Orlando City B vs. Rochester Rhinos: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions Defend Superbly

Despite spending much of the game defending, Orlando City B was able to pull out the win in Rochester, 1-0, through a Fernando Timbo 18th-minute goal on a rainy night at Capelli Sport Stadium. With the road win, OCB handed Rochester its first home loss of the 2017 season and finished its three-game road trip at 1-2-0.

OCB (5-6-4, 19 points) started the game on the back foot with much of the first 10 minutes spent inside its own box. Several dangerous crosses sailed into the young Lions’ penalty area, just out of reach of its intended target. The best early chance for the the Rhinos (5-2-5, 20 points) was in the fifth minute when Darius Madison’s cross was just a bit too high for Sofiane Tergou, glancing off his head and out for a goal kick.

The first real chance for the Lions came in the 17^th minute and they didn’t squander it. As Pierre Da Silva carried the ball to the top of the Rochester box, Jordan Dover took him down, giving the Lions a free kick in a dangerous position. Joe Gallardo’s free kick was immediately cleared back out but right to Da Silva, who quickly beat two defenders with a nice move and played a low ball in front of goal. Still in front of goal was Fernando Timbo, who touched it past Tomas Gomez for the game’s opening goal.

Following the OCB goal, Rochester went right back on the attack, searching for an equalizer. They had a pair of 22nd-minute chances that were unable to find the back of the net and then nearly scored again in the 33^rd minute. In the latter opportunity, the Mike Garzi ball was searching for a head at the back of the box but Seb Hines stepped forward and cleared the danger.

Despite seeing far fewer chances than Rochester, OCB nearly doubled its lead in the 43^rd minute through Albert Dikwa. Youmeni Jules played a long ball into the box which nearly went out for a goal kick but was kept in play by Dikwa. Creating an opportunity for himself, Dikwa fired high on goal but the ball slammed against the crossbar and was subsequently cleared by the Rhinos.

The second half played out much like the first, with OCB spending the majority of the half defending. In the 55^th minute, a deflected cross found the foot of Stefan Defregger in front of goal, but Jules was able to get across and deflect it over the goal. Three minutes later, it was Kenardo Forbes finding space for a shot and Scott Thomsen getting in front.

The closest Rochester got to a goal came in the 72^nd minute, which also provided the likely USL Save of the Week by Earl Edwards, Jr. As Sofiane Tergou received a Forbes pass near the end line, he quickly played it back to a wide-open Dover. With nobody between Dover and the back of the net, the midfielder fired on goal. But Edwards came flying from his right and made a diving save to tip the ball over the bar and maintain the 1-0 OCB lead.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes, OCB put everyone behind the ball as Rochester continued to search for the equalizer. The Rhinos came close in the 80^th minute off of a shot by Jochen Graf but Conor Donovan was able to block the attempt. Another dangerous opportunity came in the 86^th minute off of a free kick just outside of the box by Forbes, which nearly found Jalen Brown at the back post, but it went out for an OCB goal kick.

In the end, OCB was able to hold on and return home with all three points from western New York. Rochester finished the game with 67 percent possession and out-shot the young Lions, 13-7. The win gives OCB its 19^th point from its first 15 games. The Lions currently sit in seventh in the USL’s Eastern Conference. They’ll take the field again next Saturday night at home against FC Cincinnati at 8:30 p.m., as the second half of a double-header at Orlando City Stadium. The Orlando Pride will play the Chicago Red Stars in the early game at 5 p.m.

Starting XI: Edwards; Jules, Hines, Donovan, Thomsen; Deakin, Clowes, Timbo (Schweitzer, 67’), Da Silva (Martz, 74’); Gallardo (Polk, 49’), Dikwa.

Unused Subs: Fenlason, Carroll, Kraft, Cox.

Goals: ORL – Timbo (18’).

Yellow Cards: ORL – Timbo (45+1’) ROC – Defregger (29’), Dover (88’).