“Heart Attack” Switchbacks?

The Colorado Springs club might be worthy of the moniker after scoring goals in second-half stoppage time in back-to-back contests. On Friday, Tyreek Magee launched a shot from beyond the box that bounced off the crossbar, down and in, resulting in a 2-2 tie against Orange County SC at Weidner Field. 

The electric score was something of déjà vu for the Jamaican midfielder. He pulled off a similar strike against Orange County back in 2023. 

“Honestly, I didn’t even remember that (one) to be fair,” Magee said. “It’s just what I was brought here to do, to produce moments like these. Doesn’t happen every game for sure, but everyone knows that’s something I can do, just being able to do it more consistently.”

Magee’s rocket in the sixth minute of stoppage capped off an uneven night for the Switchbacks as it held its futuristic promotional event Galactic Night.

Colorado Springs (2-2-4) allowed three shots on target in the contest and two of them found twine. 

Midfielder Chris Hegardt beat Switchbacks keeper Christian Herrera with a strike from inside the 18-yard box in the 22nd minute. In the 65th, Orange County caught Colorado Springs in transition. Midfielder Ousmane Sylla dribbled past the Switchbacks’ back line and sent a shot through the legs of Herrera for the score. 

“I’m happy at the end, the resilience is still showing, the fight, the never-say-die attitude is definitely there, but honestly we must be the highest in the league … we do not give up a lot of volume of shots away but when we do give them away, they are converting,” Switchbacks coach Alan McCann said. “We need to figure ourselves out. We have three days off now, similar to the bye week. We gotta really look at ourselves and figure out why we are like this.”

The visitors’ first goal came after another strong start from the Switchbacks. 

Colorado Springs threatened early with no chance closer chance than in the 18th minute when defender Patrick Burner sent a cross right to the foot of forward Khori Bennett in the box. Bennett’s strike sailed wide of the net. 

Despite the subsequent Orange County score, Bennett and the Switchbacks kept the pressure on and were rewarded for their effort. In the fourth minute of stoppage time in the first half, Orange County defender Tom Brewitt pulled Bennett down in the box and conceded a penalty in so doing. The Jamaican striker converted his fifth penalty of the regular season for his league-leading seventh goal of the season two minutes later. 

The Switchbacks lost a player in the first half. Defender Isaiah Foster exited in the 12th minute with what McCann said was an ankle injury.

Colorado Springs will return to action next weekend when the Switchbacks host rival New Mexico United.