Chris McKenna of Tustin wears a full face mask at the home opener. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
OC player, Cameron Dunbar, right, dribbles during the game. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Orange County Soccer Club plays its home opener for the season against Miami FC. The team plays its home games at Championship Soccer Stadium, located inside Great Park in Irvine. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The team plays its home games at Championship Soccer Stadium, located inside Great Park in Irvine. Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Fans line up during warm ups trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. Orange County Soccer Club plays its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
A large crowd makes its way around the stadium at the home opener. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Halftime festivites included a song a dance routine from a group from Los Angeles. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The Orange County Soccer Club plays its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
A fan shows off a scarf with the team logo. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Andrew Fox, right, celebrates the first OC goal. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
OC player, Ashton Miles, right, flicks the ball down field during the game. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The team mascot, “Gnarly,” helped whip the fans into a frenzy. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Lincoln Eldridge, 8, of Santa Ana waves a Orange Count flag at the home opener. The Orange County Soccer Club plays its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The team posed for a team photo at the start of the game, The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Matt “Haggis” Simanski of Costa Mesa blows his bugle at the home opener. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
An AYSO team screams in delight during warm ups. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Fans cheered the soccer club on waving flags and chanting fight songs. The Orange County Soccer Club played its home opener for the season against Miami FC. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Orange County’s only professional soccer team cornered a tie for its home opener over the weekend.
Behind at halftime, the team notched the second of its corner kick goals just before the 70-minute mark to hold Miami FC to a 2-2 tie before enthusiastic fans at the Irvine Great Park’s Championship Soccer Stadium.
The Orange County Soccer Club plays in the United Soccer League, a Division II league of more than 30 teams across the United States.
The regular season runs through October.
The team is at home again at the Championship Soccer Stadium on March 30 against FC Tulsa; before that game will be the first of five beer fests planned throughout the season. Check the website for more dates and information.
The team is in a three-way tie for the lead of the league’s Western conference having split its first game of the season 2-2 against Sacramento Republic and winning its game against Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 2-0.
Find out more information about the team’s roster, schedule, tickets and special events planned at orangecountysoccer.com.
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