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USL Orange County SC

Blues Close out USL Regular Season with Playoff Spot on the Line

September 23, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Orange County SC News Release


Blues Close out USL Regular Season with Playoff Spot on the Line
Blues Close out USL Regular Season with Playoff Spot on the Line
(Orange County SC, Credit: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC)

IRVINE, Calif. The Orange County Blues close out the USL regular season on Saturday night when they take on current league leaders Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. The match has significant importance for both sides, with the Blues fighting to secure the final playoff spot and the Switchbacks looking to seal their first Western Conference regular season title.

The Blues will be looking to bounce back after falling to Rio Grande Valley FC last Saturday. Despite dominating the game for long periods, they were unable to find the breakthrough against a resistant Toros backline. As the Blues pushed forward to find a late winner they were caught on the counter attack and conceded in the closing moments of the game.

The Blues are relying on results around them to go in their favour on Saturday but they know a win on Saturday would put them in strong contention for a playoff spot. The Blues currently sit in 10th spot in the Western Conference, one point below San Antonio FC (38pts) in 8th (final playoff spot) and level on points with 9th placed side Portland Timbers 2 but have an inferior goal difference to the Timbers 2 of one goal. With San Antonio playing at Rio Grande Valley FC at 5:30pm PST the Blues will know if their playoff dream is still alive come kick off, as a win for San Antonio would seal 8th place. If San Antonio tie or lose against RGV Toros then the Blues can capitalise with a win so long as they better the Timbers 2 result by one goal, allowing the Blues to advance. Despite having an equal record with a tied goal difference the Blues will have a superior goals scored record, which is the next tiebreaker after goal difference. The Blues could also progress with a draw if San Antonio and Timbers 2 lose and Real Monarchs SLC fail to win.

The scenario is a lot less complicated for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. A win for the Switchbacks would see them clinch the USL Western Conference regular season title and ironically take the title from Saturday's opponents, the Orange County Blues who finished in first place in 2015.

The Switchbacks are closing out the regular season in terrific form which has seen them win their last three matches, which included a 94th minute winner from Mike Seth in their last match against playoff hopefuls Seattle Sounders 2 FC. Seth has been the Switchbacks leading man, topping both the clubs scoring and assist charts with 8 and 5 respectively.

Saturday's match is set to be one of the matches of the season; with so much on the line it is essentially a cup final for both teams. The Blues will be hoping to make it to the playoffs for consecutive seasons after making it to the Western Conference Semi-Finals in 2015.

Fixture: Orange County Blues FC v Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Kick Off: 7:00pm PST

Venue: Anteater Stadium, Irvine

Game Link: http://bit.ly/2cXvBit

Match Hashtag: #OCvCOS

Breaking Ties in the League Standings - The breaking of ties in the final standing

In order of importance:

- 1. Total wins in League games.

- 2. Goal difference in League games.

- 3. Goals scored in League games.

- 4. Ranking based on points earned against top four Conference finishers. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.

Check out the Orange County SC Statistics




Images from this story

Blues Close out USL Regular Season with Playoff Spot on the Line
Blues Close out USL Regular Season with Playoff Spot on the Line
(Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC)		   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 23, 2016


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