ST. PETERSBURG — A three-goal first-half barrage from Orange County SC was too much for more Tampa Bay Rowdies heroics as Orange County won the USL Championship Final 3-1 at Al Lang Stadium on Sunday night.
Orange County shocked the crowd with the opener, sneaking in the goal against the run of play. It was supposed to be a routine pass out of the back but it was picked off by Ronaldo Damus who was left with a simple finish to open the scoring.
Another Rowdies defensive lapse let Orange County double the lead in the 38th minute. Damus was left wide open in the middle of the penalty area to shoot across his body with a well-taken half-volley that nestled into the side-netting.
“My job as a striker is to take advantage of the space given,” said Damus. “So I made sure to do that and am very happy to have helped win the match and to be a champion here at Orange County.”
A needless foul helped OCSC make it 3-0 right before half-time. The free-kick from just outside the area was perfectly curled around the wall by Mikko Kuningas and out of the reach of Raiko Arozarena.
In the 57th minute, Tampa Bay got back in the match. It seemed like the chance was gone after a missed kick from Sebastian Guenzatti but the ball continued and fell to Leo Fernandes who made no mistake, slamming it past the keeper
A penalty allowed the Rowdies their first clear chance in the 19th minute after a foul in the box. Guenzatti stepped up and sent it to the goalkeeper’s right but put it at the right height for Patrick Rakovsky to make the save.
The pattern of play was established early with Orange County playing deep defensively, creating a gap between midfield and attack and the Rowdies dominating possession.
“He just put it at the right height for me,” said Damus after the match. “I didn’t see anything especially, just got lucky.”
After the penalty save things changed, Orange County became more energetic, getting forward more and changing shape to have an attacking midfielder and the momentum shift helped lead to the goal.
The Rowdies came out from half-time brightly and in the 52nd minute had their best chance of the match, with a strong run from Dos Santos ending with a shot that went just across the face of goal and wide. The momentum continued one minute later as he headed just wide again.
It was almost all Tampa Bay in the second half, needing a three-goal comeback but the heroics of one week ago just were not there and Orange County left Al Lang with the trophy.
Photo Chris Hockman
Florida Soccer Report 