San Diego Loyal Shut Out For Second Consecutive Game

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego Loyal SC was shut out for the second consecutive game, allowing two second-half goals in a 2-0 loss to Orange County SC Wednesday evening at Torero Stadium.

"It should have maybe been 2-0, maybe 3-0 or maybe even 3-1 at halftime," said SD Loyal coach Landon Donovan, whose team led 22-14 in shots and 7-5 in shots on goal. "We can't play much better, but we need to score."

Sean Okoli opened the scoring in the 65th minute for Orange County SC (2-0-2) putting a right-footed from the center of the penalty area past SD Loyal goalkeeper Jake Fenlason into the bottom right corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Oadhan Quinn scored on a 25-yard shot off a short pass backward by Edson Alvarado in the 84th minute of the 90-minute USL Championship game.

Frederik Due made seven saves for the shutout, including blocking a header by Tumi Moshobane and a left-footed shot by Carlos Alvarez in the first half and redirecting a shot by Collin Martin with his heel in the second half.

"We created chances tonight but we got to hit the net," Donovan said. "It's important just for confidence, for our players to hit the net and score.

"We need to have a little bit of vindictiveness. You just want to bury teams, so, we're doing everything right now. We're progressing from building well, getting into the third half (of the field) well, creating chances and now the last piece is you got to hit the net to hurt teams."

Fenlason made three saves in his first appearance since the season- opening 1-1 tie with Las Vegas Lights FC March 7. Jon Kempin had been SD Loyal's goalkeeper each of the previous five games, including recording two shutouts.

Like each of SD Loyal's past three games at Torero Stadium, fans were barred from the Division II men's soccer game under public health directives prohibiting public events and gatherings because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The game was the first for SD Loyal (3-2-2) since a 0-0 tie with Sacramento Republic FC Aug. 1. Their scheduled game last Saturday against Lights FC in Las Vegas was postponed after a covered person in the Lights FC organization tested positive for COVID-19.

Orange County SC was playing for the first time since a 1-0 victory over Phoenix Rising FC July 25.

Their game scheduled for July 29 against Sacramento Republic FC in Sacramento was postponed by USL Championship after the league was notified of a positive COVID-19 test result from a "previous opponent."

Republic FC lost to LA Galaxy II, 1-0, July 25.

USL Championship announced on July 30 that 11 "covered persons" with LA Galaxy II had tested positive in testing conducted July 28.

Orange County SC's scheduled game against LA Galaxy II Aug. 7 was also postponed because of Galaxy II's coronavirus outbreak.

— City News Service