Orange County SC goalkeeper Colin Shutler scored a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer as the visitors grabbed a 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday night at Heart Health Park.

Here are three things we took away from the contest.

1. SACRAMENTO’S TREVOR AMANN LEVELS UP

Trevor Amann arrived at Sacramento Republic FC this offseason to major fanfare after his record-setting season in USL League One in 2023 that saw him earn Player of the Year honors, and on opening night the center forward didn’t disappoint. His opening-day brace was the first for a Republic FC player on their debut for the club since Thomas Enevoldsen in 2019, and showed how well-rounded his game is.

Amann was key to the buildup of his opening goal in the 28th minute with a deft touch to send the ball to the left flank before darting into the penalty area to get on the end of Cristian Parano’s pin-point cross with a fine header. He then did the work himself with 13 minutes to go, breaking onto a long upfield ball by Nick Ross before creating enough space for a roofed near-post finish that at that point felt like a game-winner. With Russell Cicerone absent, Amann stepped up in a big way, and it portends even bigger things to come this season.

2. ORANGE COUNTY SHOWS PERSISTANCE

Orange County SC has had its fair share of success in Sacramento in the past – last year it even swept the regular season series between the clubs and has earned seven wins at Heart Health Park in its history. It had to weather plenty of possession in the first half from the hosts, and scrambled defensively at times to prevent Republic FC from being further ahead – see 19-year-old OCSC Academy product Ashton Miles’ crucial goal line block of Amann in the 20th minute as an example.

But Orange County persisted defensively and it helped the visitors keep a foothold in the game. The visitors won the majority of duels (55.3 percent) and aerial duels (55 percent) as Kevin Partida was his usual self in the center of the park. Then, the visitors made their set pieces count, first through Seth Casiple after an inventive initial finish by Miles forced a great save by Republic FC goalkeeper Jared Mazzola, and then in the dramatic conclusion.

3. COLIN SHUTLER DELIVERS A MIRACLE

Goalkeepers joining the attack for a last-gasp set piece are usually doing so more out of hope than expectation, but Orange County SC’s Colin Shutler sure as heck looked like he knew what he was doing with a beautifully taken header to deliver a point for his side. Shutler was the first goalkeeper to register a goal in OCSC history and only the third in the USL Championship’s history following Neal Kitson for the Rochester Rhinos in 2011 and Joe Kuzminsky for the Charleston Battery two seasons ago.

On the first night of the season in a rivalry clash airing on new broadcast partner CBS Sports Golazo Network, you could hardly have asked for a more dramatic ending to a tremendous contest overall.