TACOMA, Wash. – A first-half goal by Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez proved enough as Tacoma Defiance took a 1-0 victory against Orange County SC on Sunday afternoon at Cheney Stadium, handing OCSC a loss to start its 2021 USL Championship campaign.

Chances were few early on and it wasn’t until the 16th minute that Orange County first had a chance to open the scoring when a long throw-in by Brent Richards from the right took a deflection into the path of Thomas Enevoldsen for a finish that went just over the crossbar. Tacoma also went close a few minutes later as Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez delivered a cross that Juan Alvarez put on target but that was comfortably saved by Patrick Rakovsky.

Ocampo-Chavez gave the Defiance the lead in the 21st minute, however, as he received a pass by Danny Robles and fought through a challenge as he moved the ball onto his right foot at the top of the penalty area before firing home into the bottom-right corner of the net.

Orange County had a chance to level 10 minutes before halftime but Adam Jahn’s shot from the right side of the penalty area was saved, and soon after Jahn was forced out of the game due to injury as Eero Markkanen came on to replace him. The visitors continued to press into the second half and just before the hour-mark Ronaldo Damus fired a shot from 20 yards that flashed just over the crossbar. The Haitian forward then found the net a few minutes later, only for the offside flag to be raised.

The visitors were unable to catch a break in the attacking end, too, as Tacoma escaped when the ball pinballed around in the Defiance penalty area without falling kindly for a chance for Orange County to finish. Both Markkanen and Chris Wehan also had late chances blocked, but Tacoma saw out the game to earn a clean sheet and its second consecutive victory.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez, Tacoma Defiance – Ocampo-Chavez scored the lone goal of the game and was solid overall, completing 17 of 24 passes and recording two key passes for the hosts.

Scoring Summary
TAC – Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez 21’

Full Box Score