The 2022 Orange County SC season was the club's eleventh season of existence, and their eleventh consecutive season in the United Soccer League Championship, the second tier of American soccer.
Orange County came into the 2022 season the reigning champions of the USL Championship, after beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies to win the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs. However, the team failed to replicate their championship season, only winning seven games all season and placing last in the Western Conference with a record of 7–13–14.
At the end of the season, despite having one of the worst records in the league, starting forward Milan Iloski, with 22 league goals, won the USL Championship Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals in the 2022 season.
Roster
Technical staff +RoleNameGeneral ManagerOliver WyssAssistant GMPeter NugentTechnical directorFrans HoekHead coachRichard ChaplowAssistant coachMorten KarlsenStrength & ConditioningClaudio TrabattoniAsst Strength & ConditioningDan SparksGoalkeeping coachVictor NogueiraTeam OperationsJakob HardingAthletic TrainerMitchell DeyhleU23 Head CoachJerry TamashiroU23 Assistant CoachDidier Crettenand
Competitions
Preseason In preparation for the 2022 USL Championship season, Orange County played in five pre-season friendlies, mainly against fellow USL Championship teams. They announced these pre-season matches on February 16, 2022.
USL Championship
Standings
Results summary
Match results On January 12, 2022, Orange County released their full regular season schedule.
All times are in Pacific Standard Time.
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
U.S. Open Cup
As a member of the USL Championship, Orange County entered the Open Cup in the second round, matched up against the Los Angeles Force, a member of the NISA, a league in the third tier of American soccer. After winning 5–2 at home, they got thrashed in the third round away at BMO Stadium against Los Angeles FC, a member of the highest tier of American soccer, MLS.
International friendly On September 23, Orange County and German 2. Bundesliga team Hamburg SV announced an international club friendly against each other on November 15, with Orange County hosting the German visitors at the end of the USL Championship season and ahead of the international break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The visitors ended up winning 1–0.
References