IRVINE, Calif - Fresno FC pounded 16 shots on fifth-place Orange County SC (6W-3L-2D), but the Foxes (2W-4L-6D) couldn't get through to goal, losing 3-0 on Saturday night at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine. Orange County's Thomas Enevoldsen opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and the hosts added two more in the second half to hand the Foxes their second consecutive loss in USL play.
The Foxes appeared to establish tempo early, but we're unable to penetrate an Orange County defense that helped goalkeeper Andre Rawls collect a league-best sixth clean sheet this season. Twice in the opening seven minutes, midfielder Pedro Ribeiro tried to get through the defense with a through ball, only to have Jemal Johnson and Renato Bustamante flagged offsides, respectively.
The Foxes kept trying, and Ribeiro won a foul from 25 yards out in the ninth minute to set up a free kick by Juan Pablo Caffa, but the shot attempt was deflected at the wall and Fresno couldn't recover on the rebound. One breakaway later, Orange County found themselves threatening the Fresno goal, and struck gold when Enevoldsen collected a loose ball from 12 yards out that he slotted home in the bottom left corner.
Goalkeeper Kyle Reynish came up with a pair of big saves at the start of the second half, blocking back-to-back shots on a corner kick at the 49th minute. The Orange County attack, however, did not stop as the hosts took the lead at the 66th minute on a goal from substitute Michael Seaton. The hosts added an insurance goal in stoppage time as Enevoldsen added an assist to his tally, finding Giovanni Ramos Godoy for the score.
Of the Foxes 16 total shots, six came from inside the 18, of which just one was one target. Caffa, who made his first start since suffering a right ankle sprain on April 21, finished with three key passes and took four shots, three of which were blocked. Second-half substitute Danny Barrera was part of Fresno's second-half throttle, finishing with a team-high five shots.
The Foxes return to Fresno to host Seattle Sounders 2 on Saturday, June 2nd at Chukchansi Park. Tickets are available at tickets.fresnofc.com and the Chukchansi Park Box Office. Kickoff is 7 p.m. PT.
EL MEXICANO MAN OF THE MATCH: JEMAL JOHNSON, M
Johnson had three shots, one key pass and four crosses for Fresno FC. He nearly helped the Foxes equalize, providing the pass on Danny Barrera's shot into the side netting at the 54th minute.
