Orange County SC Makes History in Santa Ana with a 3-2 Victory over Oakland Roots SC
USL Orange County SC

Orange County SC Makes History in Santa Ana with a 3-2 Victory over Oakland Roots SC

Published on May 23, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Orange County SC News Release


Orange County SC made history Saturday night in Santa Ana, playing in front of the largest crowd in club history. The electric atmosphere matched the occasion as OCSC delivered an entertaining performance and secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Oakland Roots SC. The win and three points keep Orange County SC in second place in the Western Conference.

Orange County SC came out aggressively from the opening whistle, looking to establish momentum early and give the largest crowd in club history an immediate reason to erupt.

Oakland appeared unsettled by Orange County SC's fast and aggressive start, frequently resorting to rushed long balls over the top that were comfortably handled by a compact and organized OCSC defense.

The relentless pressure and intensity eventually paid off when Orange County SC earned a corner kick in the 8' minute. Stephen Kelly passed the ball to Chris Hegardt, who delivered a dangerous ball into the box that found Nico Benalcázar, who powered a header into the back of the net to give OCSC a 1-0 lead.

Oakland looked to bring the game level in the 28th minute when Florian Valot tested the OCSC defense with a direct free kick, but goalkeeper Alex Rando responded with a diving punch save to clear the danger.

Oakland found the equalizer in the 40th minute after Orange County SC was unable to clear the ball from the penalty area. Wolfgang Prentice capitalized on the loose ball, volleying a deflected effort past Alex Rando and into the lower-left corner to level the match at 1-1.

Both sides pushed for a go-ahead goal in the closing moments of the half, but the halftime whistle arrived with the match deadlocked at 1-1.

In the 52' minute, Orange County SC forced a costly turnover deep in the Oakland penalty area, catching goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel off his line. Stephen Kelly capitalized on the opportunity with a composed finish into the lower-right corner, restoring OCSC's lead at 2-1.

Oakland found another equalizer in the 57th minute when Peter Wilson broke in behind the defense and outran Tom Brewitt, forcing Alex Rando off his line. Wilson calmly rounded the OCSC goalkeeper before finishing into the open net to level the match at 2-2.

Both sides continued to trade chances without finding a breakthrough until Ousmane Sylla delivered the decisive moment. After the ball deflected off a defender near the top of the box, Sylla struck a composed volley into the bottom-left corner, beating Spiegel to his right and restoring Orange County SC's lead at 3-2.

Following Saturday's match, Orange County SC will enter a bye week before remaining in Southern California for a Prinx Tires USL Cup matchup against USL League One side AV Alta in Lancaster, California. The match will be televised locally on KCAL 9, and fans interested in making the trip are encouraged to follow OCSC on social media and subscribe to club emails for travel and matchday information. After the AV Alta match, OCSC will embark on a six-game road trip before returning home to Championship Soccer Stadium on July 11 for a Prinx Tires USL Cup showdown against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.

MILESTONES AND FACTS:

TEAM FIRST HALF SECOND HALF FULL TIME

OCSC 1 2 3

OAK 1 1 2

SCORING SUMMARY:

8' Nico Benalcazar (OC) - Assist Chris Hegardt

40' Wolfgang Prentice (Oakland) - Assist Bertin Jacquesson

52' Stephen Kelly (OC)

58' Peter Wilson(OAK)

87' Ousmane Sylla (OC)

DISCIPLINE SUMMARY:

ORANGE COUNTY SC -

5' Garrison Tubbs - Yellow Card

80' Stephen Kelly - Yellow Card

OAKLAND ROOTS SC -

24' Tommy McCabe - Yellow Card

80' Keegan Tingey - Yellow Card

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

Alex Rando (GK); Tom Brewitt (C), Garrison Tubbs, Nico Benalcazar (58' Efren Solis), Ryan Doghman, Grayson Doody, Stephen Kelly, Chris Hegardt (69' Marcelo Palomino), Ousmane Sylla, Yaniv Bazini, Lyam Mackinnon (69' Brandon Cambridge <88' Tyson Espy>)

Unused subs: Tetsuya Kadono (GK); Apolo Marinch, Nicola Ciotta, Jamir Johnson, Oliver Kurnik

Head Coach: Danny Stone

Possession: 42% | Shots: 12 | Shots On Goal: 6 | Corners: 3 | Fouls: 5 | Offsides: 1 | Saves: 3

OAKLAND ROOTS SC LINEUP: (4-4-2)

Raphael Spiegel (GK); Neveal Hackshaw, Jesus de Vicente, Michael Edwards, Wolfgang Prentice, Tommy McCabe, Tyler Gibson (86' Tucker Lepley), Bertin Jacquesson (86' Danny Trejo), Keegan Tingey, Florian Valot (71' Faysal Bettache), Peter Wilson

Unused Subs: Kendall McIntosh (GK); Julian Bravo, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Jackson Kiil

Head Coach: Ryan Martin

Possession: 58% | Shots: 21 | Shots On Goal: 5 | Corners: 6 | Fouls: 11 | Offsides: 0 | Saves: 3

Orange County SC v. Oakland Roots SC

2026 USL Championship Match 11

Date: May 23, 2026

Venue: Santa Ana Stadium, Santa Ana, CA

Check out the Orange County SC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 23, 2026


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