IRVINE, Calif. – Didier Crettenand scored his second goal in as many games and Orange County Blues FC earned its first victory of the 2016 season, holding off San Antonio FC for a 1-0 win on Saturday at Anteater Stadium.

Crettenand’s first-half penalty kick was the difference as the defending regular-season Western Conference champion Blues improved to 1-2-1 (4 points). Expansion San Antonio (1-1-2, 5 points) lost its first match of the season, meaning only the Swope Park Rangers remain as the only unbeaten expansion club this year.

San Antonio’s back line saved goalkeeper Josh Ford in the fourth minute. Orange County’s Trevin Caesar had a great scoring chance after receiving a long pass from Ivan Mirkovic. Caesar eluded Ford, but his shot was blocked by SAFC defender Sam McBride at the goal line for an Orange County corner kick.

In the 25th minute, the frame was Orange County goalkeeper Brandon Miller’s savior. SAFC midfielder Rafael Castillo’s dangerous free kick from the right hit the right post as San Antonio nearly gained the upper hand.

Then in the 34th minute, Castillo’s left-footed strike veered into the near left post as San Antonio was once again within inches of taking the lead.

Orange County gained the first-half lead after Andrae Campbell drew a foul in the box against San Antonio’s Milton Palacios in the 37th minute. After Campbell was helped off the field, Crettenand took the penalty kick in the 39th minute and coolly slotted into the left side of the frame for a 1-0 lead as Ford anticipated the shot going the other way.

The Blues had a bevy of chances to pad its lead in the second half. Caesar missed a header chance wide of the net in the 63rd minute. Then in the 65th minute, Orange County hit the frame twice – first Crettenand’s free kick striking the upper left corner, and then Caesar hitting the crossbar.

San Antonio also was knocking on the door in the 67th and 68th minutes as Miller made a pair of saves, including batting away a Carlos Alvarez free kick during that stretch.

In the 80th minute, Ford denied Caesar on a breakaway attempt. Caesar’s burst of speed freed up some space behind San Antonio’s back line and he was looking to cut around Ford who rush up toward the top of the 18. Caesar cut to his right, but Ford reacted well enough to deflect the ball away and maintain SAFC’s one-goal deficit.

Upcoming Games:

• April 20: Portland Timbers 2 at Orange County Blues FC; Anteater Stadium, 10:30 p.m. ET

• April 23: San Antonio FC at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC; Switchbacks Stadium, 3:30 p.m. ET

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match
Didier Crettenand, Orange County Blues FC - Crettenand took a confident penalty kick to earn the team's first victory of the season, and he nearly had a brace with a free kick that struck the frame - one of a number of occasions that Orange County hit the woodwork.