Brian Iloski Scores In His Second Consecutive Match For OCSC This Season
By Tristan Bonetto – LA Soccer Press
Orange County SC drew 1-1 against Memphis 901 FC at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, CA, on Saturday, September 3rd. A goal from Brian Iloski wasn’t enough to pick up the three points for OCSC.
All the OCSC players wore “MADD” black armbands with their classic orange kits in support of their affiliation with Mothers Against Drunk Driving California. The substitutes and coaching staff honored Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by wearing special edition “Soccer For Hope” shirts.
Memphis 901 FC heavily controlled the opening minutes of the match. In the 25th minute, Memphis midfielder Luiz Fernando turned and took a first-touch shot that rolled into the bottom right corner, but he was called offside on the play.
OCSC started to find openings in the Memphis defense as the match progressed. In the 30th minute, Brian Iloski had a commanding half-volley strike with his left foot saved by Memphis goalkeeper Trey Muse after his brother, forward Milan Iloski, provided him with the assist.
Goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky came up with a crucial save in the 40th minute when he parried away a shot from Memphis 901 FC forward Phillip Goodrum, headed towards the bottom left corner.
OCSC opened the scoring in the 43rd minute after the Iloski brothers created some beautiful link-up play. Milan Iloski threaded a cheeky chip pass over the Memphis defense that found his brother, Brian Iloski. Iloski dribbled into the box, cut back onto his left foot, and put the ball into the back of the net as it deflected off Memphis defender Rece Buckmaster before rolling in.
OCSC nearly made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute, but Trey Muse saved Brian Iloski’s first touch shot as he pushed it over the crossbar.
Memphis midfielder Aaron Molloy had a promising shot from a free-kick outside the OCSC box saved by Patrick Rakovsky, who got his fingertips on the ball to stop it from going into the bottom right corner.
When everything looked like OCSC was poised to clinch the much-needed victory, Memphis 901 FC equalized in the match’s dying minutes.
In the 85th minute, Memphis midfielder Luiz Fernando centered a ball into the OCSC box that connected with Memphis midfielder Jeremy Kelly. With a first-touch left-footed volley, Kelly lodged the ball into the bottom left corner past the diving Rakovsky to make it 1-1 for Memphis.
“I felt we had good control from the back, so it’s just annoying that it’s across to the back post. We should be able to handle that,” said OCSC defender Daniel A. Pedersen on conceding the late goal. “It’s a [very] cheap goal to let in, and I’m really annoyed about that because I thought we had everything under control. I think we played a solid second half defensively. It feels a little bit like a loss.”
In the 89th minute, OCSC was close to finding the match-winner when Daniel A. Pedersen’s header from a Seth Casiple corner hit the post and landed in front of midfielder Dillon Powers whose chance went over the crossbar.
“Tonight feels like a loss,” expressed head coach Richard Chaplow on tonight’s result. “It’s a tie, but it’s the same old feeling that we walk away with where we feel like we’ve got our foothold in the game. We feel like we’re controlling the game. Right when [we] start getting asked more and more questions towards the end of the game, we just don’t have the resilience as a group and as individuals to see those moments out.”
“That is why we constantly concede late goals because they don’t take pride in the dirty side of winning the game, which is putting bodies on the line, blocking crosses, and blocking shots. It only takes two or three [players] not to do it, and everything falls off.”
OCSC has a short turnaround as they travel to Cardinale Stadium in Seaside, CA, to face USL Championship newcomers Monterrey Bay FC on Wednesday, September 7th, with kickoff beginning at 7:30 PM PST.
Then, OCSC returns home to face LA Galaxy II in the much anticipated 405 derby on Saturday, September 10th, at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, CA.
Facts and Notes:
Kyle Scott made his first start for OCSC in the USL Championship.
Brian Iloski scored his second goal in his second start of the season off an assist from his brother Milan Iloski, it is Milan’s fourth assist this season.
OCSC has now dropped points from winning positions in the 60th minute or later on six different occasions this season.
Bonetto is a student at CSU Long Beach. He covers Orange County Soccer Club for LA Soccer Press. Follow him at @tristanbonetto on Twitter.
