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Left back Kontor Owusu-Ansah was signed by Orange County SC ahead of the 2018 campaign. Coming with experience on two different continents, the Ghanaian had finished a stint in Greece and before that, Serbia, the latter league a spot that had provided players for OC in the past.
24 when he joined the team, Kontor was an unknown quantity stateside, but Braeden Cloutier gave him heavy minutes early in the season and he had a good run setting up the good start to Orange County SC’s season.
Kontor OCSC 2018 statistics
| 2018 | Games Played | Games Started | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Shots | SOG | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Games Played | Games Started | Minutes | Goals | Assists | Shots | SOG | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| USL Regular Season | 16 | 15 | 1,226 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| U.S. Open Cup | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USL Playoffs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 16 | 15 | 1,226 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probably the most notable play of the season involving the defender came on his assist, in a game against Saint Louis FC, when his long throw-in led to a goal by Mats Bjurman.
GOAL by @orangecountysc midfielder Mats Bjurman #STLvOC ⚽️ #USL #MyOCSC pic.twitter.com/Qfpcjj3Ltm
— Orange County Soccer Club (@orangecountysc) July 22, 2018
Ok, it seemed a bit fluky, but while Orange County weren’t the kind of “lump it up top” team in terms of playing style, having a player capable of putting long throw-ins into the box every once in awhile is a good tool to have in the kit.
Kontor’s minutes dropped substantially in the second half of the season, and it appears an injury played a role to an extent. But he’s been re-signed for 2019 by Orange County SC, so Cloutier apparently liked what he saw from the Ghanaian.
So whether he comes back as a starter or fullback depth, we’ll see what 2019 has in store for Kontor. I think at the very least having continuity with a lot of the players who made 2018 such a good season is good for the club, and Kontor Owusu-Ansah will have a chance to make a step further in his game next season.
What do you think? Leave a comment below!