Orlando City B vs. Greenville Triumph SC: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions Snap 10-Game Skid

Orlando City B (4-19-4, 16 points) broke its 10-game losing streak tonight with a 1-0 win over Greenville Triumph SC in South Carolina. A 53rd-minute flick by William Bagrou was the difference as the Young Lions got their first win away from home this season and snapped a streak of 15 games without a win.

OCB only made three changes to the team that lost 2-1 to Chattanooga Red Wolves SC last week. It was Juliano Chade’s turn to man the net as he took over from Christian Herrera, who started last week. With Leonardo Simas out due to being sent off last week, Tanner Hummel replaced him in the starting lineup. Luc Granitur also came into the lineup as Steven Hernandez started the game on the bench.

Greenville had the majority of the dangerous chances in this game with the first coming in the 34th minute. Tyler Polak sent Cameron Saul through to the left of goal. With a defender on his hip, Saul sent the ball goalward but it just missed wide of the far post.

As the first half came near its end, Greenville created multiple chances, attempting to take the lead into the break. J.J. Donnelly had a couple of chances but it was Evan Lee who found the ball at his feet off of a set piece. The defender put the ball on target but Chade got down to push the ball away.

The second half of this game looked eerily similar to the start of the second half in Chattanooga. In that game, the hosts pounded the OCB goal until they broke the deadlock in the 54th minute. Greenville had several opportunities inside the first five minutes of the second half to score but the hosts were unable to beat Chade and the OCB defense.

In the 52nd minute, Randy Mendoza was taking the ball toward the end line when he was pushed down by Dominic Boland. Serginho sent a hard, low free kick into the box where Bagrou was able to redirect it with his heel. The ball passed through several players from both teams before it settled inside the far side of the net, giving OCB an unlikely lead.

Following the OCB goal, Greenville went on the attack looking for an equalizer. The Triumph nearly converted in the 62nd minute through Donnelly. After OCB turned the ball over off a throw-in, Donnelly found himself with the ball at the top of the box and his back to goal. A quick turn allowed him to split between Brandon John and Hummel with a shot towards goal. The ball appeared to beat Chade but bounced off the outside of the post and out of play.

Greenville created a few opportunities in the final half hour but was either unable to get a shot off or the shot sailed high of the crossbar. When the final whistle blew, OCB had ended its 10-game losing streak with a 1-0 win.

This was the first point that OCB gained since July 10 when a late Tresor Mbuyu goal allowed the Young Lions to claim a draw at Montverde Academy against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC. It was their first win since June 7 when they defeated Forward Madison 2-1 at home, ending a 15-game winless streak.

Despite OCB coming away with the win, Greenville controlled most of the game. The Triumph held 59% of the possession and out-shot the Young Lions, 21-12. A key stat in this game is something that has plagued the Lions all year but came to their aid tonight. Of the 21 shots on goal, the Triumph only put four on target. That allowed OCB to clear the danger in situations where it looked as though the team would concede.

OCB was pushing to get a win before the end of the season and the Young Lions did so just in time, gaining three points in their penultimate game. They’ll take the field for the final time in 2019 next Saturday night in Richmond as they take on the Kickers.