Orange County SC Cruises Past Saint Louis FC
Orange County Soccer Club defeated Saint Louis FC in the first round of the 2018 USL Playoffs in front of 3,360 supporters in Irvine, California. OCSC, the number one seed in the Western Conference, was led by Michael Seaton who recorded a hat-trick on the night versus eighth seed Saint Louis FC.
Orange County SC had 60.7% possession to Saint Louis’ 39.3% with significantly more aerial duels won as well as interceptions.
USL Soccer News: Orange County Soccer Club opened its playoff run with a 4-0 win over Saint Louis FC at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California, on Saturday night. The 2018 United Soccer League (USL) playoff home match was a first for the club which is building a legacy in the region.
OCSC forward Michael Seaton led the hosts to a convincing victory with a hat-trick on the night. Orange County SC head coach Braeden Cloutier praised Seaton for his commitment and focus at training during the week that reflected his stellar performance.
“Michael was fantastic all week in training,” said Cloutier. “I know he had goals for himself this season and going into playoffs he wanted to make sure that he was fully committed from minute one. That’s what he showed tonight.”
Seaton was able to find himself behind the Saint Louis back-line on multiple occasions, which led to his first and third goals during the match.
“Cloutier allows me to drift,” said Seaton. “With my speed he wants me to stay on the shoulders of the center-backs so I can make runs behind. The game plan was to be patient and keep making the right runs.”
OCSC scored the opener in the 11th minute after a defensive mistake by Saint Louis in its own half. Orange County forward Thomas Enevoldsen intercepted a pass through the midfield and connected with Seaton who quickly turned his defender and entered the penalty area with just the goalkeeper to beat. Seaton calmly finished, giving the hosts an early lead.
Nine minutes later, Saint Louis midfielder Tony Walls received a straight red card for unsportsmanlike behavior. OCSC displayed its patience during the remainder of the first half by swinging the ball from sideline to sideline.
“We did a great job of holding our composure,” said Seaton. “Knowing that we are a man up and to keep holding the ball. I think getting the second goal helped us get more confidence.”
Orange County extended its lead in the 29th minute with Seaton recording his second tally of the night. The second service following a corner kick from the right flank saw Seaton rise and beat two defenders plus the goalkeeper with a header.
The third goal of the night came in the 64th minute when Aodhan Quinn dribbled into the penalty from the right side of the pitch and served a low ball to Seaton who finished with authority from inside the six-yard box.
In the 66th minute, Mats Bjurman showed off a bit of skill to put an authoritative stamp on the match. Bjurman collected the ball inside the 18-yard box, back-heeled the ball from the left side of his body to the right and sent a curling finish to the far post.
Orange County SC takes on Reno 1868 FC in the Conference semifinals on Saturday, October 27th, at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California. OCSC recorded a tie and loss to Saint Louis during the regular season.
“Reno 1868 FC has a strong and organized team that commits a lot of numbers forward,” said Cloutier. “It’s a team that has caused problems for us this year.”
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