Is it over? Colorado Springs Switchbacks 2, Orange County SC 1

Orange County SC suffered a terrible result on Saturday, losing 2-1 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in Colorado, as a poor 10 minute stretch and a missed penalty doomed the visitors and gave their USL Cup Playoff hopes a major hit.

Orange County went down in the 22nd minute, as Tae-Seong Kim headed in Masta Kacher’s corner kick to give Colorado Springs the lead. It got twice as bad six minutes later, as Kevaughn Frater blasted it past Charlie Lyon to make it 2-0.

Orange County earned a penalty just before halftime, as Victor Pineda was fouled in the box. Jerry van Ewijk stepped up to take the spot kick and looped it right over the crossbar.

Irvin Parra got OC’s goal in the 55th minute, to give them hope, and Pineda had a shot go agonizingly close about 20 minutes later, as his header clanged off the crossbar.

It looked like former OC Blues forward Akwafei Ajeakwa iced the result for Colorado Springs with a goal in the final 10 minutes, but he was ruled offside and his goal chalked off, keeping the door open for the visitors.

The loss is devastating for Orange County’s playoff hopes. They aren’t eliminated, but they drop below the Switchbacks in the standings and will need to win out and a lot of help to get in, and with three games to go, that seems highly unlikely at this stage.

OC do have a game in hand on most of the teams they are battling for a playoff spot with, and that will come on Wednesday in Sacramento against Sacramento Republic. That won’t be an easy game, either, but this is it — Orange County must win out if they want to go to the playoffs. And it may already be too late.

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