Connect with us

Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. FC Cincinnati 2: Final Score 2-2 as Favian Loyola’s Brace Claims a Point for OCB

Published

3 years ago

on

KISSIMMEE — Orlando City B (6-10-5, 25 points) played to a 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati 2 (4-14-3, 16 points) at Osceola County Stadium tonight. Favian Loyola gave the Young Lions an early lead but Cincinnati came back with second-half goals by Calvin Harris and Nick Markanich. Loyola completed his brace with an equalizer in the 60th minute, securing a 2-2 draw.

Because MLS NEXT Pro rules dictate that draws go to penalty shootouts afterward, the teams went to spot kicks to decide who got an extra point in the standings. Cincinnati won the shootout 7-6 to take two points from the game.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made two changes to the starting lineup for this game. Moises Tablante was not in the team at all and Neicer Acosta was out with a right hamstring injury that saw him exit the team’s last game against Columbus Crew 2. They were replaced by Alejandro Granados and Mikey Halliday.

The back four in front of goalkeeper Javier Otero included Ignacio Galvan, Thomas Williams, Andrew Forth, and Alex Freeman. Nick Taylor, Victor Yan, Alejandro Granados, Mikey Halliday, and Diego Pareja made up the midfield with Loyola up top.

OCB had the first chance in this game and it came inside the first minute. It started in Orlando’s third of the field with a bad turnover by Williams. However, Forth won it back for OCB and the Young Lions pushed forward. Freeman found Taylor darting up the left and the 2022 MLS SuperDraft pick took a shot but hit it over the goal.

They had another chance in the fifth minute when a Granados free kick found Freeman in the box. The right back volleyed it across for Williams with his right foot but the center back missed the target.

Cincinnati goalkeeper Evan Louro quickly sent Markanich the other way. Finding enough space for a shot at the top of the box, the midfielder went for goal. The ball sailed just over the crossbar but it appeared as though Otero had it the whole way. Regardless, it was the best chance for Cincinnati in the opening minutes.

In the ninth minute, Markanich found Harris across the field. Harris put the ball past Otero and into the corner but assistant referee Preston Joyner judged him to be offside. Harris ran over to argue the call with Joyner but to no avail as the game remained scoreless.

OCB took the lead in the 14th minute through Loyola, who signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with the club earlier in the day. Yan started the play by sending the ball wide for Halliday and then continuing his run into the box. Halliday played it back to the midfielder, who sent the ball towards the penalty spot. Loyola was there to put it into the right corner of the goal to give the Young Lions the early 1-0 lead.

Both teams had chances in the following minutes. In the 17th minute, Granados went for goal on a free kick just outside the box but hit it wide. A minute later, Arquimides Ordonez had a chance on the other end but he too hit it wide of the target.

OCB nearly doubled its lead in the 23rd minute when a give-and-go between Galvan and Loyola allowed Galvan space in the box. He was alone with Louro and attempted to slip it behind the Cincinnati goalkeeper, but Louro did well to trap it between his legs and not give up a rebound.

Following the save, the Young Lions continued their attack on the Cincinnati goal. Halliday and Loyola had chances in the 24th and 27th minutes, respectively, but their shots were right at Louro.

In the 27th minute, OCB came very close to making it 2-0. Yan found Taylor on his left, and — after a couple of touches — the midfielder took a shot. It looked like Louro got a touch to the ball, but when it hit the post and went out, the referee awarded a goal kick.

The Young Lions came close again a minute later when Pareja had a chance. It was a great attempt towards the far post but Louro made an impressive save, diving to get his fingers to the ball and putting it off the post. The ball rolled back across goal but nobody in purple was there and Cincinnati cleared it away.

The game started with Freeman at right back and Halliday at right midfield. However, at about the half hour mark, the two switched with Freeman pushing forward and Halliday dropping back into a defensive role.

The Young Lions again nearly doubled their lead in the 38th minute. Yan found Taylor on the left with a long ball and the midfielder took a shot from inside the box. It was blocked by Louro but the ball went right to Freeman on the right. The Homegrown signing fired towards the back post but Louro got down to make a great save with his leg.

At the end of the first half, FC Cincinnati 2 had more possession (54.1%-45.9%), crosses (5-3), and more accurate passing (83.6%-80.2%), but OCB had more shots (14-6), shots on target (6-0), and corners (3-2). Most importantly, the Young Lions had the best chances and converted on one to carry a 1-0 lead into the break.

Cincinnati got the first chance of the second half in the 47th minute. The visitors had numbers going forward and were able to find a shot, but Otero made a great one-handed save, knocking it away and keeping his team’s 1-0 lead.

OCB had the first sustained possession of the second half right after the save but it was Cincinnati that scored. In the 53rd minute, a quick, long goal kick caught the Young Lions off-guard and allowed Ordonez to get a shot off in the box. Otero blocked the shot but it popped up for Harris who headed it in for the equalizer.

Just two minutes later, Cincinnati took the lead. Morgan Marshall sent a ball across the box for Markanich, who headed it in for Cincinnati’s second goal in two minutes, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.

“Unforced mistakes because we were out of focus on some sequences,” Perelman said about conceding the two quick goals. “We shouldn’t do that. The players know. But it happened to us and we received a goal in that situation.“

The visitors nearly made it 3-1 in the 59th minute when Harris sent a Marshall cross back across the box. It looked like a cross attempt, but the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar. Ordonez ended up with the ball and played it for Markanich in the box. The midfielder shot, looking for his second goal, but Otero was there to make the stop.

OCB quickly went the other way with Taylor darting down the left. After a long run with the ball, the midfielder sent it across the box to Halliday on the far side. Halliday quickly sent it back into the box where Loyola was waiting to put it in, tying the game at 2-2. It was Loyola’s second brace of the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season.

“I’m getting really confident,” Loyola said. “My style of play, the coach helps me out a lot. This team really pushes me to be at my best potential. So, Coach Martin really helps me as a player to play the way I want to and the goals are because of the style of my play.”

In the 69th minute, Williams fouled Markanich to the right of goal, conceding a free kick. Markanich went for goal, attempting to curl the free kick inside the far post, but it went just wide.

Two minutes later, Markanich had another chance when he was played forward by Khris Turcios. Markanich was behind the OCB back line and shot on goal but Otero did well to get down and knock it away.

In the 73rd minute, Ordonez found Bryan Sanchez, who had enough room to take a shot on goal. However, Otero was once again up to the task, blocking it away to keep the game at 2-2.

As the game entered injury time, both teams had chances to claim all three points. In the 90th minute, a Granados free kick found the head of substitute Brandon Hackenberg, but the defender couldn’t get over the ball and it went out of play.

Three minutes into injury time, OCB had a great chance in the box but Louro got down to make the stop, sending it out of play for a throw-in. Cincinnati won the ball back and went the other way. The visitors had numbers going forward into the OCB box but Forth made a great tackle to send it away. Had he not gotten the tackle right, it would’ve been a penalty. Instead, it was the final touch of the game and it ended 2-2.

While FC Cincinnati 2 had significantly more possession (59.5%-40.5%), the game was quite even. OCB had more shots (17-16) and shots on target (8-6) but Cincinnati had more crosses (16-8) and better passing (84.1%-76.4%). Both teams ended the game with five corner kicks.

“It was a tough game,” Perelman said after the game. “I think we did good first half. We created many situations to score. Again, we couldn’t put the ball inside the goal and then we suffered. We made some mistakes in the second half. We didn’t play well. We miss a lot our players that was out, then it was a draw. Then penalties are penalties, but the team doesn’t lose again, so it’s OK.”

“Happy with the two goals,” Loyola added. “Felt we could’ve done better as a team to get a couple more. Not happy with the result. We really needed this one to kind of get a peek to playoffs. At the end of the day, I scored two goals to help the team somewhat.”

The postgame penalty shootout was a stellar performance, with each converting its first six penalties. Both goalkeepers guessed correctly three times in the first 12 attempts but each attempt was into the corner.

It came down to the seventh attempt for each team before the night reached its ending. Forth stepped up with the shootout tied at 6-6 and sent the ball over the crossbar. Zico Bailey shot next for the visitors and put his attempt into the corner, securing the extra point for Cincinnati.

This is the fifth time that OCB has gone to penalties this season. After starting the season 2-0 in shootouts, the Young Lions have now lost their last three, including in two consecutive games. Coincidentally, every OCB game that has gone to penalties has been at home.

Despite the shootout loss, OCB now finds itself in the middle of a four-game unbeaten run (2-0-2). After beating NYCFC II 2-0 in New York, the team returned home and beat Rochester NY FC 5-2 with a largely first-team lineup at home. The Young Lions followed that two-game win streak with a pair of 2-2 draws against Columbus Crew 2 and FC Cincinnati 2, but couldn’t claim the extra point in either shootout.

Having wrapped up a three-game homestand, the Young Lions will now head back out on the road. The two-game road trip begins Friday at 5:30 p.m. when OCB faces New England Revolution II at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City B

Orlando City Exercises Contract Option on OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg

Manuel Goldberg is back to lead the Young Lions of OCB in 2026 after the club exercised his contract option.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 19, 2025

By

Image of OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg holding up an OCB scarf.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced today that the club has exercised the option on Orlando City B Head Coach Manuel Goldberg’s contract, keeping him in purple through 2026. The Young Lions’ boss enters his third season in the position in 2026 and his fifth overall with the team.

“Since taking over the role as head coach of OCB, Manu has done a tremendous job connecting with our MLS NEXT Pro players, developing their skillsets and preparing them for opportunities with the first team and beyond,” Orlando City General Manager & Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “His deep understanding of our player pathway and internal processes has been invaluable. The continuity Manu provides is critical for the career development of both our players and staff.”

Goldberg initially joined the club in 2022 as an assistant to Martin Perelman. When Perelman was promoted to first-team assistant, Orlando City announced Goldberg as his successor on March 11, 2024. At 30 years old, Goldberg became the youngest head coach in the short history of MLS NEXT Pro.

In his first season in the position, Goldberg led his team to a record of 11-9-9 (28 points), finishing fifth in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference. The Young Lions took fourth-seeded Chicago Fire FC II to penalties in the first round of the playoffs away from home, where they fell 5-4 to end their season.

The 2025 campaign was particularly disappointing, as the Young Lions failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2022. They finished the year with 28 points (9-13-6) and tumbled to 11th in the Eastern Conference after a promising start.

Overall, Goldberg has a record of 18-21-16 in 55 games leading the Young Lions. His draw in Chicago in 2024 (and subsequent penalty shootout loss) was his only playoff appearance. Meanwhile, his teams have been 9-7 in penalty shootouts over the past two seasons.

However, Goldberg has been successful in his primary objective of producing players for the first team. Since becoming head coach of OCB, three players — Colin Guske, Gustavo Caraballo, and Zakaria Taifi — have signed Homegrown Player contracts, while Justin Ellis is seemingly on the brink of signing one as well. He’s also coached backup goalkeeper Javier Otero and, most notably, starting right back Alex Freeman, helping them develop into first-team contributors.

Goldberg began his coaching career at Israeli side Hapoel Katamon in 2015 following a three-year playing career in the country. He then joined Club Nautico Hacoaj in Buenos Aires, Argentina as an assistant coach from 2017 to 2019 before becoming a competitive program coach at Barça Academy PRO Miami. After two years in South Florida, he was hired by Orlando City as Perelman’s assistant with OCB.

Continue Reading

Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. FC Cincinnati 2: Final Score 4-1 as Loss Eliminates OCB from Playoff Race

OCB ended its 2025 MLS NEXT Pro campaign with a 4-1 loss to FC Cincinnati.

Published

2 months ago

on

October 5, 2025

By

Image of Gustavo Caraballo chasing down a loose ball against FC Cincinnati 2.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (9-13-6, 37 points) ended its 2025 MLS NEXT Pro campaign with a 4-1 loss to FC Cincinnati 2 (9-12-7, 41 points) today at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Albright Chikamso scored the lone goal for the Young Lions, and Gerardo Valenzuela, Stefan Chirila, and Kenji Mboma Dem scored for the visitors.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made only one change to the team that drew 3-3 with Carolina Core FC on Sept. 27 and won 4-2 on penalties. Chikamso made his first start for the team, replacing Tahir Reid-Brown, who left injured in the first half in North Carolina.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Chikamso, Thomas Williams, Hayden Sargis, and Riyon Tori. Colin Guske and Justin Hylton were the defensive midfielders behind Gustavo Caraballo, Justin Ellis, and Titus Sandy, Jr., with Shak Mohammed up top.

The Young Lions started the day in 10th place but with an opportunity to qualify for one of the eight playoff spots. Results around the league went their way, but the team failed to take advantage, as FC Cincinnati 2 dominated the match to end OCB’s season.

Cincinnati’s opening goal always seemed likely, and when it did, it briefly woke up the Young Lions. They converted an equalizer in the 30th minute but fell apart after that. Cincinnati dominated the remainder of the game, putting it away before halftime.

Cincinnati was the more attacking team early as OCB struggled to clear the ball. Valenzuela dribbled near the OCB box in the second minute before Hylton stepped on his foot, conceding a free kick near the top of the penalty area.

Mboma Dem went for goal on the set piece, sending it on target. However, Mercado got to his near post to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick. FC Cincinnati 2 committed a foul on the ensuing ball into the box, ending the attack.

The visitors created another attempt in the 10th minute when Valenzuela received a pass near the top right corner of the OCB box. The attacker fired, but Chikamso blocked it out for a corner kick. Again, Cincinnati couldn’t create anything from the set piece and the Young Lions cleared the danger.

The Young Lions nearly took the lead when Hylton played Sandy down the right in the 15th minute. The rookie played it back central for Hylton near the top of the box, where he was taken down by Stiven Jimenez. Caraballo took the set piece, sending his attempt off the crossbar. The ball bounced around before being cleared to Guske at the top of the box. The Homegrown Player volleyed the ball wide of the far post.

The visitors scored in the 20th minute through a wonderful run by Valenzuela. The midfielder weaved through defenders into the OCB box, beating Williams, Chikamso, and Sargis, before guiding the ball past Mercado and inside the far post from just inside the six-yard box, giving his team the 1-0 lead.

Mohammed made a run to the top of the Cincinnati box in the 24th minute, shooting from distance. Andrei Chirila deflected it wide for a corner kick. Caraballo took the ensuing set piece, sending it through the box untouched and out for a goal kick.

In the 26th minute, Sandy sent a cross into the box that found Ellis’ head, but he sent his shot over the crossbar. Two minutes later, Hylton shot from the top of the box that deflected off Yamir Uculmana, forcing Cincinnati goalkeeper Paul Walters to tip it wide. The Young Lions kept possession in the Cincinnati third, creating another chance when Mohammed found Ellis at the top of the box. He played it forward for Sandy, whose low cross was cleared wide.

OCB continued on the attack, earning a corner kick in the 30th minute. Caraballo sent the set piece into the box, where Chikamso headed it inside the far post for his first professional goal, evening the game at 1-1.

Mboma Dem took a shot from the top right corner of the box in the 34th minute that Guske blocked. However, the OCB midfielder took the worst of it, going down injured. Since he received attention for something other than a head injury, he had to leave the game briefly, leaving the Young Lions with 10 men. The visitors took advantage when a pair of brothers converted with the help of an OCB mistake.

Andrei Chirila sent a long ball down the right for Stefan Chirila. Williams stepped in front to intercept, but he missed the ball, allowing the attacker to shield Sargis and get behind the back line. The attacker placed the ball behind Mercado, retaking the lead for Cincinnati.

Valenzuela took a layoff from Stefan Chirila in the 41st minute. The midfielder took a shot, looking for his second goal of the game, but Hylton deflected it out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece resulted in two crosses before Uculmana pulled Hylton back, earning a yellow card.

Two minutes later, the visitors extended their lead. Hylton had the ball near the top of the OCB box, losing possession to Stefan Chirila. The midfielder touched the ball forward for Mboma Dem, who beat Mercado to his near post to give his team a 3-1 lead.

Guske went down for a second time in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. It initially looked like Goldberg would make his first change, but he decided to end the half with 10 men to avoid using a substitution window.

The final chance of the half came in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Hylton failed to clear the ball. Valenzuela took possession of the ball, firing on target and forcing Mercado to go down to make the stop.

After 45 minutes of action, Cincinnati had the edge in shots (8-7), shots on target (5-2), corner kicks (4-2), and passing accuracy (91.2%-89.5%). OCB had more crosses (3-2) but trailed by two goals at the break.

OCB made one halftime substitution at central midfield as the injured Guske was replaced by Dylan Judelson.

Cincinnati started the second half the way it ended the first half, putting pressure on the OCB back line. In the 46th minute, Valenzuela played Mboma Dem forward, but Mercado blocked his shot out of play for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece resulted in several headers that the Young Lions were unable to clear. Eventually, Williams knocked it out for another corner kick that landed on the foot of Uculmana, but his attempt went wide.

The Young Lions had one of their best attacks in the 51st minute, passing the ball around the top of the box. Mohammed took a shot from the top right corner that Andrei Chirila blocked. The ball deflected to Ellis, who fired, but Noah Adnan blocked it.

The Young Lions forced a turnover in the 53rd and went on the break with Hylton finding Mohammed to his right. The forward took a couple of touches before shooting from the top of the box, but Andrei Chirila made another block.

The visitors extended their lead again in the 59th minute when Tori blocked Stefan Chirila’s pass. Unfortunately, it went straight to Mboma Dem, allowing him to get behind the OCB back line. He sent it past Mercado to give Cincinnati a 4-1 lead.

The Young Lions nearly got one back in the 61st minute when they earned a corner kick. Caraballo sent the set piece into the box, where Sargis got his head to the ball. The center back sent it to the back post where the ball bounced off the woodwork, keeping the deficit at three goals.

Chikamso went down injured in the 67th minute, requiring attention. The stoppage allowed Goldberg to make three more changes. Favian Loyola, Noham Abdellaoui, and Jacob Ramirez entered the game for Chikamso, Williams, and Hylton.

The Young Lions should have netted a second goal in the 71st minute when Caraballo found Ellis open near the penalty spot. Ellis somehow managed to send the shot wide. Loyola got into the action in the 72nd minute, receiving the ball well outside the box. Rather than crossing it in for a teammate, he went for goal from 25 yards out, sending his attempt right to Walters.

On the other end, Carson Locker attempted a long-distance attempt, but this one sailed well over the crossbar.

Caraballo made a run to the top of the box in the 75th minute before backheeling the ball to Ellis behind him. The attacker’s second touch was a shot that forced Walters to dive to his right to tip it wide. The Young Lions couldn’t create anything from the ensuing set piece as Cincinnati cleared.

Goldberg made his final change during the second-half hydration break, replacing Sandy with Jake Basinet.

Loyola played Mohammed to the end line in the 82nd minute and the forward reached it before it went out of play. His pass was a little behind Ellis, who flicked it on frame with his heel. It was a close-range chance on target, but Walters reacted well to make the stop.

The Young Lions came close again in the 88th minute when Judelson drew a foul on Yair Ramos near the top of the OCB box. Loyola’s set piece found Abdellaoui’s head, but he sent his attempt off the post.

Mohammed earned a corner kick in the first minute of stoppage time. Loyola’s ensuing set piece delivery found Ellis, who sent his header attempt wide.

At full time, OCB had more shots (18-14), crosses (8-3), and corner kicks (7-6). However, the Young Lions struggled to put their chances on target, sending fewer on frame than the opposition (8-4). Additionally, the visitors had better passing accuracy (89.5%-88.8%).

Three points in this game would have qualified the Young Lions for a third consecutive postseason. Unfortunately, they failed to show up when needed, being completely outplayed. Meanwhile, Cincinnati was up to the occasion, earning a playoff spot on the last day of the season.

That concludes OCB’s 2025 season. The Young Lions put themselves in position to qualify for the playoffs with a three-game winning streak in August and September, but losses to teams below them were costly. Overall, it will be seen as a disappointing season for OCB.

Continue Reading

Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC: Final Score 3-3 (4-2) as Young Lions Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

OCB drew at Carolina Core FC and won on penalties to claim two points, keeping their playoff hopes barely alive.

Published

2 months ago

on

September 27, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (9-12-6, 37 points) gathered a huge two points away from home by drawing Carolina Core FC (8-9-10, 39 points) 3-3 at Truist Point in High Point, NC, and winning the ensuing penalty shootout 4-2. Paul Leonardi gave the hosts a 2-0 lead with goals in the 36th and 40th minutes, with Shak Mohammed pulling one back just before halftime. Gustavo Caraballo equalized four minutes after the break, but the Young Lions quickly conceded a third to Daniel Chica. A Justin Hylton shot off the crossbar bounced off the back of goalkeeper Alex Sutton for the equalizer.

The Young Lions then took care of business from the penalty spot to claim a second point from the match.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes from the team that lost 1-0 to Huntsville City FC Sunday night. Titus Sandy, Jr. and Gustavo Caraballo entered the starting lineup for Favian Loyola and Thalles.

The back line in front of goalkeeper and birthday boy Carlos Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Hayden Sargis, and Riyon Tori. Colin Guske and Hylton were in the defensive midfield behind Caraballo, Justin Ellis, and Sandy, with Mohammed up top.

This was a wild game from start to finish with bad giveaways in the back, desperate defending, and some excellent goals. The hosts dominated most of the first half and it looked like they’d run away with the three points when they went up 2-0. But the Young Lions showed a lot of fight to come back, evening the game at 2-2 in the 49th minute. Even when they quickly gave the lead back, OCB continued to push, finding an equalizer, and could’ve found a late winner.

Carolina started the game on the front foot. The first shot of the game came in the seventh minute when Antonio Pineda took a shot from the right side of the box. There wasn’t much room for the attempt and Williams was there to block it.

Ellis played a great diagonal ball to Caraballo on the left side in the 16th minute. Sandy was making a back-post run and Caraballo played the ball across the face of goal. Unfortunately, the pass was a bit too far in front of Sandy.

Leonardi spent the early part of the game attempting to set up his teammates, but he went for goal himself in the 22nd minute. Taking Reid-Brown one-on-one, the right back created enough space to get a shot off but sent his attempt high and wide of the target.

Carolina kept the ball in the OCB third, resulting in Jathan Juarez receiving it at the top left corner of the box. Sandy let the midfielder reach the middle of the field, where Juarez shot between Guske and Hylton. It was the game’s first shot on target, but Mercado was there to guide it away.

Facundo Canete played a ball to the right in the 28th minute with Pineda making a run. Pineda laid the ball off for Leonardi entering the box but Williams got in the way of a first-touch shot.

Reid-Brown went down in the OCB box in the 30th minute. After an evaluation, he was unable to continue and was replaced by Jackson Platts. It’s the second time in three games that Reid-Brown had to depart early, suffering an injury in the 19th minute at Inter Miami CF II on Sept. 14.

Ellis sent Mohammed behind the Carolina back line in the 34th minute. The striker chased down the ball before it went out of play. He aimed to slip the ball inside the far post but shot wide.

On the other end, Leonardi continued to cause problems. He sent a dangerous cross into the six-yard box in the 35th minute that went just over Anthony Sumo, Jr.’s head. The ball ended up with Juarez near the top of the box, but Tori deflected his shot out of play for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was cleared by Mohammed and collected by Juarez. The midfielder passed to his right to Leonardi, who dribbled around Mohammed and Ellis before beating Mercado to his near post to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Three minutes later, Leonardi doubled the Carolina advantage. Juarez received the ball on the left in the 40th minute and sent a cross into the box that Sargis headed away. However, Leonardi was there to chest it down and hit it past Mercado to make it 2-0 Core FC.

While he played most of the half on the right, Leonardi nearly created a third goal for Carolina from the left in the 42nd minute. The outside back drew a pair of defenders while Sumo made a run to the top of the six-yard box. It was a good pass to the striker, but Sargis cleared it away just in time.

OCB took advantage of a Carolina mistake in the 45th minute to get back into the game. Juarez threw the ball in to Alenga Charles, who was careless and lost it to Tori. Charles went in with a hard challenge on the right back, but Tori got his pass away just in time. Ellis turned and played Mohammed into the box, setting the striker up for his 11th goal of the season.

Mohammed nearly matched Leonardi’s brace in the fourth minute of stoppage time when an excellent ball to the back post found the striker making a run. Mohammed got his head to the cross, but he couldn’t get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.

The final chance of the half came in the seventh minute of stoppage time, when Charles took Guske down in the Carolina third of the field. Ellis took the set piece, sending the ball curling towards the back post, where Guske was making a run. Unfortunately, it was just beyond the reach of the midfielder and out of play.

Carolina ended the first 45 minutes with more shots (9-3), shots on target (3-1), and crosses (5-2). OCB had better passing accuracy (84.9%-82%) and each team won one corner kick.

The Young Lions got the second half off to a great start, scoring in the 49th minute. Sutton received a pass and sent it wide right for Kai Thomas. The right back looked to clear the ball up the field, but Caraballo closed him down, blocking the clearance and creating a counterattack. Sutton came out to cut down Caraballo’s angle, but the teenager slipped it underneath to even the game at 2-2.

Unfortunately, the Young Lions quickly gave the lead back to the hosts in the 51st minute. Williams was called for a questionable foul on Sumo at the top of the box. Rodriguez and Canete stood over the ball, with Canete taking the set piece. Mercado blocked the shot, but none of his defenders responded, allowing Chica to give Carolina the 3-2 lead.

Sumo received a pass on the right in the 55th minute and dribbled inside with Guske on his hip. However, the attacker was able to create enough space for a shot. Sumo aimed for the top corner but sent the attempt off target.

A minute later, Caraballo tried to create another equalizer when he sent a dangerous cross in from the left side. Mohammed was making a run into the six-yard box and looked to have position, but Rodriguez did well to get to the ball first, clearing it away.

The Young Lions found their second equalizer of the night in the 64th minute when Mohammed played the ball to Caraballo making a run on the left. The midfielder cut inside to lose a pair of defenders before finding enough space to shoot. Sutton did well to get down and block the attempt away. The ball went back to Caraballo in front of goal, but Aryeh Miller blocked his second shot . This time it went to Hylton, who sent his shot off the crossbar. But the ball carmoned off the woodwork, bounced off Sutton’s back, and went in, tying the game at 3-3.

The Young Lions were looking for their first lead of the game in the 70th minute when Ellis took possession off a turnover in the Carolina third. The attacker played it near the penalty spot to Mohammed, who immediately laid it off for Hylton. Unfortunately, the shot deflected over the crossbar. The ensuing set piece was punched away by Sutton, ending the threat.

Pineda sent a long ball across the box for Leonardi in the 73rd minute that the French defender volleyed on goal. It was heading wide, but Mercado decided to stop it anyway. Unfortunately, he fumbled the ball, forcing his defender to clear it out of play for a Carolina throw-in. The ensuing throw-in found Pineda just inside the box, and the attacker turned his two defenders to create space for a shot on goal. Tori got in front to block the shot. The ball got through the defender, but it was easy for Mercado to pick up.

OCB won a corner kick in the 78th minute. However, before the set piece could be taken, Hylton went down just outside the Carolina box, requiring attention. Goldberg used the stoppage to replace Hylton and Sandy with Dylan Judelson and Loyola.

It looked like the Young Lions might take the lead in the 83rd minute when Caraballo played Mohammed behind the back line. There were no defenders behind Mohammed and the striker went down after some contact. A foul would’ve been a red card, but the referee allowed play to continue. Loyola took over and dribbled into the box before losing possession.

Ellis sent Mohammed behind the back line again in the 86th minute — this time without any contact. The striker was in a foot race with Rodriguez, who put enough pressure on Mohammed to force the shot wide of the near post.

Ellis made a long run in the 88th minute and decided to the shot himself. The attacker sent the ball towards the back post, however, Sutton did well to get down and block it. Mohammed followed up, but the offside flag went up.

In the 90th minute, Ellis cut inside to lose his defender, sending his shot off the crossbar. The ball was headed away, but Ellis regained possession, sending it wide for Caraballo. The midfielder sent a cross into the box that Sutton easily collected. A minute later, Loyola tried to make something happen from long distance. The second-half substitute fired from the right side, but it was a relatively weak shot that caused little trouble for Sutton.

Glory Nzingo took a shot from just outside the box in the third minute of stoppage time that Sargis deflected out for a corner. Leonardi took the set piece, playing it to Jacob Evans, who lifted it into the box. The ball bounced dangerously around the six before Williams desperately cleared it away.

The Young Lions got one last chance in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Chica took down Ellis 22 yards out from goal. Loyola was the only one standing over the ball. He went for goal but sent his shot over the crossbar.

At full time, Carolina had more shots (15-13), shots on target (6-5), crosses (9-3), and corner kicks (5-4). OCB had better passing accuracy (87.6%-82.5%), but converted three times to earn a crucial draw.

Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, draws go to a shootout to see who gets the extra point.

Mercado came up big for the Young Lions, saving Evans’ opening penalty and the fourth penalty by Ibrahim Covi. Meanwhile, Ellis, Judelson, Mohammed, and Guske all converted to ensure OCB took home two points.

With these two points, Goldberg now has 77 in the regular season since taking over as head coach last year, tying Anthony Pulis’ total in 2016 and 2017. However, Pulis didn’t have the opportunity to claim extra points in penalty shootouts, unlike Goldberg, who has done so eight times. As a result, Pulis reached 77 points in 62 games while Goldberg has done so in 53 games.

Regardless of the result, OCB would’ve finished this game in ninth and below the playoff line due to their -14 goal difference. However, claiming two points keeps their hopes alive for another week. They now sit one point behind Toronto FC II and two points behind Carolina with one game remaining for all three teams.

That doesn’t mean they’ll finish in this position. NYCFC II and FC Cincinnati 2 are two points back, and Atlanta United 2 is three points back. All three have one game in hand and can jump the Young Lions in the coming days.

The next game for OCB is Decision Day on Sunday, Oct. 5. They welcome FC Cincinnati 2 to Osceola County Stadium at 1 p.m. with a chance to make the playoffs for the third straight year.

Continue Reading

Trending