2016 Orange County Blues FC season

Orange County Blues FC 2016 soccer season
Orange County Blues FC
2016 season
OwnerMansouri Family
Head CoachOliver Wyss
StadiumAnteater Stadium
USLConference: 8th
Overall: 15th
USL PlayoffsQuarterfinals
U.S. Open CupSecond
Top goalscorerLeague: Trevin Caesar (10)
All: Trevin Caesar (10)
Average home league attendance1,010
Home colors
Away colors
Third colors
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The 2016 Orange County Blues FC season was the club's seventh season of existence, and their seventh season playing in the third tier of American soccer, USL.

Unlike the previous season, the Blues weren't as dominant in their conference, losing five more games, and only qualifying for the USL Playoffs as the eighth seed over the Portland Timbers 2 via goal difference.[1] In the first round, the Blues had an upset over the first seeded Sacramento Republic FC, winning off of penalties,[2] but ultimately fell to eventual finalists Swope Park Rangers in added extra time 2–1.[3]

This season would be a season of lasts for the Blues. At the end of the season, the Mansouri Family sold the team to James Keston,[4][5] who would rebrand the team to their current name, Orange County Soccer Club.[6][7] Additionally, he would move the team from Anteater Stadium on the campus of UC Irvine to their own stadium, Championship Soccer Stadium.[8][9][10]

Roster

As of July 3, 2024[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK United States USA Josh Cohen
2 DF United States USA Jackson McCracken
3 DF United States USA Kwame Watson-Siriboe
4 MF United States USA Jonathan Howe
5 MF United States USA Nikola Ilich
6 DF Germany GER Maurice Pluntke
7 FW United States USA Christopher Santana
9 FW Trinidad and Tobago TRI Trevin Caesar
10 MF England ENG Richard Chaplow
11 FW Serbia SRB Tyler Feeley
12 DF Jamaica JAM Andrae Campbell
13 DF United States USA Matthew Sheldon
14 FW United States USA Akwafei Ajeakwa
15 DF United States USA Ryan Felix
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF United States USA Mats Bjurman
17 MF Finland FIN Verneri Valimaa
18 MF Serbia SRB Dusan Stevanovic
19 MF Serbia SRB Ivan Mirkovic
20 DF Spain ESP Oriol Cortes
21 MF Switzerland SUI Didier Crettenand
22 MF Armenia ARM Gevorg Karapetyan
23 DF Jamaica JAM Brenton Griffiths
24 MF Canada CAN Andrew Gray
25 DF United States USA Steven Purdy
27 FW Israel ISR Orr Barouch
33 GK United States USA Brandon Miller
37 DF Belgium BEL Roy Meeus
90 FW Uruguay URU Max Rauhofer

Competitions

United Soccer League

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
6 Vancouver Whitecaps 2 30 12 9 9 44 44 0 45 Conference Playoffs
7 Oklahoma City Energy 30 10 13 7 32 30 +2 43
8 Orange County Blues 30 12 4 14 39 41 −2 40
9 Portland Timbers 2 30 12 4 14 38 42 −4 40
10 San Antonio FC 30 10 8 12 36 36 0 38
Source: 2016 USL Standings
Rules for classification: 1) total wins; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 5) disciplinary points; 6) coin toss or drawing of lots

U.S. Open Cup

As a member of the USL, the Blues entered the U.S. Open Cup in the second round, matched up away against amateur club L.A. Wolves FC of the USASA.[12] After losing 2–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in open play, the Blues' loss marked the third time in a row the Blues lost to an amateur club in the U.S. Open Cup.[13]

L.A. Wolves FC (USASA) California v Orange County Blues FC (USL) California
May 18 Second Round L.A. Wolves FC (USASA) California 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–2 p)
Orange County Blues FC (USL) California Wilmington, California
8:00 PM PDT Sánchez 72' Report Howe 77' Stadium: Phineas Banning High School
Referee: Vincent Apple-Chiarella

References

  1. ^ "Summary - USL Championship - USA - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  2. ^ "Orange County Blues FC at Sacramento Republic FC - 2016 Playoffs". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  3. ^ "Orange County Blues FC at Swope Park Rangers - 2016 Playoffs". www.uslchampionship.com. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  4. ^ Register, Orange County Register | Orange County (2016-09-08). "Irvine-based soccer team changes ownership". Orange County Register. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  5. ^ "Blues Purchased by Southern California Businessman Keston". Orange County SC. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  6. ^ Staff, USLSoccer com (2017-01-20). "Orange County Soccer Club Reveals New Name, Logo". USL Championship. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  7. ^ Calhoun, Damian (2017-01-20). "Orange County Blues FC gets new name and logo". 100 Percent Soccer. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  8. ^ Mueller, Mark (2017-07-25). "OC Soccer's Reboot". Orange County Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  9. ^ Bruning, Jon (2017-08-15). "Orange County SC is on the Rise". Soccer Stadium Digest. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  10. ^ [email protected], CHRIS HOCKMAN- (2017-08-17). "New Stadium puts Orange County on Map". USL Championship. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  11. ^ "Roster". USL. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  12. ^ "2016 US Open Cup: Round 1 draw, Round 2 scenarios unveiled for 103rd tournament". thecup.us. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
  13. ^ "2016 US Open Cup Round 2: LA Wolves hand Orange County Blues 3rd straight loss to amateur team". thecup.us. 2016-05-22. Retrieved 2024-07-03.
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