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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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8 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. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 2-2 as Young Lions Draw Away, Claim Extra Shootout Point

Despite little possession and few chances, OCB pulled out a surprising 2-2 draw and defeated Crown Legacy FC in penalties to claim two points away from home.

Published

7 days ago

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July 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (6-7-3, 23 points) was dominated for nearly the entire 90 minutes against Crown Legacy FC (3-5-7, 19 points) but managed to pull out a 2-2 draw away from home. Justin Ellis gave the Young Lions the lead before second-half goals by Emmanuel Uchegbu and Andrej Subotic made it 2-1 for the hosts with 25 minutes to go. But a late penalty conversion by Ellis saw OCB get a point.

The Young Lions then defeated the hosts 3-1 on penalties due to heroics in goal by Carlos Mercado, claiming the extra point. Mercado stopped the first three Crown Legacy shooters to help OCB steal a second point on the road.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made three changes from the team that drew 1-1 and lost on penalties to Philadelphia Union II Monday afternoon. Zakaria Taifi, Colin Guske, and Bernardo Rhein entered the lineup for Noham Abdellaoui, Dylan Judelson, and Dyson Clapier. Of those three, only Clapier was on the bench.

The back line in front of Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Jackson Platts, and Taifi. Guske and Riyon Tori were in the defensive midfield behind Rhein, Ellis, and Gustavo Caraballo with Shak Mohammed up top.

This should’ve been an easy win for Crown Legacy, which dominated the majority of the 90 minutes. However, some desperate defending and a poor pass allowed the Young Lions to take a 1-0 lead into the break. It looked like the game was done and dusted when the hosts made it 2-1 in the 64th minute, only for a late penalty to give OCB a lifeline. They did well to hold onto a point and let Mercado carry them to a solid result away from home.

Crown Legacy had the first chance of the game in the fifth miinute when Taifi turned the ball over on the right side of the field. Dylan Sing carried the ball to the end line before playing it across the face of goal. It went right through Mercado’s hands to Subotic. The forward had a wide-open shot, but Reid-Brown blocked it off the line.

Two minutes later, Subotic had another chance in front of goal. The attacker received a low pass from the left through multiple defenders. His first touch was a left-footed shot with plenty of space. However, it was Reid-Brown to the rescue again, sliding in to block the attempt.

A quick give-and-go with Erik Pena in the 14th minute created a chance for Nimfasha Berchimas. The midfielder fired from well outside the OCB box, sending the ball through several defenders and into the arms of Mercado.

Yves Tcheuyap received a pass at the top of the OCB box in the 20th minute, sending his second touch towards goal. The ball rolled through multiple defenders and past Mercado, bouncing off the outside of the post.

Williams passed the ensuing goal kick to Baye Coulibaly for a horrible turnover. The block went directly to Subotic, who dribbled inside before firing from the top of the box. However, the shot was straight to Mercado, who made another save.

Berchimas dribbled along the end line in the 24th minute before trying to beat Mercado to his near post. The OCB goalkeeper blocked the shot but was unable to collect it. However, he jumped on the ball before Sing could reach it. The forward dragged his foot during the attempt, getting a piece of Mercado and picking up the game’s first booking.

Despite the hosts dominating the game, it was the visitors that opened the scoring. In the 30th minute, Tcheuyap threw the ball to Subotic, who played it back to the back line. It was a weak pass that Mohammed intercepted, heading the other way. The forward played it to Caraballo on the right, and the teenager used some nice footwork to create enough space for a cross. His pass was chested in by Justin Ellis, giving the Young Lions a surprising lead.

Immediately after the goal, the referee sent the players to the sideline for a hydration break. Crown Legacy tried to equalize on the restart through Uchegbu in the 33rd minute. The midfielder carried the ball into the box and aimed for the far post. It was past Mercado but traveled just wide.

OCB nearly doubled the lead in the 35th minute when Ellis sent Rhein behind the Crown Legacy back line. The midfielder was in on goal but his shot was tipped wide by Nick Holliday.

The ensuing corner kick into the box found the head of Williams, who redirected it on goal. But Holliday was up to the task again, tipping the ball over the crossbar. The second corner was cleared, ending the threat.

In the 39th minute, Subotic was sent into the box and behind the OCB back line. However, Mercado did well to come out and block the shot with his left leg.

The Young Lions quickly broke the other way, playing Taifi down the right. The right back sent the ball towards goal, but it traveled well wide of the target.

Berchimas took another shot in the 44th minute, again trying to beat Mercado from outside the box. The OCB goalkeeper dove to his right, pushing the ball wide.

Crown Legacy regained possession and created another chance seconds later. This time it was Subotic shooting from long distance. Mercado made an almost identical save, diving again to his right and pushing the ball away.

It was a dominant first half by Crown Legacy, which finished with the advantage in shots (14-5), shots on target (5-3), crosses (4-0), corner kicks (3-2), and passing accuracy (90.9%-79.9%). But the Young Lions took advantage of a bad pass and carried a 1-0 lead into the locker room.

The second half got off to an inauspicious start for the Young Lions as Tori’s cleat broke, forcing him to change and leaving OCB with 10 men. Crown Legacy took advantage of the extra man, converting in the 49th minute.

Subotic tried to play through the OCB back line before Williams knocked the ball off of his foot. Unfortunately, it went straight to Uchegbu, who beat Mercado to his far post, evening the game at 1-1.

The Young Lions got their first second-half chance in the 59th minute when they played the ball around the outside of the Crown Legacy box, giving Mohammed a shot from the top of the 18. The striker slid to get his shot off, but it wasn’t very strong and was easily cleared away.

It was near disaster for Crown Legacy in the 62nd minute when Adrian Mendoza tried to clear the ball seconds after coming on. It went towards his own goal and, with Holliday diving towards the post, was just wide.

The hosts finally took their first lead of the night in the 64th minute. Coulibaly found Subotic outside the OCB and box and the Serbian shot from distance. After having multiple attempts blocked and missing the target in the first half, this rocket went past a diving Mercado and in to give Crown Legacy a 2-1 lead.

Goldberg made his first change of the game in the 71st minute as Favian Loyola came on for Caraballo.

The hosts tried to make it three in the 75th minute when Berchimas and Subotic played a nice give-and-go, resulting in Berchimas getting a shot off. But Williams did well to slide in and block it. The rebound went to Uchegbu, who took a shot of his own, and this time it was Reid-Brown getting in the way of the second attempt.

A ball into the box was deflected in the 77th minute, going right to Ellis. The attacker tried to shoot, but he couldn’t get much on it.

The Young Lions kept possession, resulting in Guske getting the ball in the Crown Legacy box. Coulibaly took it off Guske, but the defensive midfielder immediately challenged him. Taifi took possession, and Coulibaly made a clumsy challenge with Taifi’s back to the goal. The OCB right back went down, and the referee pointed to the spot, awarding the Young Lions a penalty.

After scoring in the first half, Ellis stepped to the spot looking for a brace. The young forward sent Holliday the wrong way, passing the ball in to level the game at 2-2.

Goldberg made his second substitution in the 82nd minute, replacing Rhein with Clapier.

The hosts nearly retook the lead in the 83rd minute when Berchimas created space near the top left corner of the box and tried to curl it around Mercado. The ball looked to be on target, but the OCB goalkeeper got his fingers to the ball, tipping it around the post.

Before Crown Legacy could take the corner kick, Ellis went down with a cramp. It forced Goldberg to make his final change, replacing Ellis with Justin Hylton.

OCB cleared the set piece and avoided any further danger from the attack.

The fourth official showed five minutes of stoppage time. The only chance in that period came in the fourth minute from an OCB free kick. Loyola’s set piece into the box found the head of Williams, but the attempt went wide.

At full time, Crown Legacy had the advantage in shots (24-9), shots on target (9-4), crosses (8-4), corner kicks (9-5), and passing accuracy (91.5%-76.8%). It should’ve been an easy win for the hosts, but the late penalty allowed the Young Lions to come away with a draw.

As per MLS NEXT Pro rules, the game went into a penalty shootout to see who would get the extra point.

Penalties belonged to Mercado, who was excellent in goal. While Loyola and Mohammed put their attempts away, Mercado saved the first three attempts by Sing, Brian Romero, and Berchimas. Reid-Brown could’ve ended it, but the left back sent his attempt well over the crossbar. Then Mendoza scored to keep his team alive.

Up 3-1, Clapier stepped up with a chance to end the game. Holliday guessed correctly, but the second-half substitute put his penalty into the corner, securing the extra point for OCB.

It’s a big two points for the Young Lions, who are trying to stay in a playoff position. They currently sit in seventh, just one point ahead of NYCFC II for eighth and two points ahead of Toronto FC II for ninth. This result keeps them in a playoff spot after 16 games.

OCB will now have a full week off before returning home following this two-game road trip. The Young Lions will welcome Carolina Core FC to Osceola County Stadium next Sunday night at 7 p.m.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II: Final Score 2-1 as Defensive Mistakes Doom Young Lions

Two defensive mistakes deep in their own half saw OCB fall 2-1 at home to Toronto FC II.

Published

3 weeks ago

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June 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City B (6-6-2, 21 points) fell 2-1 tonight to Toronto FC II (5-5-4, 19 points) at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Hassan Ayari gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute before Noham Abdellaoui equalized just before halftime. But a second-half mistake by center back Hayden Sargis allowed Antone Bossenberry to score the winning goal.

Since the first team was playing tonight as well, OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was forced into some changes. Abellaoui, Dylan Judelson, and Jhon Solis entered the starting lineup for Zakaria Taifi, Thomas Williams, and Diego Pareja.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Abdellaoui, Sargis, and Riyon Tori. Judelson and Solis were the defensive midfielders behind Dyson Clapier, Favian Loyola, and Bernardo Rhein with Shak Mohammed up top.

It was a hot night in Kissimmee and the game showed it. Neither team threatened much, despite three goals being scored. Toronto came out of halftime the more aggressive team, creating multiple chances. However, it was a slip by Sargis at the top of his own six-yard box in the 79th minute that resulted in the game-winning goal for the visitors.

The Young Lions got the first opportunity in the opposing box when Mohammed was tripped on the left by Constantinos Iliadis. Rhein took the set piece, sending a curling ball into the box. Abdellaoui got his head to the ball, but the center back couldn’t get over the attempt, sending it high and wide.

Toronto got its first chance in the third minute and made the most of it. Ayari miscontrolled a pass to the top of the OCB box, allowing Clapier to take possession. The Young Lions tried to work the ball out of the back instead of clearing it, resulting in Solis giving up possession at the top of his own box.

The ball was played to Nathaniel Edwards, who quickly sent Ayari behind the OCB back line. Mercado came out to challenge the attacker, but Ayari tapped it behind the goalkeeper to give the visitors the early 1-0 lead.

OCB got its second chance in the ninth minute when Tori’s ball into the box was cleared away. Clapier took possession and played a quick give-and-go with Loyola before shooting from the top right corner of the box. However, his attempt sailed over the crossbar.

A weak OCB clearance in the 10th minute gave Toronto a chance to double the lead. Nobody stepped up to challenge Lucas Olguin, so the midfielder dribbled into the box. He had enough space for a shot, but Abdellaoui was able to block the attempt.

The Young Lions nearly had a chance in the 20th minute when Mohammed played Loyola behind the back line. However, before the attacker could reach it, Toronto goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario jumped off his line to collect the ball.

It looked like the Reds might double their advantage in the 30th minute when Edwards was played long and behind the OCB back line. As he chased the ball, Mercado came out of his box, beating the attacker to the ball and clearing it away.

OCB found the equalizer from a set piece in the 40th minute. Loyola made a strong run into the Toronto third of the field before being fouled by Olguin. Solis took the free kick, sending a curling ball into the box. Abdellaoui was making a back-post run and got on the end of the ball to even the game at 1-1.

You’d expect the 6-foot-4 center back to score his first OCB goal from a header, but it was a nice volley with his left foot that opened his account.

“I’m always happy to score one goal. The goal was important for me because it was my first goal for OCB, Orlando City,” Abdellaoui said about his goal. “I’m proud, but I think for the team, I’m not happy that I can be happy because we lose and my goal doesn’t count. So I’m not really happy, but it’s always good to score goals.”

“It’s great. It’s great that all the players that need to be ready are ready to perform,” Goldberg added about Abdellaoui’s goal. “And even more when they contribute, so it’s great.”

The Young Lions looked to take the lead in the 43rd minute when Solis made a long run down the right. He cut the ball back for Mohammed near the top of the box, who tried to turn a shot on goal. However, he was unable to do so, sending the ball high and wide as he fell to the ground.

Iliadis received the ball in a seemingly innocuous spot in the 45th minute, far from the goal. After taking a touch forward and noticing nobody was closing him down, the midfielder fired from long distance. However, it didn’t cause any trouble for Mercado, going well wide of the target.

Mohammed made a run along the right edge of the box in the third minute of first-half stoppage time before playing it central for a wide open Clapier. The midfielder’s second touch was a shot, but Mark Fisher slid in to block it. Mohammed regained possession and won one last corner kick.

Solis’ ensuing set piece went straight to Sargis, who tried to volley the ball on target. But the center back couldn’t make solid contact, and the first half ended tied 1-1.

After 45 minutes, OCB had more shots (6-3), but both teams only put one on target. The Young Lions also had more crosses (2-0) and corner kicks (2-1), and better passing accuracy (90.5%-87.1%).

Marko Stojadinovic tried to regain the lead for Toronto in the 47th minute. The right back received the ball outside the box and found space between Solis and Rhein. Striking the ball with his left foot, he was able to keep it down, barely sending it over the crossbar.

The visitors had another good chance in the 50th minute when Ayari spun to lose Tori and played it back for Jahmarie Nolan before reaching the end line. The forward’s first touch was a strike on goal, but Sargis got in the way to block the attempt.

Pressure by Loyola on Stojadinovic in the 52nd minute created the first second-half chance for OCB. The attacker tried to play Mohammed through, but it was blocked out to Rhein. The teenager lifted the ball toward the back post, where Clapier was making a run. Clapier tried to volley the ball on goal, but couldn’t get much on it.

Nolan split a pair of defenders in the 55th minute to reach the top of the OCB box. However, Sargis stepped up to block his shot. The ball went straight to Ayari, who took a shot of his own. But this one was right at Mercado, who ended the attack.

OCB nearly created a chance in the 61st minute when Sargis played a beautiful long ball for Clapier in the box. The attacker brought it down well, laying it off for Loyola. Meanwhile, Tori was making a run down the right and Loyola sent the ball forward for him. Tori sent a cross into the box, but it was too close to De Rosario, who collected the ball and ended the threat.

In the 65th minute, Ayari used some nifty footwork to get into the OCB box and shoot. However, Judelson turned his back to the shot and the ball bounced off his legs. Toronto kept possession but couldn’t create any more shots during the attack.

Once the ball was sent out of play, Goldberg made his first change of the game, replacing Clapier with Justin Hylton.

Solis carried the ball to the top of the Toronto box in the 72nd minute before being tripped by Reid Fisher. The midielder was the only player in purple standing over the set piece and it was clear Solis was going for goal. The midfielder tried to beat De Rosario to his near post, but the shot was just over the top.

On the other end, Stojadinvoic took another attempt from outside the box. There was a clear path to the goal, but his shot was right at Mercado.

The Young Lions had a goal kick coming out of the second-half hydration break and immediately conceded their second goal of the night. Sargis played the ball short to Mercado, who sent it right back. But, as Sargis looked to play it wide for Reid-Brown, the center back slipped and fell over.

Josh Nugent took possession and sent a ball into the box. Abdellaoui’s clearance was short, allowing Bossenberry to bring it down with his chest and tuck it inside the far post to give Toronto the 2-1 lead.

Goldberg made his second change in the 84th minute. Jackson Platts came into the game for Rhein. Usually a center back, Platts moved into a defensive midfield role, and Solis pushed into the attacking midfield.

With a one-goal lead, Toronto sat back in the dying minutes. However, the Reds nearly broke out in the 87th minute. Stojadinovic played Iliadis into the OCB third. It was a foot race between Iliadis and Mercado, with the OCB goalkeeper getting there first to clear it.

The Young Lions looked to find their second equalizer in the 88th minute. Loyola lost the ball near the top of the Toronto box, but Hylton won it back off the foot of Olguin. He tapped it forward for Tori, who laid it back for Loyola. The Homegrown forward shot, but the attmept was blocked out for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece found the head of Abdellaoui, but the center back sent it wide of the far post.

Goldberg made his final change of the game in the 89th minute, replacing Judelson with Zinedine Rodriguez.

In the 90th minute, Stojadinovic tried to catch Mercado off his line from his own half. The ball rolled harmlessly wide of the goal, but Mercado had gotten back anyway and would’ve made the stop.

The fourth official showed four minutes of stoppage time and OCB tried desperately to find a second goal. In the third minute, Loyola made a run into the Toronto box. The forward went down after some contact with Timothy Fortier, but the contact was minimal and the referee allowed play to continue.

That was as close as the Young Lions got in the final minutes as they fell 2-1.

At full time, Toronto had more shots (12-11) and shots on target (4-2). OCB had more corner kicks (3-1) and better passing accuracy (89.9%-87.8%). Both teams had four crosses on the night.

“As we know about this league, on defense on isolated plays, unfortauntely, can cost you the match,” Goldberg said about the game. “We had good intentions, we had good moments in the game, and we couldn’t get the result.”

It was the second consecutive loss for OCB after falling 1-0 to Carolina Core FC on June 11. More importantly, the Young Lions looked lifeless offensively in both games, a bad sign as the season continues, although several of the top offensive players were with the first team in St. Louis, including Gustavo Caraballo and Justin Ellis.

The Young Lions remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, tied with NYCFC II and two points behind Huntsville City FC. They’re only one point ahead of Chicago Fire II and New England Revolution II for the final playoff spot.

OCB won’t have much time to dwell on this performance as the Young Lions have a huge game Monday afternoon against Philadelphia Union II in Chester, PA.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC: Final Score 1-0 as Toothless Young Lions See Win Streak Snapped

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1 month ago

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June 11, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Offense was difficult to come by for Orlando City B and Carolina Core FC at Truist Point Stadium in High Point, NC, tonight, as the hosts found the net late in the first half to supply all the scoring in a 1-0 OCB loss. Jathan Juarez scored an outstanding goal shortly before halftime, and the Young Lions (6-6-1, 20 points) offered almost nothing going forward as they saw their two-game winning streak snapped by Carolina (3-3-5, 16 points).

Once again, OCB found a way to lose to a team much lower in the table, although Carolina Core has played two fewer matches. But the Young Lions were never in this one offensively, attempting just three total shots in the game and not putting one on frame until the final 10 minutes of normal time.

Manuel Goldberg’s lineup included Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Hayden Sargis, and Zakaria Taifi. Riyon Tori and Diego Pareja started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Dyson Clapier, Bernardo Rhein, and Favian Loyola, with Shak Mohammed up top. The surprise was Jhon Solis starting on the bench.

For the third consecutive game, OCB was outplayed badly, and this time there were no late heroics. Nor was there time for any, as match referee Marie Durr decided one single minute of added time was enough for a match that saw five second-half substitutions and some lengthy setups for a few late Carolina Core set pieces.

Carolina Core FC, coached by former Orlando City goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, created the first shot of the match as Tori conceded an unnecessary foul near the right sideline three minutes in. The service was good but Facundo Canete sent a free header wide of the left post.

OCB’s first decent attack fizzled out three minutes later when Rhein was flagged for offside in the buildup just as Taifi was teeing up his shot.

Canete got his head to a cross in the 11th minute near the penalty spot but it was right at Mercado. The goalkeeper had to be sharp moments later when Tori failed to deal with a ball over the top and instead teed it up for the opposition. Mercado got caught coming part way out but he was able to make a vital save on another Canete chance.

OCB lived dangerously over the next few minutes, struggling to clear the defensive penalty area. When the Young Lions did manage to get forward again, Loyola won a free kick in the 19th minute near the right corner of the box. Rhein sent in a good cross but Mohammed couldn’t make good contact with it and collided with goalkeeper Alex Sutton, who was able to collect but needed treatment after the collision.

The Young Lions had their best — and last — opportunity of the opening period in the 25th minute. Mohammed won the ball at midfield to ignite the break and Reid-Brown’s cross near the end line was blocked out for a corner. The ensuing set piece found Sargis in front, but the center back’s header went just over the bar and landed on the roof of the net.

From that point on, OCB was too sloppy with the ball on the awful-looking baseball pitch to create any danger. The Young Lions did a decent job of keeping their defensive shape, but there were some warning signs down both flanks, where defenders gave a lot of space and were still beaten off the dribble multiple times.

Mercado was quick of his line in the 36th minute to beat Glory Nzingo to an attempted through ball. The opposing forward made contact with the OCB goalkeeper, who briefly got treatment but continued.

Carolina Core finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 44th minute. Ibrahim Covi sent Juarez down the left flank and the fullback roasted Taifi to get inside of him and then curled an excellent, unstoppable shot from a tight angle just inside Mercado’s far post to make it 1-0.

The Young Lions couldn’t do anything in the four minutes of stoppage time. There was one promising attack that could have led to something but it fizzled with a poor touch by Tori near the right corner of the box.

At the break, Carolina Core had the advantage in possession (52%-48%), shots (4-2), shots on target (3-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.7%-82.7%). The difference in quality was noticeable and the Young Lions were fortunate to trail only by one goal after the first half.

Goldberg made no changes to his lineup and things didn’t change on the field to start the second period. Mercado made two enormous saves in the 47th minute on Juarez and Nzingo to keep the deficit at a single goal. That attack started because Tori smashed the ball out of play off Loyola and it was kept alive by a poor Sargis clearance attempt on a cross from the right.

The first 15 minutes of the half saw OCB create nothing and turn the ball over on both forced and unforced errors. Nzingo fired over the bar at the end of a long spell of possession that began with a poor touch by Tori that gave the ball away, and that allowed Goldberg to make his first substitutions. He sent Solis and Dylan Judelson on for Pareja and Rhein in the 61st minute.

However, it was Carolina nearly doubling the lead two minutes later. Another terrible giveaway in the defensive third by OCB gave the hosts a quick transition chance with numbers forward. Nzingo took the shot himself and beat Mercado, but his shot rang off the left post, skipped across the front of goal, and the Young Lions were able to escape. Moments later, Juarez again blasted past Taifi on the left, but he sent his shot over the bar.

Nzingo missed wide to the left again in the 70th minute on another long spell of possession that began with a giveaway by Williams near midfield.

The Young Lions finally got forward in the 71st minutes, but they again got nothing out of the attack as Taifi got to the end line and sent his cross from the right behind the net and well out of play.

Goldberg sent on Justin Hylton before the ensuing goal kick, replacing Clapier.

Msunguchi Alenga’s shot was blocked by Sargis moments later as Carolina kept coming.

The Young Lions finally kept the ball for a few spells after that block, winning a couple of free kicks in dangerous spots. Reid-Brown was taken down just outside the left corner of the box in the 80th minute. Solis went for goal on the set piece and nearly leveled the game. His fantastic free kick was headed toward the upper left corner but Sutton made a diving save to keep OCB off the board. It was the first shot on goal of the match for the Young Lions.

OCB could do nothing with the ensuing corner, ending the threat.

Taifi blocked a David Polanco shot that could have put things away in the 88th minute.

Moments later, the fourth official put up a board showing just one minute of stoppage time. Goldberg was incensed and earned a yellow card for his understandable reaction. The match had five second-half subs and some lengthy set piece setups, but somehow only one extra minute was given.

OCB managed to win a corner in the added time, with Mercado coming up to join the attack. The cross in was cleared to the top of the box, and no one seemed particularly concerned about getting to it. Carolina gladly gained possession and tried to seal things with the net empty but Mercado hurried back and got to a loose ball, but the whistle blew the match complete.

In the end, Carolina dominated the attacking stats, finishing with the advantage in shots (13-3) and shots on target (5-1). OCB edged the hosts in passing accuracy (88.7%-87.4%) thanks mostly to a good spell between the 80th and 90th minutes and Carolina simply trying to clear its lines to see out the match. Both teams earned three corners.

It was a rough-but-deserved result for OCB, which struggled with the basics of passing and dribbling, needlessly having to expend energy to win balls back that would normally not be given up in the first place. Still, it’s impossible to say what might have happened with a couple more minutes tacked on as they normally would be in virtually any modern soccer match.

OCB is now 1-2-1 in the all-time series with the Foxes and will host Carolina Core in the next meeting on July 13.

OCB is off until June 25, when the Young Lions will play another midweek match as they’ll host Toronto FC II at Osceola County Stadium.

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