Keeper Koke Vegas saved the game in the final seconds, that would have given OC the winner. Erick Torres drilled a header off of a brilliant cross from Seth Casiple but right into the mits of Vegas.
.@KokeVegas we love you. #OCvSD pic.twitter.com/8KXrJbLKMH
— San Diego Loyal (@SanDiegoLoyal) October 2, 2022
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That play would end the match as OC did their job by forcing a draw against a really good Loyal team.
This result didn’t matter in the end for San Diego as they will end up as the 2nd seed in the playoffs. Two matches remain, with the next being at home. The final home match is next Sunday, October 9, at 3 p.m.
Chris is a graduate of the University of San Diego. He is the former Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. Chris is also an athlete and is huge fan of San Diego sports. Chris has covered the San Diego Loyal, and contributes regularly about the Padres.