Athletic drop finale to Orange County as playoff quest falls short

Hartford’s Cameron Dunbar (7) battles for the ball during Saturday night’s USL Championship match in California. Orange County beat Hartford, 3-2. (Photo courtesy Hartford Athletic)

The run by the Hartford Athletic soccer team to a potential USL Championship playoff bid was over even before Saturday night’s season finale at Orange County Soccer Club in Irvine, California.

The Athletic picked up just a single point in Wednesday’s 2-2 tie with Tampa Bay and the Athletic needed North Carolina or Pittsburgh to lose or tie in their final regular season matches on the East Coast.

North Carolina (13-12-9, 48 points) and Pitttsburgh (12-10-12, 48) both won their matches Saturday evening to clinch the final two spots in the eight-team Eastern Conference tournament.

Orange County got a goal from Thomas Amang with four minutes left in regulation to lift Orange County to a 3-2 win over the Athletic.

Hartford finishes the season at 12-14-8 with 44 points, their best-ever finish in a full USL Championship campaign but four points shy of a playoff berth.

After a scoreless first half, the action picked up in the second half. An apparent goal from Hartfod’s Marcus Epps was called back for being offside but Doghman scored a minute later. On the following possession, Doghman slotted a shot from the left side of the box into the bottom right corner for a 1-0 lead.

Epps avenged his disallowed goal to bring Hartford level just two minutes later. Thomas Vancaeyezeele drove a ball all the way from Hartford’s half to Epps, who got behind Orange County’s back line in their third and finished his one-on-one opportunity with Colin Shutler with his left foot to the near post.

Orange County responded quickly as Doghman punched back for the home side in the 58th minute. He took one touch from a few yards outside the box after a headed ball fell to him, and sizzled a low shot past Ribeiro to the bottom right corner.

Hartford tied the match at 2-2 with seven minutes left in regulation. Danny Barrera grounded a shot that was cut off by Mamadou Dieng in the box. The striker flicked the ball back for Epps, whose shot was blocked and bounced into an open space.

Reacting quickly and acrobatically, Kyle Edwards flung into the air to pull off a bicycle kick that sent the ball spinning in the left corner of the net. An incredible display of athleticism from Edwards to finish off a chaotic sequence, he had tied the score 2-2.

Orange County had one final answer. Cameron Dunbar found Thomas Among at the top of Hartford’s box with his back to the goal. The Cameroonian striker turned and fired a shot to the bottom right corner, beating Greg Monroe, who had subbed into the match for Ribeiro in the 64th minute.

In the last 12 matches of the season, Hartford lost just twice with six wins and four ties.

Orange County 3, Hartford 2
At Irvine, California
Hartford (12-14-8)                      0  2  — 2
Orange County (13-14-7)           0  3  — 3
Goals: Hartford — 55′ – Epps (Vancaeyezeele); 83′ – Edwards; Orange County — 53′ – Doghman (Hegardt); 58′ – Doghman; 86′ – Amang (Dunbar); Shots: Orange County, 16-12; Shots on target: Orange County, 5-4; Corner kicks, 2-2; Saves: 2-2
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro (Monore, 64′); 5 (DF) Triston Hodge, 4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett, 23 (DF) Thomas Vancaeyezeele (Barrera, 70′); 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi (Freeman, 85′); 94 (MF) Marlon Hairston, 12 (MF) Anderson Asiedu (Ousmanou, 45′); 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina, 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia (Edwards, 64′); 7 (FW) Marcus Epps, 33 (FW) Mamadou Dieng
ORANGE COUNTY STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Colin Shutler, 23 (DF) Ryan Doghman, 5 (DF) Dillon Powers (Miles, 45′); 30 (DF) Markus Nakkim, 2 (DF) Owen Lambe, 16 (MF) Christopher Hegardt (Amang,76′); 8 (MF) Seth Casiple, 19 (MF) Kevin Partida (Chattha, 26’); 11 (FW) Bryce Jamison (Barjolo, 76′); 7 (FW) Cameron Dunbar, 9 (FW) Ethan Zubak (Guimaraes, 34′)