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USL San Diego Loyal

Road Matches Continue for SD Loyal as It Heads North to Face Orange County SC

June 7, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
San Diego Loyal News Release


SD Loyal faces Pacific Division rival Orange County SC in a Week 8 match to be broadcasted on Fox 5 San Diego. The match will also be broadcasted on Azteca 33 in Spanish.

WHAT: The road games continue for SD Loyal. This time, Manager Landon Donovan's team stays in California for its sixth road match this 2021 USL Championship season.

WHO:

- SD Loyal

- Orange County SC

WHEN:

Wednesday, June 9

7 p.m. PT

WHERE:

Championship Soccer Stadium

8272 Great Park Blvd.

Irvine, CA 92618

MATCH PREVIEW:

SD Loyal manager Landon Donovan said there was not much time to dwell on the result. His team had just given up a pair of goals in a seven-minute span of stoppage time that led to a draw against Phoenix Rising last weekend. It was a match that SD Loyal perhaps should have won after coming in as the underdog against the Western Conference champion. But Donovan said he was proud of the way his team played that night and it was time for his team to move on to the next match. After all, there was not a lot of time to prepare as it travels northbound on I-5 to face Orange County SC in the second of three matches in one week for SD Loyal.

"We have a very deep squad now, so, that helps us a lot," Donovan said. "Having the ability to rotate guys if needed, is crucial. Our job now is to get guys physically ready and emotionally up again and get ready for Wednesday and you then have to turn around quickly to face L.A. It's going to be a challenging week. We knew it coming in and we have a lot of guys who can help us. We are going to need them to."

Orange County SC is coming off a 3-1 win against Sacramento Republic. It was the second time it beat Sacramento this season, giving coach Braeden Cloutier's team its only six points of the season. Orange County SC has had an up and down start to the season, opening with a against Tacoma Defiance, then its first win against Sacramento, then a loss to LA Galaxy II and its last win against Sacramento last weekend. This is the first time it faces SD Loyal since September when it lost 2-0 at Torero Stadium at USD. The start to the 2021 season is not much of a surprise for Orange County SC. After all, it is a team that had high expectations in 2020. But a lackluster attack and losses in five of its last seven games left the team without a playoff spot. The club spent the offseason trying to retool its attack. It brought back some of its dangerous attackers.

One of those will be a familiar face as Thomas Enevoldsen returns after spending the COVID-19 pandemic in his native Denmark on loan with Hobro IK. A finalist for the Championship's MVP award in 2018, Enevoldsen joins Adam Jahn, who is on loan from MLS side Atlanta United but later released. Add Ronaldo Damus, the 2019 USL League One Golden Boot-winner, and 6-foot-5 Finnish forward Eero Markkanen and Orange County already has a strong attacking front. These pieces replace losing Aodhan Quinn to Phoenix Rising FC. Midfielders Chris Wehan and Brent Richards were brought in to try and replace Quinn's creativity.

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