| 2023 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Richard Chaplow (until May 1) Morten Karlsen (Interim) (from May 1) |
| Stadium | Championship Soccer Stadium Irvine, California |
| USL Championship | Western Conf.: 2nd Overall: 5th |
| USL Championship Playoffs | Conference Semifinals |
| U.S. Open Cup | Third Round |
| Top goalscorer | League: Milan Iloski (17 goals) All: Milan Iloski (20 goals) |
| Highest home attendance | 5,500 (5 times) |
| Lowest home attendance | League: 3,047 (May 17 v.s. Sacramento Republic FC) Open Cup: 1,588 (Second Round, April 5 vs Capo FC) |
| Average home league attendance | 4,475 [1] |
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 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]
As of 13 June 2024 [12]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| 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 |
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 11Preseason | LA Galaxy II | 1-2 | Orange County SC | Carson, California |
| 11:00 AM | Report | Stadium: HDC University Field 1 Attendance: 0 |
| February 18Preseason | Orange County SC | 2-1 | UC Irvine Anteaters | Irvine, California |
| 11:00 AM | Osundina | Report | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 0 |
| February 25Preseason | San Diego Loyal | 3-0 | Orange County SC | Carlsbad, California |
| Report | Stadium: MiraCosta Stadium Attendance: 0 |
| March 1Preseason | Orange County SC | v | Cal State Fullerton Titans | Irvine, California |
| 8:00 PM | Report | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium | ||
| Note: Season ticket holder exclusive | ||||
| March 4Preseason | Orange County SC | 1-0 | Los Angeles FC 2 | Irvine, California |
| 10:30 AM | Iloski | Report | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 0 |
| March 4Preseason | Orange County SC | 4-1 | UC Santa Barbara Gauchos | Irvine, California |
| 2:00 PM | Chattha | Report | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 0 |
| 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 |
| 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
Orange County announced their full season schedule on January 9, 2023. [16]
All times in Pacific Time.
| March 111 | Orange County SC | 1-3 | Louisville City FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Richards Partida Iloski | Report | McCabe Lancaster Totsch Mushangalusa | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,267 Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva |
| March 182 | Orange County SC | 1-1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Chattha Nielsen Powers | Report | Lasso Herivaux | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,278 Referee: Brandon Stevis |
| March 253 | Orange County SC | 2-2 | Las Vegas Lights FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Partida Scott Villanueva Iloski Nakkim | Report | Torres Botello-Faz Oteng Bushue | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,959 Referee: Alexis Da Silva |
| April 14 | Hartford Athletic | 1-1 | Orange County SC | Hartford, Connecticut |
| 11:00 AM | Rad Amoh Cedeno Hodge Barrera Logue McGlynn | Report | Iloski Nakkim Partida Doghman Richards Scott | Stadium: Trinity Health Stadium Attendance: 3,030 Referee: Eric Tattersall |
| April 85 | El Paso Locomotive FC | 1-0 | Orange County SC | El Paso, Texas |
| 6:30 PM | Lyons Pavkovics Solignac Zacarias Kostyshyn | Report | Iloski Fox Buckley | Stadium: Southwest University Park Attendance: 6,013 Referee: Cristian Campo |
| April 156 | Orange County SC | 1-0 | Indy Eleven | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Iloski Jamison Scott | Report | Diz Pe Blake | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,977 Referee: Ricardo Fierro |
| April 227 | Orange County SC | 1-2 | Birmingham Legion FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Nielsen Scott Partida | Report | Agudelo Kavita Crognale Martínez | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,114 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic |
| April 298 | New Mexico United | 3-1 | Orange County SC | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| 6:00 PM | Hurst Rivas Suggs Portillo | Report | Suggs Casiple | Stadium: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park Attendance: 10,048 Referee: Sergii Boiko |
| May 69 | Orange County SC | 1-2 | San Diego Loyal | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Villanueva Iloski Richards Partida Doghman McNulty Powers Casiple Osundina | Report | Moshobane Corona Moon Riley | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,616 Referee: Elijio Arreguin |
| May 1310 | Oakland Roots | 3-0 | Orange County SC | Hayward, California |
| 8:00 PM | Formella Morad Rito | Report | Miles | Stadium: Pioneer Stadium Attendance: 5,855 Referee: Corbyn May |
| May 1711 | Orange County SC | 1-0 | Sacramento Republic FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Iloski Nakkim Lambe Pederssen | Report | Lewis Keko López | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,047 Referee: Deshun Beard |
| May 2012 | Orange County SC | 0-1 | Phoenix Rising FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Doghman Norris Nakkim | Report | Fuenmayor Arteaga | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,301 Referee: Alexis Da Silva |
| May 2713 | Miami FC | 0-0 | Orange County SC | Miami, Florida |
| 4:00 P.M. | Chapman-Page Craig Murphy Akinyode Cabral | Report | Pedersen Iloski | Stadium: FIU Football Stadium Attendance: 1,374 Referee: Nabil Bensalah |
| June 314 | Orange County SC | 2-0 | Rio Grande Valley FC Toros | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Iloski Lambe Osundina Scott Pedersen | Report | Davilla Ruiz | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,268 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic |
| June 1015 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 4-0 | Orange County SC | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| 6:00 PM | Skundrich Williams Henríquez Rios Herrera | Report | Iloski Pedersen McNulty | Stadium: Weidner Field Attendance: 6,930 Referee: Olvin Oliva |
| June 1716 | FC Tulsa | 0-3 | Orange County SC | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| 5:00 | McCabe Yosef Malou Bonet | Report | Iloski Osundina Shutler Nakkim Amang | Stadium: ONEOK Field Attendance: 4,333 Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero |
| June 2417 | Detroit City FC | 0-1 | Orange County SC | Hamtramck, Michigan |
| 4:30 | Williams Lewis Carroll | Report | Iloski Iloski McNulty Partida Nakkim Scott | Stadium: Keyworth Stadium Attendance: 6,669 Referee: Alejo Calume |
| July 118 | Orange County SC | 3-1 | Monterey Bay FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Powers Amang Lambe Iloski | Report | Rebollar Martínez Fehr Doner | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Alex Beehler |
| July 919 | Rio Grande Valley FC Toros | 2-0 | Orange County SC | Edinburg, Texas |
| 5:00 | Ritondale Coronado Ackwei Ricketts Davila | Report | Casiple Iloski Iloski | Stadium: H.E.B. Park Attendance: 3,557 Referee: Nabil Bensalah |
| July 1520 | Loudoun United FC | 1-3 | Orange County SC | Leesburg, Virginia |
| 4:30 | Landry Hopkins Leerman Garay Rocha | Report | Nakkim McNulty Iloski Villanueva Osundina Amang | Stadium: Segra Field Attendance: 2,458 Referee: Joe Surgan |
| July 2221 | Memphis 901 FC | 3-4 | Orange County SC | Memphis, Tennessee |
| 5:30 | Hyndman Buckmaster da Costa Kelly Peters Ward Paul Lapa Pickering | Report | Iloski Doghman McNulty Powers Doghman Villanueva Jamison | Stadium: AutoZone Park Attendance: 3,971 Referee: John Griggs |
| July 2922 | Orange County SC | 1-0 | New Mexico United | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 | Chattha Iloski Amang Shutler | Report | Suggs Hamilton Seymore | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Gabriele Giusti |
| August 523 | San Diego Loyal | 1-3 | Orange County SC | San Diego, California |
| 7:00 | Conway Martin Stoneman Damus | Report | Casiple Scott Amang Iloski Shutler Osundina | Stadium: Torero Stadium Attendance: 4,217 Referee: Malik Badawi |
| August 1624 | Orange County SC | 1-0 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Iloski Partida Jamison Richards | Report | Farrell Ybarra | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,019 Referee: Brad Jensen |
| August 1925 | Orange County SC | 2-0 | Charleston Battery | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | B. Iloski M. Iloski Scott Lambe | Report | Wynne Palma Avila Dodson | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Elijio Arreguin |
| August 2626 | Sacramento Republic FC | 0-2 | Orange County SC | Sacramento, California |
| 7:30 | Report | Fox Amang Casiple Scott | Stadium: Charles C. Hughes Stadium Attendance: 20,231 Referee: Ricardo Fierro |
| September 227 | Las Vegas Lights FC | 1-5 | Orange County SC | Las Vegas, Nevada |
| 7:30 | Bushue Carroll Rios | Report | Iloski Amang Nakkim McNulty Lankford | Stadium: Cashman Field Referee: John Matto |
| September 928 | Orange County SC | 0-0 | El Paso Locomotive FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 PM | Scott Nakkim Partida McNulty | Report | Navarro Lyons Hinds Rose Gómez | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Ramy Touchan |
| September 1529 | Orange County SC | 0-1 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 | Partida | Report | Echevarria Magee Herrera | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 4,344 Referee: Sergii Demianchuk |
| September 2330 | San Antonio FC | 4-0 | Orange County SC | San Antonio, Texas |
| 5:30 | Fogaça Hayes Yacoubou Oluwaseyi Patino Taintor | Report | Iloski Casiple McNulty Nakkim | Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,513 Referee: Gerald Flores |
| September 3031 | Phoenix Rising FC | 1-1 | Orange County SC | Phoenix, Arizona |
| 7:30 | Hernández Traore Cuello | Report | Iloski Fox Powers | Stadium: Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium Attendance: 6,440 Referee: Matthew Thompson |
| October 432 | Orange County SC | 3-1 | Oakland Roots SC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 | Scott M. Iloski Amang B. Iloski | Report | Peláez Diaz Tamacas | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,378 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic |
| October 733 | Orange County SC | 1-0 | San Antonio FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:00 | Casiple Iloski McNulty Scott Fox Amang | Report | Maloney Patino Azócar Boni | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Brandon Stevis |
| October 1434 | Monterey Bay FC | 0-1 | Orange County SC | Seaside, California |
| 7:00 | Glasser | Report | Lankford Iloski Partida Fox | Stadium: Cardinale Stadium Attendance: 5,278 Referee: Eric Tattersall |
| October 21 Western Conference Quarterfinals | Orange County SC | 1-0 | El Paso Locomotive FC | Irvine, California |
| 7:30 | Iloski Scott | Report | Dollenmayer Sonupe Rose Petrovic Díaz Calvillo | 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 Scott | Report | Trejo Fuenmayor Uzochokwu Cuello | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Calin Radosav |
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 Jamison Partida Iloski Chattha Amang | Report | Loya Cervantes Montes Vega Scalzo Olivia | 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 Loría Clegg Sulte Niezgoda | Report | Iloski | Stadium: Providence Park Attendance: 11,639 Referee: Olvin Oliva |