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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Charleston Battery: Final Score 2-1 on Lewis Neal’s Winner

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9 years ago

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It looked like yet another blown lead for Orlando City B when Heviel Cordoves tied the game with nine minutes to play, but not this time. Lewis Neal’s 87th-minute goal sent the 1,011 fans home happy as OCB topped the Charleston Battery, 2-1, at Orlando City Stadium.

The young Lions, who got a first-half goal from Pierre Da Silva on a wonderstrike, stopped a two-game skid in which they had been outscored, 4-0. Head Coach Anthony Pulis called it a “very hard-fought victory.”

With three games left, the young Lions (9-8-12, 39 points) moved to seventh in the USL Eastern Conference standings with their win over third-place Charleston (13-8-8, 47 points). The young Lions are one point ahead of eight-place New York Red Bulls II and four points clear of ninth-place Bethlehem Steel, but BHFC has three games in hand.

“The character that the guys showed to come back and nick the winner late was fantastic to see and the guys are obviously delighted in there because it’s a huge three points for us,” Pulis said.

Pulis started three-fourths of the same back line that began the game at Saint Louis FC, with Rafael Ramos slotting in at right back and Zach Ellis-Hayden moving to left back on either side of Conor Donovan and Zach Carroll, and in front of goalkeeper Jake Fenlason. Lewis Neal and Paul Clowes played central midfield behind an attacking midfield line of Pierre Da Silva, Jordan Schweitzer, and Danny Deakin, and Hadji Barry up top.

The entirety of the first half was played from box to box and chances were scarce. The two teams combined for only two shot attempts (both by OCB) and one shot on target in a rather plodding 45 minutes. Perhaps the most exciting moment of the opening 15 minutes was a back pass from O’Brian Woodbine that was hit much too heavy and forced Charleston goalkeeper Odisnel to scramble out of his net to try to keep it in, but to no avail.

Both teams turned the ball over regularly with heavy touches or off line passes, resulting in a sloppy and dull contest. But there was one moment of magic in the opening period.

Da Silva woke things up with a fantastic goal out of nowhere in the 31st minute. He took a pass from Neal, dribbled forward a few yards, and unleashed an absolute laser from 30 yards out that hit the right post and caromed into the net behind Cooper to make it 1-0.

“When I got the ball from Lew, that was the only option I had,” Da Silva said. “So, I just took a touch forward and I saw the goal right in front of me. I just took a chance and it went in.”

Da Silva said he thought his goal against Bethlehem was better but it’s hard to conceive of a better strike for OCB this season.

Shortly after the goal, Pulis had to make his first substitution. Ellis-Hayden got in the way of a cross attempt that hit him square in the face from less than 10 yards away. The ball was moving quickly and Ellis-Hayden was down for several minutes before coming off. OCB played with 10 men for a few minutes before Fernando Timbo came on for Ellis-Hayden in the 41st minute.

Pulis said Ellis-Hayden sustained a mild concussion and will be further evaluated this week.

One last moment of action took place in first-half stoppage when Fenlason made a diving stop of a cross to keep Romario Williams from tapping it in and equalizing. That ignited a break that ended up with Deakin blasting a shot that took a slight deflection and brushed the outside of the right post.

The whistle blew just after that and OCB took its 1-0 lead into the locker room. The young Lions held a 2-1 shots advantage (1-0 on goal), and led in possession (52.4%-47.6%) and passing accuracy (87.1%- 85.6%).

Charleston came out of the break like a house on fire, and the Battery spent the opening minutes of the second half all over OCB’s end of the field. Williams, who had his three-game suspension cut to just one at midweek, was at the heart of the Charleston attack, slipping in behind the back line in the early moments of the second period. Fenlason made a huge sprawling save in the 47th minute to keep it level. A minute later, Williams shook free on the right and fizzed a cross in front of goal but Nicholas Rittmeyer couldn’t get a touch on it to put it in.

“I felt like we had a good shape about us and we defended pretty well, but we were winning it back and we were turning it over on those first two passes, so we were never able to then get out and get into a rhythm,” Pulis said. “That’s the first kind of five or ten minutes. After that, I thought we did that better. We connected those first two passes, which enabled us to get into our attacking shape.”

The next few minutes saw Charleston earn a couple of corners and Clowes and Timbo were forced to make emergency clearances in the box. Williams got in tight in the 52nd minute and Fenlason made another big kick save with his right foot to force a corner.

Shortly thereafter, OCB settled into the game a bit more. Da Silva tried a scissor kick off a Schweitzer cross in the 54th minute from point-blank range but Cooper made a big save. Five minutes later, Ramos curled a free kick headed into the top corner but Cooper got over at the last second to tap it just wide.

Williams kept coming, though. Fenlason came off his line to force the Battery striker wide in the 61st minute and he lost the ball over the end line as the game began to open up. Deakin missed a sitter at the other end a minute later off a Da Silva cross that just needed a touch to go in, but he squibbed it over the net. A minute later, Cordoves subbed on for the Battery for Ataulla Guerra.

The game settled down for a while, but around the 75th minute, OCB began to have trouble connecting, and the Lions kicked the ball anywhere to alleviate the pressure, unable to string passes together and keep possession. That paid off for Charleston in the 81st minute. Cordoves got the ball in the box, spun and put a shot past Fenlason to level the score late.

The Lions had a chance to answer nearly immediately. Second-half sub Michael Cox made a great run through multiple defenders to set himself up with a scoring chance but he rolled his shot attempt from the right side of the box just wide of the far post in the 83rd minute. But a few minutes later, Austin Martz — who came on for Da Silva at 81’ — earned a corner that swung the game back in OCB’s favor.

The service into the area fell at Timbo’s feet and the big defender smashed a shot toward the goal that was blocked by the defense. It fell perfectly to Neal, who swiped at it and hit it right at Cooper. The Charleston keeper made a mess of the shot and it deflected off of him and into the net for the eventual game-winner.

“I was delighted, just being in the right place at the right time,” Neal said. “I managed to get something on it and to be quite honest I thought the keeper had saved it. It was pretty comfortable for him and somehow he managed to make a little bit of a mess of it and put it in the goal for us. But in the end I thought it was what we deserved, to be honest. I thought we worked really hard as a team. We didn’t make it easy for ourselves at times, but I thought we created enough chances and had enough bouts of possession to win the game in my opinion.”

Following Neal’s goal, OCB looked like a completely different team, confidently passing the ball around the pitch and making it difficult for Charleston to regain possession. The Battery didn’t see another scoring chance the rest of the game and OCB held on for all three points.

After the game, Pulis said he was pleased with the first half performance and the response to the Charleston goal but the second half was not up to the standard he expects from his team.

“In the second half we started slowly,” Pulis said. “Jake Fenlason made some really good saves to keep us in it and I don’t think we played with the same intensity and the same tempo as what we did first half for whatever reason.”

After the match, Pulis lauded the play of his center backs, who kept Williams — who entered the game with 15 goals in just 19 games this seeson — off the score sheet.

“We knew on Wednesday (the suspension had) been rescinded, so we were able to prepare,” Pulis said. “I don’t want to get into my thoughts on the decision but for the most part I thought Zach Carroll and Conor Donovan handled him really well. But he’s a very dangerous player and one of the better forwards in the USL. So, we knew we were going to have to defend well tonight to keep him at bay, and we did for the most part.”

“We kept grinding, we kept going, we didn’t let our heads get down too much, and we just kept probing to try to get that winning goal and thankfully it came,” Neal said. “That was a huge three points for us in terms of our chance of making the playoffs.”

OCB is back in action on Sunday, Oct. 1, with a trip to the Richmond Kickers. Game time is 5 p.m. ET.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Inter Miami II: Final Score 4-1 as OCB Claims Three Huge Points in South Florida

OCB took a huge step towards qualifying for the playoffs with a road win over Inter Miami II.

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1 week ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (10-9-7, 41 points) controlled in-state rival Inter Miami II (3-18-5, 15 points) tonight, winning 4-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Issah Haruna, Harvey Sarajian, Gustavo Caraballo, and Ignacio Gomez were the OCB goal scorers, while Nash Dearmin scored the lone goal for the South Florida club.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made one change to the team that beat Crown Legacy FC 3-2 Sunday night. Sarajian entered the starting lineup in place of Matthew Belgodere, who started on the bench.

Goalkeeper Tristan Himes started behind a back line of Clovis Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were in the defensive midfield behind Caraballo, Haruna, and Sarajian with Pedro Leao up top.

This was a much bigger game for OCB as the Young Lions fight for a playoff spot and Miami is already eliminated. That difference showed as the visitors were the more aggressive team and looked more determined to come away with three points. Miami created more shots than its opposition, but most of those attempts were from long range and well off target or blocked. Meanwhile, OCB had the better opportunities with a much higher percentage of shots on target.

The hosts created the first shot in the sixth minute when Nicholas Almeida intercepted a Sarajian pass and sent Idoh Zeltzer-Zubida forward. The attacker got behind the back line and it appeared as though he would be in on goal. But Okonski and Amoo-Mensah caught up. Amoo-Mensah deflected Zeltzer-Zubida’s shot from outside the box off target, and the Young Lions cleared the ensuing set piece.

OCB’s first chance came in the 10th minute and resulted in the game’s first goal. It started when Miller lifted the ball long on the right for Haruna. The attacker dribbled inside, used a spin to create space from his defender, and beat Matias Marin to his near post to give the Young Lions the early 1-0 lead.

It was Haruna’s third consecutive game with a goal after finding the net against Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 22 and Crown Legacy FC on Aug. 30.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Miami to respond. In the 12th minute, Marin sent a long ball down the right for Theo Vorenkamp. The right back cut back to create space from Archange and lifted a cross into the box for Mateo Saja. The attacker chested the ball down, but it was too far in front of him and Okonski sent it away.

The ball landed Dearmin’s feet. He took a couple of dribbles toward the center of the field before beating Himes to his right post to even the game at 1-1.

The Herons thought they’d taken the lead in the 15th minute when Zeltzer-Zubida sent a nice ball behind the back line for Saja. The attacker dribbled into the box and chipped Himes. However, the assistant referee correctly ruled Saja offside.

Miami forced Himes into his first quality save in the 19th minute when Matteo De Paula played Diego Rey to the end line. Okonski had a chance to clear the cross, but the center back couldn’t get a piece of the ball. It landed at Dearmin’s feet, but Himes tipped his shot over the crossbar. OCB cleared the ensuing corner, ending the threat.

Okonski headed away a set piece in the 22nd minute and a poor touch by Sloan Morrison gave OCB a two-on-one. Haruna drove down the field with Caraballo to his right. As Vorenkamp closed Haruna down, the midfielder played Caraballo into the box. Unfortunately, Caraballo’s shot was too close to Marin, allowing the goalkeeper to push the ball wide.

Four minutes later, the Young Lions took their second lead of the game. Amoo-Mensah gave the ball away in his own half, but a bad touch by Vorenkamp allowed Archange to retake possession. The left back played a beautiful ball between two defenders for Sarajian, making a run into the Miami third of the field. The attacker placed the ball behind Marin and inside the far post to give OCB a 2-1 lead.

Miami nearly responded right away, just as it did earlier. Vorenkamp laid the ball off for Rey, approaching the top of the OCB box. The attacker’s first touch was a shot past Himes and off the far post. The rebound set Saja up perfectly with a completely empty goal, but he couldn’t get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.

Amoo-Mensah sent a long ball forward for Sarajian in the 32nd minute, giving the attacker a good opportunity for his second goal. Vorenkamp caught up, forcing Sarajian to use a nifty touch to create space for a shot. However, Marin had his near post covered and blocked the attempt over the end line.

The ensuing set piece by Amoo-Mensah found Gomez at the far post. The midfielder’s initial header was blocked, but it fell right back to him. Marin blocked his second shot to the near post and the goalkeeper fell on the ball, ending the attack.

The hosts looked to even the game again in the 36th minute when Joseph Convers played a give-and-go with De Paula, setting Convers up just outside the OCB box. However, his first touch from the return pass was a shot that went right at Himes. Seconds later, Rey took the ball off of Miller’s foot and dribbled down the end line. He had a teammate trying to find space, but Archange and Okonski filled in that space, forcing Rey to fire a shot wide of the near post.

Leao broke down the middle in the 43rd minute, playing the ball to his right for Caraballo. The midfielder was unable to create a shot, causing him to look for Gomez instead. His pass was deflected, going to Hylton, who immediately found Leao. The striker quickly took a shot that forced Marin to tip it wide.

Less than a minute later, the Young Lions extended their lead. It started with Archange’s throw-in to Sarajian down the left. The attacker’s long cross through the box was controlled nicely by Haruna, laying the ball back for Caraballo. Gomez turned his back in the box as Caraballo fired from distance. In a bit of luck, the ball bounced off Gomez, redirecting past Marin and in to give OCB the 3-1 lead.

In the dying seconds of the first half, Leao played Haruna behind the back line. It looked like the midfielder might have a free shot on goal, but Vorenkamp slid in to deflect the attempt over the crossbar at the last second. The referee called a foul on the ensuing corner kick, ending the attack and the half.

Both teams took 10 shots in the first half, but OCB put more on target (7-3). While the Young Lions won more corner kicks (4-3) in the first 45 minutes, Miami had better passing accuracy (82.4%-75.3%).

OCB started the second half on the attack, just as it had ended the first. The Young Lions created a shot less than a minute after the restart as Sarajian found Caraballo near the penalty spot. But the attacker’s first-touch shot was over the target.

Miami’s first chance of the half came in the 48th minute when Dearmin played a lovely ball behind the back line for Rey. Himes did well to react quickly, coming off his line and blocking Rey’s attempt to chip him.

While both teams scored early in the first half, most of the early second-half shots were from outside the box and blocked. Miami put a chance on frame in the 57th minute when Saja lifted the ball from the left to the back post. Rey got his head to the ball but put his attempt into Himes’s chest.

Wilding made his first change in the 66th minute, replacing Leao with Belgodere. The substitute took his place on the left side and Sarajian moved into the striker role.

Gomez intercepted and cleared a Jerremy Ortela cross in the 74th minute, but Caraballo immediately lost possession to De Paula. Rather than looking for a teammate, De Paula took a long-distance shot from outside the box, sending his attempt into Himes’s arms.

De Paula received a pass on the left in the 76th minute, lifting a cross to the back post. Vorenkamp was there to get his head on the ball, sending his attempt wide of the near post. It was fortunate for OCB, as Vorenkamp had more time than he realized.

Wilding made two more changes in the 77th minute. Caraballo and Archange exited the contest, replaced by Nicholas Lasheras and Titus Sandy, Jr.

Sarajian played the ball to Belgodere on the left in the 81st minute and the midifeilder dribbled inside before finding Hylton near the penalty spot. Hylton spun to beat Morrison, who stuck his leg in, causing Hylton to go to the ground. Referee Jack Joyce pointed to the spot without hesitation, giving the Young Lions a golden opportunity to score a fourth.

With regular penalty takers Leao and Caraballo having departed, Gomez stepped up to take the kick. The young attacker did well with his first penalty of the season, sending Marin the wrong way to give OCB a commanding 4-1 lead.

Wilding made his final two changes in the 84th minute as Brady Kendall and Caleb Trombino came on for Haruna and Hylton.

Shortly after the changes, Miller fouled Judeson Aldeclat just outside the OCB box, giving the hosts a chance to get a goal back. Alejandro Flores took the set piece, sending his attempt just wide of the near post.

With the result no longer in question, the final minutes were more of a formality. A long-distance attempt by Flores that caused Himes little concern was the only shot by either team as the game slowly approached the final whistle.

At full time, Miami had more shots (22-16), but both teams put eight attempts on target. Despite Miami also winning more corner kicks (8-5), attempting more crosses (11-3), and having better passing accuracy (84.8%-73.8%), OCB came away with a relatively stress-free win.

The three points put OCB in a much stronger position to qualify for the playoffs. The Young Lions currently occupy the eighth position, which would host the No. 9 team in a one-game play-in game. They’re one point behind Atlanta United 2 and two ahead of NYCFC II. While both have a game in hand on the Young Lions, OCB and Atlanta will end the season against each other at Osceola County Stadium.

But that’s not all. OCB is only two points behind New England Revolution II and Connecticut United FC for the fifth and sixth spots. As a result, one of several results  — combined with a pair of OCB wins — will see the Young Lions qualify for the postseason.

OCB will likely have to win both of its last two games to make the postseason. That starts on Sept. 13 when the Young Lions host Toronto FC II in their penultimate game of the regular season.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 3-2 as OCB Snaps Five-Game Losing Streak

Two early second-half goals made the difference as OCB defeated Crown Legacy FC 3-2.

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2 weeks ago

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August 30, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (9-9-7, 38 points) snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating first-place Crown Legacy FC (13-5-7, 51 points) 3-2 tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Adrian Mendoza gave the visitors the early lead, and Issah Haruna equalized late in the first half. Goals inside the first three minutes of the second half by Matthew Belgodere and Gustavo Caraballo made it 3-1. Crown Legacy got one back through an Ignacio Gomez own goal in the 54th minute, but the Young Lions held on for the win.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made two changes to the team that lost 5-1 to Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 22. Clovis Archange and Caraballo entered the lineup, replacing Albright Chikamso and Nicolas Lasheras.

Goalkeeper Tristan Himes started behind a back line of Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were the defensive midfielders behind Belgodere, Caraballo, and Haruna, with Pedro Leao up top.

It looked like it would be a long night for OCB when Crown Legacy hit the post and scored inside six minutes. But they settled down and even got an equalizer before halftime. The key period of the game was the first three minutes of the second half, when OCB scored twice to take a 3-1 lead. The hosts were helped by the post two more times, allowing them to hold onto the lead and win their first game since July 12.

An Amoo-Mensah giveaway in the fifth minute gave Crown Legacy the first chance of the night. Andrew Johnson intercepted the pass and played it forward for Magic Smalls. The striker played it forward for Mendoza, who set up Andrej Subtoic for a shot that bounced off the near post. Unfortunately, the ball went right to Mendoza at the top of the box. The attacker dribbled inside to create space from Leao before sending a shot past Himes to give the visitors the early 1-0 lead.

The Young Lions created their first chances in the eighth minute when Haruna played Amoo-Mensah forward, and the right back’s cross was blocked out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was to the near post, where Johnson headed it over the end line for another. The second attempt bounced around the box before it landed at Okonski’s feet beyond the back post. The center back got a shot off, but Jahiem Wickham came off his line to make the save.

Crown Legacy was unable to clear, allowing Belgodere to find Archange making a run down the left. His cross glanced off Gomez’s head and fell to Caraballo on the right. Mikah Thomas blocked the midfielder’s first touch, ending the attack.

OCB turned a Crown Legacy corner kick into a counter in the 16th minute, led by Leao. The striker found Caraballo in the box, but he was unable to create enough space for a shot. However, after Crown Legacy headed out Belgodere’s cross, Archange found Leao. The defender wanted Leao to send the ball through for him, but Leao turned and fired wide instead.

Baye Coulibaly intercepted Himes’ poor pass out of the back in the 24th minute. The midfielder played the ball forward for Nathan Richmond before receiving it right back and sending his attempt over the goal.

OCB found the equalizer in the 31st minute. The Young Lions struggled at first to get the ball out of the back, but Belgodere was able to tap it to Leao, leading to a break down the field. The striker played the ball to the right for Haruna, who dribbled inside before firing behind a diving Wickham and into the far corner to even the game at 1-1.

Belgodere carried the ball into the Crown Legacy third of the field in the 45th minute and had space for a left-footed shot. But Willian Sangoquiza stuck his foot in and deflected it over the end line. The Young Lions played the ensuing set piece short to Caraballo and eventually played it wide to Amoo-Mensah. The right back’s cross found Leao’s head, but he put his attempt off the near post, narrowly missing giving OCB the late first-half lead.

At halftime, OCB had the advantage in shots (8-5), shots on target (2-1), corner kicks (5-4), and passing accuracy (82.7%-82.4%), but the teams traded goals and were even at the break.

The Young Lions got the second half off to the best possible start. Just 35 seconds in, Belgodere took the ball off Sangoquiza’s foot, dribbled inside to find some space, then beat Wickham to his near post to give OCB the 2-1 lead.

Three minutes later, Caraballo knocked the ball off of Johnson’s foot. It popped up to Haruna, who played a beautiful ball forward for Caraballo. The Homegrown product beat Johnson into the Crown Legacy box and used a deft chip to beat Wickham, making it 3-1 to the hosts.

In the 54th minute, Sangoquiza fired a ball off Gomez and over the end line for a corner kick. Jack Neeley volleyed the looping set piece, but Gomez cleared it. Coulibaly collected it outside the box and played it through Neeley and Mendoza for Richmond. Smalls and Gomez challenged for the cross, resulting in the ball glancing off Gomez’s head. It deflected over Himes, bounced off the inside of the post, and crept over the goal line to make it 3-2.

A short corner in the 61st minute gave OCB a great chance to extend its lead. Haruna found Amoo-Mensah in the box, and the right back quickly saw Leao nearby. The striker’s first touch was a shot with space, but he sent the ball well over the target.

An Amoo-Mensah giveaway in the 64th minute gave Crown Legacy an opportunity. Brian Romero took possession and laid the ball off for Sebastian Ventura with his back to the goal. Instead of a risky shot, the attacker found Daniel Longo approaching the OCB third of the field. Longo fired from distance, sending his attempt over the crossbar.

Wilding made his first changes of the game in the 75th minute. Hector Aguirre came on to loud cheers from friends and family, joined by Lasheras. The pair replaced Caraballo and Miller.

Aguirre collected a poor pass by Hugo Mbongue in the 78th minute and played it forward to Belgodere. Haruna made a run into the box and called for the ball, but Belgodere fired from distance instead, sending his attempt over the target.

Crown Legacy nearly equalized in the 82nd minute when Coulibaly found Sangoquiza darting down the right. The right back sent a low cross through the box that reached Romero on the left. The substitute cut inside to lose Amoo-Mensah and sent a shot just over the leg of Okonski. He beat Himes, putting his attempt off the far post. Longo followed the shot, putting his attempt off Okonski.

Ventura had a chance to even the game in the 86th minute when an Okonski clearance went to Thomas outside the box. Thomas played the ball square for Coulibaly, who sent Ventura between Okonski and Amoo-Mensah. The attacker used a nice spin move to get in on goal with Himes coming off his line. He tried to lift the ball over the OCB goalkeeper, but Himes got his right arm to it, sending the ball off the crossbar and out of play.

A 90th-minute ball into the OCB box found Ventura’s head between Haruna and Amoo-Mensah. Nobody in purple even jumped for the ball, but Ventura couldn’t get much on it, providing Himes with an easy save.

Wilding made two final changes as the game entered the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Brady Kendall and Titus Sandy, Jr. entered the contest for Haruna and Belgodere.

Crown Legacy created one final chance in the dying seconds of the game. Again, Ventura was unable to get much power behind his header, allowing Himes to fall on the ball and secure the win.

At full time, Crown Legacy had the edge in shots (15-14), but OCB put more on target (4-3). The visitors also finished with more corner kicks (7-6) and better passing accuracy (84.5%-80.8%).

The win snaps OCB’s five-game losing streak and a six-game winless streak. The team’s last previous point was on July 18 in Chattanooga, TN, and the most recent win was on July 12 away to FC Cincinnati 2.

Despite the three points, the Young Lions remain in 11th place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference. However, they’re tied with Huntsville City FC for 10th and just one point behind Chicago Fire FC II and NYCFC II for the final playoff spot with three games remaining.

They’ll look to build on this performance when they face rivals Inter Miami II Friday night in Fort Lauderdale.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 5-1 as Young Lions Fall for Fifth Straight Time

OCB ended its horrid four-game road trip by getting crushed in the second half after going into the break even at 1-1.

Published

3 weeks ago

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August 22, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (8-9-7, 35 points) continued its slide this afternoon, falling 5-1 to Atlanta United 2 (12-8-4, 40 points) at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground in Marietta, GA. Cameron Dunbar and Issah Haruna traded late first-half goals, but the hosts took over in the second 45 minutes. Dunbar scored a second in the 52nd minute and Arif Kovac added a third in the 74th minute. It got out of hand in stoppage time as Patrick Weah and Kovac added two more goals.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Chicago Fire II on Aug. 15. Landon Okonski, Nolan Miller, and Haruna replaced Titus Sandy, Jr., Clovis Archange, and Gustavo Caraballo. The most significant change was the inclusion of Miller. The center back was in the first team early in the season, but has been out since April 25 after suffering a knee injury. This game was his return to competitive action.

Goalkeeper Tristan Himes started behind a back line of Albright Chikamso, Miller, Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Nicolas Lasheras and Ignacio Gomez were the defensive midfielders behind Matthew Belgodere, Haruna, and Justin Hylton with Pedro Leao up top.

Atlanta was the better team throughout this game, creating more chances and causing constant concern for the OCB back line. The Young Lions were fortunate to go into halftime at 1-1 and let the game get away from them in the second half. Dunbar scored an early second-half goal to give the hosts a deserved lead, while OCB didn’t create a shot after the break until the hour mark. It was only 3-1 heading into stoppage time, but Atlanta scored two late goals to create the lopsided result.

The Young Lions created the first shot of the game in the fifth minute when Lasheras played the ball wide on the left for Belgodere. It initially looked like the attacker would shoot as he dribbled inside, but he laid it off for Lasheras instead. The 17-year-old attempted to curl the ball around Atlanta goalkeeper Jonathan Ransom, sending his attempt wide of the target.

The hosts had their first chance in the ninth minute when Dunbar found Amir Henry on the right. The defender looked to send a cross to the top of the six-yard box, but Chikamso got in front to deflect it out of play for a corner kick. Himes and Kovac attacked the ensuing set piece, resulting in it going to Mohamed Cisset. The center back headed the ball over Hylton and wide of the near post.

Amoo-Mensah lost possession in the 11th minute as Matthew Senanou intercepted his pass forward for Leao. The center back’s first touch got away from him, but his long legs allowed him to beat Lasheras to the ball. He ended up colliding with Chikamso as he shot, sending the ball wide. The collision caused Chikamso to go down and he went down again three minutes later. This time, the left back wasn’t able to continue, forcing Wiliding into an unwanted early substituion. Nicolas Bobea Torres came into the game in a like-for-like change.

Atlanta had a good chance for an opening goal in the 20th minute when Henry made a strong run down the right, using his change of pace to beat Belgodere and Torres. Kovac stopped his run outside the six-yard box to create space between Miller and Okonski, getting his head to the cross. However, his effort sailed just over the crossbar.

Atlanta wanted a penalty in the 36th minute when Dunbar used his speed to get past Okonski and into the OCB box. The attacker went down after some contact, causing the Atlanta players, bench, and fans to appeal for a spot kick. Instead, referee Izlen Peksenar told Dunbar to get up and continue playing.

Dominik Chong Qui dribbled into the OCB third in the 40th minute and attempted a cross that Lasheras blocked out of play for a corner kick. Lasheras beat Senanou to the near-post ball, heading it out of the box. Santiago Pita collected it and shot from distance, sending his attempt well high and wide.

Atlanta put its first shot on target in the 42nd minute when Dunbar collected a weak header by Amoo-Mensah and chipped the ball to the penalty spot. Kovac was making a run and got his head to the cross. But it was a little too low, ensuring the striker couldn’t get much on it and allowing Himes to make the stop.

The fourth official showed eight minutes of first-half stoppage time, largely due to the two OCB injuries and hydration break. The hosts took the lead in the second of those eight minutes.

Torres knocked the ball off of Henry’s foot, sending it to Andrew Jardines. A quick give-and-go with Pita allowed Jardines to find Dunbar near the penalty spot. The attacker placed it past Himes to give the hosts the 1-0 lead.

Following the goal, the Young Lions went on the attack, looking for an equalizer. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Hylton played a square ball for Leao. The striker dribbled inside to create space from DD Sibrian and unleashed a shot that Ransom blocked wide for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece was partially cleared to the top of the box where Leao — with a defender on his back — played it back to Amoo-Mensah. The right back sent a long ball to Hylton on the right, who dribbled into the box before Sibrian knocked the ball off his foot, but it went right to Haruna, whose hard shot deflected off Chong Qui and inside the far post to even the game at 1-1 just before the break.

Atlanta had the better of the first half, finishing the opening period with the edge in shots (8-3), shots on target (3-2), and passing accuracy (86.9%-81.8%). OCB had more crosses (4-2) and both teams won two corner kicks. Despite Atlanta being the better side in the first 45 minutes, the teams traded stoppage-time goals to enter the break tied.

Wilding made one change at halftime. Caleb Trombino came into the game for Miller, who was on a minutes restriction as he returns from injury.

Atlanta retook the lead with its first second-half chance in the 52nd minute when Jardines played Dunbar into the OCB third of the field. Nobody stepped up to challenge the attacker, so he fired from distance. Himes clearly wasn’t expecting the shot, allowing Dunbar to beat the goalkeeper to his near post and giving the hosts the 2-1 lead.

Two minutes later, Atlanta won a throw-in and nearly turned it into a third goal. Senanou flicked on the long throw by Chong Qui for Kovac making a run into the six-yard box. He had a step on Amoo-Mensah and got a touch to the ball, tapping it just wide of the far post.

Atlanta nearly scored again in the 60th minute when Daniel Chica played the ball to Henry on the right. Chica backheeled Henry’s low pass into the box to Dunbar. Looking for a hat trick, Dunbar sent a shot toward the far post that deflected off Amoo-Mensah past a diving Himes and just beyond a sliding Lasheras for a corner kick. The Young Lions headed away the ensuing set piece to keep the deficit at one.

OCB created its first chance of the second half in the 62nd minute when Amoo-Mensah played the ball forward for Trombino and continued his run into the box. Trombino played a beautiful ball through multiple defenders back to Amoo-Mensah, whose first-touch shot forced Ransom into a save with his right foot.

Belgodere looked to get OCB back even in the 67th minute when he received the ball on the left. The midfielder didn’t have anyone with him as he challenged Henry one on one. He dribbled inside to find some space, but Henry did well to keep up with him, blocking the shot.

Dunbar was sent long down the left in the 70th minute with Kovac making a run into the OCB box. As the cross came in, Kovac went down with Okonski right behind him. For the second time in the game, the Atlanta players, coaches, and fans appealed for a penalty and Peksenar again allowed play to continue.

The hosts found their third goal in the 74th minute when Gomez won the ball from Chica but quickly gave it away to Ignacio Suarez-Couri. The halftime substitute sent the ball wide for fellow substitute Gonzalo Riveras as they broke on the counterattack. Riveras found Kovac, who held his run to create space from Okonski. The striker handled it well, bringing the ball in and beating Himes to give his team a commanding 3-1 lead.

Wilding made his final change before the restart, bringing Deshnick Nkeh on for Haruna.

Atlanta found a third goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time when Suarez-Couri dribbled into the OCB third of the field. Torres blocked his through ball for Weah, but Suarez-Couri retook possession and completed his second attempt. Lasheras got into a defensive position on Weah, but the attacker cut inside and sent a hard, low shot past Okonski and Himes to make it 4-1.

The final goal came two minutes later, starting with a long ball by Ransom from the top of his box. Okonski headed the ball down for Amoo-Mensah, who immediately lost possession. Dunbar looked like he was going to shoot from distance, but played it to his left for Kovac instead. The striker sent an excellent shot past a sliding Okonski and a diving Himes to seal the 5-1 victory.

At full time, Atlanta had more shots (17-6), shots on target (7-3), and corner kicks (3-2), and better passing accuracy (87.9%-85%).

The Young Lions have now lost five consecutive games, dating back to their 1-0 loss to Huntsville City FC on July 26. Their last point was a 1-1 draw with Chattanooga FC on July 18 and they haven’t won since July 12 when they earned a 2-1 victory over FC Cincinnati 2.

At the beginning of this losing streak, OCB sat in fourth place and weren’t far behind the league leaders. They’ve now fallen all the way to 10th place and could fall further as Philadelphia Union II and Huntsville City both have games in hand.

This game ends the team’s four-game road trip in which it was outscored 14-3. The Young Lions will return home on Aug. 30 as they welcome league-leading Crown Legacy FC to Osceola County Stadium.

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