The Swope Park Rangers (9-8-6, 7th place) would fall 2-1 to Orange County SC (12-6-5, 2nd place) at Champions Soccer Stadium on Saturday night. Two Orange County goals from Darwin Jones would spell defeat for SPR.
In the 12th minute, Chase Minter would take a long shot from outside the box off a Tyler Blackwood pass, but it would be saved by Orange County’s goaltender Casey Beyers in the bottom left corner.
Jones would take a difficult shot unassisted in the 16th minute and would find the back of the net past SPR goalie Christian Herrera to give OC an early 1-0 lead.
A hand ball would be called on Orange County in the 19th minute and the spot would be marked for a free kick. Sporting KC Academy product Felipe Hernandez would take the kick and would put it past Beyers into the bottom right corner evening the score at 1-1.
In the 30th minute, Blackwood would have a fantastic run and an optimal chance, but Beyers would make a sliding capture and snuff out the opportunity. The 36th minute would bring a close call for SPR when OC’s Michael Seaton took a right-footed shot and missed the top right corner by inches.
Orange County would take the 2-1 lead in the 43rd minute when Jones took a through ball from USL leading-goal scorer Thomas Enevoldsen and found its way past Herrera off an unfortunate SPR deflection that changed the ball's course.
Minter would take another long shot in the 49th minute, but Beyers would be there again to make the stop. Matheus Silva would have an opportunity in the 84th minute when he would take a left-footed shot off a cross from Bryam Rebellon, but it would be saved by Beyers.
Herrera made a great save in second half stoppage time off a Giovanni Ramos Godoy shot from outside the box to keep Orange County’s lead at one. At the final whistle the score would stand 2-1 in Orange County’s favor.
The Rangers will return home to Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday, August 11 at 7:30 p.m. CT to face Portland Timbers 2 (10-9-3, 7th place).
Swope Park Rangers at Orange County SC
August 4, 2018 – Champions Soccer Stadium
Swope Park Rangers 1, Orange County SC 2
Scoring Summary
OC – Darwin Jones 1 – 16’
SPR – Felipe Hernandez 2 – 19’
OC – Darwin Jones 2 (Thomas Enevoldsen 5) – 43’
Misconduct Summary
SPR – Chase Minter (Yellow Card) – 25’
SPR – Graham Smith (Yellow Card) – 57’
Swope Park Rangers: Christian Herrera; Parker Maher (Justin Bilyeu 45), Colton Storm, Matt Lewis, Graham Smith ©; Chase Minter (Camilo Benitez 68), Felipe Hernandez, Dakota Barnathan (Wilson Harris 86); Matheus Silva; Bryam Rebellon, Tyler Blackwood
