Orange County SC Brings Back a Point from Phoenix - Final Score, 1-1
USL Orange County SC

Orange County SC Brings Back a Point from Phoenix - Final Score, 1-1

Published on March 14, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Orange County SC News Release


Orange County SC traveled to face Phoenix Rising FC, renewing the longest-running rivalry in the USL Championship in what marked the 35th regular-season meeting between the two clubs.

The match opened at a measured pace, with both sides taking a cautious approach as they looked to establish possession and feel out opportunities in the attacking third. Defensive organization and disciplined buildup defined much of the early play as neither side was willing to concede space.

Orange County SC created its first real threat in the 26th minute when Marcelo Palomino combined with Lyam MacKinnon, delivering a sharp finish that forced Chituru Odunze into a diving kick save, keeping the match scoreless.

The first real moment of danger from Phoenix came in the 40th minute, when Ihsan Sacko unleashed a well-struck effort from distance. The shot was placed toward the corner, but Alex Rando reacted quickly, diving full stretch to keep the attempt from finding the back of the net.

As the half drew to a close, Rising's frustration began to show. Phoenix was issued two yellow cards in quick succession, and tensions escalated further when Juan Carvajal was shown his second yellow card of the evening in the 46th minute for impeding a restart. The sending off forced Phoenix to play the remainder of the match with ten men, dramatically shifting the momentum heading into the second half.

Just minutes later, in the 48th minute, Orange County nearly capitalized on the advantage. MacKinnon ran onto a perfectly weighted through ball from Palomino and finished calmly past the goalkeeper, appearing to level the score. However, celebrations were cut short as the assistant referee raised the flag, ruling MacKinnon offside and disallowing what would have been the equalizer.

In the 60th minute, Orange County SC made a tactical change, introducing Ethan Zubak and Garrison Tubbs to reinforce the defensive shape while maintaining an attacking presence. The move aimed to stabilize the back line while still allowing Orange County to push forward in search of an equalizer.

The match grew increasingly physical as the second half progressed, with both sides committing a series of hard challenges that led to a steady stream of fouls and disciplinary action. Tensions reached a turning point in the 85th minute, when Tubbs was shown his second yellow card of the evening for a foul in the midfield, reducing Orange County SC to ten men for the closing stages of the match.

In the 80th minute, Orange County SC made an attacking change, introducing Yaniv Bazini and Mataeo Bunbury in an effort to inject fresh energy into the final third. The substitutions immediately lifted Orange County's tempo, helping shift momentum in their favor as the visitors pushed forward in search of a late breakthrough.

Orange County continued to press forward in search of a late breakthrough. As the match entered seven minutes of stoppage time, the visitors found their moment of inspiration. Defender Nico Benalcázar reacted quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area, calmly controlling it in front of goal before finishing past Odunze to level the score at 1-1 and stun the home crowd.

Tested by adversity and late pressure, Orange County SC showed resilience and determination in the closing moments, battling through a physical contest to secure a hard-earned point on the road against Phoenix Rising FC. The result reflected the team's resolve, leaving Phoenix with a valuable point from one of the USL Championship's fiercest rivalries.

The club will return home on Wednesday, March 18th, for a Round One U.S. Open Cup match against Laguna United FC. For tickets to the game, click HERE.

MILESTONES AND FACTS:

TEAM FIRST HALF SECOND HALF FULL TIME

OCSC 0 1 1

PHX 1 0 1

SCORING SUMMARY:

40' Ihsan Sacko (PHX)

90'+4 Nico Benalcazar (OC)

DISCIPLINE SUMMARY:

ORANGE COUNTY SC

65' Garrison Tubbs - Yellow Card

76' Pedro Guimaraes - Yellow Card

85' Garrison Tubbs - Yellow Card (Red Card)

87' Tom Brewitt (Yellow Card)

PHOENIX RISING FC

19' Collin Smith - Yellow Card

43' Luke Biasi - Yellow Card

43' Juan Carvajal - Yellow Card

45'+1 Juan Carvajal - Yellow Card (Red Card)

56' Ihsan Sacko - Yellow Card

ORANGE COUNTY SC LINEUP: (4-4-2)

Alex Rando (GK); Tom Brewitt (C), Nico Benalcazar, Ryan Doghman, Mouhamadou War (80' Mataeo Bunbury), Stephen Kelly, Marcelo Palomino, Chris Hegardt (80' Yaniv Bazini), Kevin Partida (60' Garrison Tubbs), Jamir Johnson (60' Ethan Zubak), Lyam MacKinnon (69' Pedro Guimaraes)

Unused subs: Tetsuya Kadono (GK); Oliver Kurnik, Efren Solis

Head Coach: Danny Stone

Possession: 56% | Shots: 10 | Shots On Goal: 4 | Corners: 3 | Fouls: 24 | Offsides: 3 |

PHOENIX RISING FC LINEUP: (4-3-3)

Chituru Odunze (GK); Luke Biasi, Diego Gómez (83' Gunnar Studenhofft), Adrián Pelayo, Collin Smith, Hope Avayevu (66' Charlie Dennis), Jean Moursou, John Scearce, Darius Johnson, Juan Carvajal, Ihsan Sacko (83' Aleksandar Vukovic)

Unused Subs: Patrick Rakovsky (GK); Rafael Czichos, Jack Ramirez, Jaethan Irwin

Head Coach: Pa-Modou Kah

Possession: 44% | Shots: 12 | Shots On Goal: 3 | Corners: 2 | Fouls: 10 | Offsides: 3 |

Orange County SC v. Phoenix Rising FC

2026 USL Championship | Matchday 2

Date: March 14, 2025

Venue: Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, AZ)

Check out the Orange County SC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 14, 2026


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