TAMPA, Fla - Orange County won the USL Championship at Al Lang Stadium in Tampa, Florida in what have might have been the worst loss in Tampa Bay Rowdies history. Three goals were scored in the first half, giving OC the confidence to win their first championship with a 3-1 final score.

Three Goals for Championship

The stage was set for Tampa Bay to win the USL Championship at home with a packed Al Lang Stadium. However, it all fell short when the first awarded penalty of the game was given to Tampa in the 19th minute. Sebastian Guenzatti was the man to put Tampa in the lead but failed to capitalize when OC's goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky saved the penalty in the bottom left corner.

It all fell apart for the Rowdies, but OC was about to entertain the home crowd for the next 25 minutes. Jordan Scarlett was patiently passing the ball back to the goalkeeper when he timed it wrong and gave the ball to Ronaldo Damus, who calmly scored to grab the lead for the California-based team.

From that point on, Damus was putting on a show for Tampa Bay. In the 37th minute, Damus calmly waited for the ball to hit the ground, turned and executed the shot perfectly, scoring a goal that have OC a 2-0 lead. The Haitian native was showing his skills and his team was one step closer to winning the championship.

In the 45th minute, OC had a free kick. Mikko Kuningas, with all the time in the world, hit a kick so elegant that Rowdies' goalkeeper, Raiko Arozarena, did not get a touch on the ball and saw the ball go in the goal. OC was 3 goals up in the first half, which meant to Rowdies fans, it was game over.

An Eventful Evening

Many fans in the crowd were shocked to see Tampa losing by 3 at the half, but they never stopped believing. Tampa showed their attack in the second half with many chances being created, but not capitalizing with goals. Leo Fernandes scored in the 57th minute, which gave life to the Rowdies, but they couldn't score two more.