USL League Two: Ventura County Fusion claims first crown since 2009

• by Mike Woitalla  @MikeWoitalla, Aug 7, 2022

The Ventura County Fusion, one of the oldest teams in the USL League Two, returned to the final for the first time since its 2009 title win and lifted the 2022 crown with a 2-1 victory over the Long Island Rough Riders.

The Fusion, which didn't play in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid pandemic, equalized Long Island's 55th-minute goal from Justin Weiss with a strike by Ghanaian Nathaniel Opoku, who scored the winner in Fusion's 1-0 semifinal win over the Flint City Bucks.

The 16-year-old Sergio Villalpando, who assisted on Opoku's goal, also se tup the 84th minute gamewinner by Marley Edwards.

Aug. 6 in Ventura, Calif.
Ventura County Fusion 2 Long Island Rough Riders 1. Goals: Opoku 66, Edwards 84; Weiss 55.