IRVINE, Calif. – Orange County SC and El Paso Locomotive FC played to a 0-0 draw in their opening game of the 2020 USL Championship season on Friday night at Championship Soccer Stadium.

Locomotive FC started the game with more possession, but the first clear look on goal fell to Orange County’s Sean Okoli, who ran onto a long pass forward by Rob Kiernan and sent a first-time finish just high-and-wide of the left corner in the ninth minute. El Paso had a goal ruled out for offside in the 21st minute, but two minutes later Marios Lomis forced a diving save from OCSC goalkeeper Aaron Cervantes on a shot toward the top-right corner to keep the game scoreless.

El Paso goalkeeper Logan Ketterer pulled off a big double-save to keep out first Kevin Alston and Thomas Enevoldsen on a close-range rebound in the 33rd minute, and Cervantes almost matched him early in the second half on a close-range denial of Lomis. Locomotive FC had another chance from a corner soon after that was delivered on the right by Dylan Mares, but Lomis’ header flashed over the crossbar.

Orange County pushed harder for the win late, and had a long effort slide wide of the left post by Enevoldsen with 12 minutes to go as it looked for the breakthrough. OCSC's Seth Casiple also went close four minutes later as Ketterer made another good low save to deny him from the center of the penalty area, and the midfielder couldn’t quite get enough on a cross by Okoli in the 86th minute as Ketterer was able to gather. The late efforts by the hosts weren’t enough to manage a breakthrough, however, as El Paso held firm for a point.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Logan Ketterer, El Paso Locomotive FC – Ketterer posted a five-save shutout that included a pair of excellent close-range denials of Orange County’s Thomas Enevoldsen and Seth Casiple.