Late Orange County goal knocks Memphis 901 FC out of playoffs

It took 116 minutes for Memphis 901 FC to fall.

A Memphis team that had gone down a man in the 79th minute and had to make a first half substitution due to injury.

A Memphis team that bunkered down for the entirety of extra time, looking to survive to penalties. The game looked destined for penalties where Memphis had a chance to regroup.

Instead, Memphis conceded from a corner kick and were eliminated from the playoffs in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive season.

“We get undone by a set piece,” head coach Stephen Glass said after the 1-0 loss. “Obviously massively disappointing given the effort.”

Jon Bakero got the Beale Street Boys off and running in the second minute with an effort. His shot went wide of goal but started a lively run of possession for Memphis.

Orange County matched the intensity from Memphis despite playing off the ball. They hit the post a few minutes after Bakero’s chance and got Akeem Ward cautioned with a yellow card. The visitors directed their attacks down the right wing often with long balls over the top.

Despite the promising opportunities from Orange County, they were unable to tally a shot on target in the first half. Memphis had more total shots as well, including two from Samuel Careaga that forced a save and scared with a deflection.

Memphis was forced to make a change due to an apparent injury to Oscar Jiménez. Lucas Turci came in as the replacement — the Brazilian scoring the decisive goal to give Memphis their third consecutive playoff game.

Memphis made a change after the break, bringing Dylan Borczak on for Ward. The attack-minded change paid off with Borczak drawing a foul just outside the box. Owen Lambe, the Orange County right-back, received a yellow card but Noe Meza’s free kick was saved.

The tensity turned a bit chippy midway through the half. There were a flurry of fouls and three yellow cards shown within ten minutes. The constant stoppages halted flow and the defensive stalwarts of Orange County dug in. Marlon Santos entered the game, hoping his speed would influence the game.

Orange County used their defense to create a transition opportunity in the 79th minute. Away from the ball, Lucas Turci made contact with an opponent and was sent off due to a second yellow card. Carson Vom Steeg checked in minutes later for Noe Meza to help Memphis survive the rest of the half.

An Orange County player, Seth Casiple, nearly received his second yellow minutes later. He avoided the red card which frustrated Memphis in real-time and after the match.

“[The referee] actively goes to his pocket to second yellow one of his players, chooses not to. There’s no other way to say it,” Glass said. “I don’t know his rational for that because it was bad enough for a second yellow.”

Memphis had not had to rely on goalkeeper Tyler Deric much in the match with Orange County’s one shot on target. He was called to action to begin extra time, reacting quickly to a shot headed into the bottom left corner.

The crucial save did not stop the pressure applied by Orange County. Memphis made a substitution in an attempt to change the tide, bringing Nighte Pickering on for Zach Duncan. With the rest of the team pinned down defensively, his efforts to chase the ball were muted.

Memphis had a corner kick to disrupt momentum in the second half of extra time but there were still more Orange County attacks to get through. A corner conceded four minutes from extra time proved to be one too many. Dillon Powers scored with a close-range header from a Ashish Chattha cross to end Memphis’ season.

“We need to find a way to win a playoff match,” Glass said. “We don’t complain, we crack on and hopefully next year it will be a different story.”