COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Orange County SC will play for the second time in the postseason as they square off on Sunday night in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix in a game that was rescheduled from Saturday due to a Winter Storm Warning in the Colorado Springs region. Kickoff at Weidner Field is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Here’s what you need to know.

How They Got Here

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (15-12-7, 52pts) – The Switchbacks earned a comfortable passage to the Conference Semifinals for the second time in the past three years with a 2-0 victory against Oakland Roots SC last Saturday night as Jairo Henriquez and Ronaldo Damus each found the net at Weidner Field. The victory maintained the Switchbacks’ perfect home postseason record since it moved into Weidner Field at the start of the 2021 season with the side having earned three wins from three when it has held homefield advantage. Damus’ second-half penalty kick was his 13th goal of the season – seven of which have come from the spot – and move the Haitian international to eight postseason goals in his career, only one shy of the all-time USL Championship Playoffs record of nine tallies held by current Louisville City FC winger Brian Ownby and former LouCity star Cameron Lancaster.

Orange County SC (13-14-7, 46pts) – Orange County SC continued its late-season undefeated run with a 1-0 victory against Memphis 901 FC last Saturday night as Dillon Powers scored in the 116th minute to give the visitors victory at AutoZone Park in extra time. The result marked the first time Orange County had earned victory in extra time in club history, with the side having previously gone 0-2-3 in extra time encounters but advancing in all three penalty shootouts it has faced historically. OCSC’s shutout was its seventh in the past nine games as the Championship’s September Player of the Month Colin Shutler and his back line continued to shine as OCSC looks to continue its road success in pursuit of a second league title.

All-Time Series

Orange County holds a narrow 9-8-2 advantage in the all-time series between the clubs and took victory in the lone prior postseason meeting between the sides in 2021 when Ronaldo Damus’ goal served as the winner in a 1-0 victory at Championship Soccer Stadium.

Opta Says

3 – The Switchbacks have only lost three times in games in which it has held the lead at home since it moved into Weidner Field since the start of 2021 season. The side is 10-1-2 when scoring the opening goal at home this season.

41 – Orange County both recorded shutouts in 41 percent of its games this regular season as it recorded 14 shutouts and failed to score in 41 percent of its games, which resulted in four scoreless draws in the regular season.

Players to Watch

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Ronaldo Damus: The Haitian forward leads the Switchbacks with 13 goals this season and should be front and center when the side faces an Orange County side that Damus led to the 2021 USL Championship title with four goals in the postseason, including two in the Final.

Orange County SC – Dillon Powers: The veteran center back scored his first goal of the 2024 campaign to lift OCSC to victory in Memphis and starred when Orange County took a 2-0 win at Championship Soccer Stadium when the teams met in October, winning 7 of 7 ground duels and 2 of 3 tackles.

Uniforms

Discipline Report

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – No suspensions

Orange County SC – No suspensions

Officials
REF: Lorenzo Hernandez
AR1: Noah Kenyawani
AR2: Fernando Fierro
4TH: Ricardo Montero Araya