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Orlando City B vs. FC Cincinnati 2: Final Score 3-1 as OCB Ends Four-Game Winless Streak

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3 years ago

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After being blown out last weekend, Orlando City B (3-6-3,14 points) bounced back with a 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati 2 (3-9-0, 9 points) in Northern Kentucky. Jack Lynn, Mauro Bravo, and Moises Tablante were the goal scorers as the Young Lions ended a four-game winless streak and picked up their first road victory in MLS NEXT Pro.

This was the second time that OCB and FC Cincinnati 2 have faced each other this season. The first meeting came on May 29. Lynn scored a brace in that game but Cincinnati scored five times to beat OCB 5-3 at Osceola County Stadium.

OCB made some changes from the team that lost 6-1 to Columbus Crew 2 last weekend. After sitting on the bench last night in the game between the first teams, Adam Grinwis, Alex Freeman, and Joey DeZart were in the starting lineup. Grinwis’ inclusion sent OCB’s starting goalkeeper Javier Otero to the bench for the first time this season. Additionally, Thomas Williams wasn’t in the team after playing last night for the first team.

Ignacio Galvan, Brandon Hackenberg, Andrew Forth, and Freeman were the back four in front of Grinwis. Nick Taylor, Tablante, Erick Gunera, Bravo, and DeZart were the midfielders behind Lynn up top.

The first chance of the game came in the second minute when a bad turnover by DeZart created a break for FC Cincinnati 2. The ball ended up with Allan Cruz at the top of the box and the first-team midfielder fired on goal. Grinwis did well to dive to his left in his first action of the game, tipping the ball wide of the target.

The ensuing corner resulted in a dangerous ball into the box by the hosts. It appeared as though the taller FC Cincinnati 2 team would get on the end of the cross, but it went just over the top of a couple of heads, going out of play for an OCB goal kick.

Cincinnati nearly got the opener in the 13th minute when Avionne Flanagan took a shot from the top left corner of the box. Grinwis dove for the ball, getting enough on it to tip it off the crossbar and keeping the game scoreless.

Two minutes later, Isaac Atanga appeared to be through on goal. However, Galvan did well to react to the run, putting his body on the Cincinnati forward. Galvan was able to muscle the ball away from Atanga and clear it away.

In the 22nd minute, Tablante carried the ball into the FC Cincinnati 2 side of the field and found Freeman making a run behind the Cincinnati defense. Alec Kann did well to come off his line and make the initial stop on Freeman, but the ball went right to Lynn, who put it in for the opening goal.

It was Lynn’s 10th goal on the season, moving him back to within one of the league lead held by Crew 2’s Jacen Russell-Rowe.The striker’s 10 goals ties him with Hadji Barry for the second-most goals in a single season by an OCB player. The record is held by Michael Cox, who scored 11 times during the 2016 USL season.

Cincinnati had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 26th minute when a Flanagan cross found the open head of Nicholas Markanich in front of goal. Had Markanich gotten the header down, it would’ve been nearly impossible for Grinwis to stop, but the midfielder sent it over the crossbar, allowing OCB to escape the danger.

The Young Lions had their own chance in the 28th minute when Lynn cut back and found DeZart standing wide open at the top of the box. The first-team midfielder had plenty of time to shoot, but it was right at Kann who made the relatively easy save.

OCB doubled its lead in the 30th minute and Lynn was involved again. After scoring the first goal, Lynn played a nice ball forward for Bravo, who made several good runs behind the Cincinnati defense. A defender was there to get between Bravo and the goal, but the attacker quickly cut inside to create space and slid it past Kann to give the Young Lions a 2-0 lead.

Unfortunately, the two-goal lead didn’t last long as the hosts got one back in the 35th minute. Zico Bailey received the ball on the left and carried it into the box. While he initially had a lot of space, several OCB defenders converged on Bailey, who laid off for Cruz, who was open at the top of the box. Cruz did well to place the shot past Grinwis and inside his left post to cut the deficit in half.

FC Cincinnati 2 won the ball right back off the OCB kickoff and charged the other way. Cruz found Flanagan on the left and the forward had enough space for a shot on goal. However, this time Grinwis was able to get his hand on the ball, making a good save.

The hosts had a couple of more opportunities in the 38th minute through Markanich. The midfielder found some space in the box and took a shot but it was blocked. The ball came right back to him, but the second shot was blocked as well and OCB cleared it away.

Both teams had chances in the 42nd minute, the final opportunities of the first half. It started when Atanga created a shot and Grinwis was there to make the save. OCB quickly went the other way, resulting in a chance for Taylor. However, Kann was also up to the task, making the stop.

FC Cincinnati 2 had much more possession in the first half (65.3%-34.7%) but only had two more shots (8-6). Despite the lack of possession, OCB had more shots on goal (5-4) than the hosts. Cincinnati also had more corners (3-0), crosses (9-2), duels won (19-11), tackles won (6-2), and better passing accuracy (88.8%-76.8%) but entered the break trailing by a goal.

OCB had the first decent chance of the second half, coming in the 51st minute. A hard Lynn cross from the right was blocked down by Tablante. He was unable to control the pass, but it landed at the feet of Bravo, who had space to fire on goal. Bravo had the time to place his shot, but hit it right at Kann.

Tablante nearly scored a surprising goal in the 69th minute. Ramathan Musa took down Bravo, providing OCB with a free kick from about 40 yards out and to the right. Tablante stepped up to take the kick, which was expected to be a cross into the box. However, Tablante went for goal and nearly beat Kann. But the ball sailed just over the crossbar.

In the 70th minute, Cincinnati nearly got the equalizer when OCB was caught napping. After conceding a corner kick, Harrison Robledo noticed the Lions were slow to react and quickly sent the ball into the box. It found the head of a wide open Markanich, who turned the ball toward goal but over the crossbar.

With a goal and an assist already in the game, Lynn had an ambitious attempt in the 79th minute to give the Young Lions another two-goal lead. The striker saw Kann off his line and attempted to chip him from 35 yards out but the shot was off target.

Tablante put the game away in the 85th minute on a goal created entirely by himself. The attacker won the ball on his own side of the field and darted forward, outrunning all defenders. As he entered the FC Cincinnati 2 box, the midfielder played the ball past Kann, giving the Young Lions a 3-1 lead with little time remaining.

Cincinnati had one final chance four minutes into second-half injury time when substitute Daniel Martin had enough space to shoot from the top of the box. Grinwis saw the ball the whole way and was able to block it away, securing OCB’s 3-1 win.

The final statistics were similar to the first half, with FC Cincinnati 2 dominating possession (62.7%-37.3%). But both teams had 11 shots and OCB had more shots on target (8-6). Meanwhile, Cincinnati had more corners (5-0), crosses (15-4), and better passing accuracy (88.2%-78%).

The win ends OCB’s four-game winless streak (0-3-1), with the most recent victory being the 6-0 win over Inter Miami II on May 21. The three-goal performance is the second-most goals OCB has scored this season, tying the 5-3 loss to Cincinnati earlier this year and only trailing that 6-0 win over Inter Miami II.

The win was also OCB’s first road result of the season. They were previously 0-5-0 in games away from Central Florida and had been outscored 13-2 in away games.

It was a good result for the Young Lions, who faced a Cincinnati team that played multiple players who were on the MLS side’s team sheet Friday night, including Cruz and Markanich, who both played against Orlando City the night before.

Back on the winning path, OCB will end its four-game road trip Friday night when the Young Lions travel to Western New York to take on Rochester NY FC in a makeup game from earlier this year.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B Signs Bernardo Rhein, Justin Ellis to MLS NEXT Pro Deals

OCB adds two signees ahead of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season.

Published

1 week ago

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February 13, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City B announced this morning that the club has signed two Orlando City Academy players — midfielder Bernardo Rhein and forward Justin Ellis — to MLS NEXT Pro contracts. Rhein signed through 2025 with a club option for 2026, with Ellis’ deal running through 2026. Both players featured Saturday night in Orlando City’s preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal.

“Bernardo and Justin are two more great examples of young players that have shown belief and trust in the development pathway we have set up here at Orlando City,” Orlando City SC Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “By signing with OCB, Justin and Bernardo have shown trust in us, the pathway, and in Head Coach Manuel Goldberg. They both put in the work since their early academy days; took the opportunities that they were given to continue developing their skill sets; and have shown us that they’re ready to take the next step along that pathway, and we’re excited to see how they both continue to progress these next few years.”

The 17-year-old Rhein (known as Bernardo Goncalves in 2024), appeared in six matches with OCB a year ago, coming off the bench each time and playing a total of 33 minutes. The Windermere native and Brazilian national did not record a goal contribution, attempting one shot, which he put on target, and completing 81.8% of his 22 pass attempts. Rhein subbed on for the latter stages of Saturday’s preseason scrimmage against Montreal and looked good, getting himself into scoring position but firing just over the bar in the extra 30-minute sesson.

Ellis, also 17, appeared in 18 matches with OCB in 2024 (three starts), scoring two goals and putting eight of his 13 shots on target. He did not record an assist, but passed well from the forward position, logging three key passes and completing 76.7% of his total pass attempts. The Wellington native traveled with the MLS squad to Mexico for the team’s week-long camp in Cancun. On the international stage, Ellis was called up to the U-18 USMNT in September, scoring two goals in two appearances.

What It Means for OCB

This is positive news for both OCB and the Orlando City Academy. Ellis was a regular contributor last season at a young age, while Rhein got his feet wet with a few appearances at the MLS NEXT Pro level. At just 17, both have shown a lot of potential upside already. Ellis will turn 18 in May, while Rhein won’t reach his 18th birthday until Sept. 21. Both will get a chance to further their development with OCB.

While neither player will be expected to make an impact with the first team in 2025, Duncan McGuire’s injury absence may require Shak Mohammed to spend more time with the first team, meaning Ellis would be in line to get more minutes with the Young Lions in the early part of the season.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City Signs Goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a New Contract

Carlos Mercado signs a new contract to remain Orlando City’s third-choice goalkeeper.

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3 weeks ago

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January 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that the club has signed goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a new contract. The deal is through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.

“Carlos did a great job for us last year with Orlando City B and continued to provide a positive work ethic and atmosphere every day in training up with the first team and showed his skill and ability to compete every chance he got,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s part of a strong goalkeeping unit here at the club and we feel confident in the future of that entire position group moving forward.”

Mercado originally joined Orlando City prior to the 2024 season to back up Javier Otero. However, when Mason Stajduhar broke his tibia and fibula in a June 28 game against New York City FC, Otero became the primary backup to Pedro Gallese and Mercado was the starter for the Young Lions.

In his debut season in purple, Mercado started 20 games — including a playoff game in Chicago — playing 1,830 minutes. He conceded 30 goals for a goals-against average of 1.48 and saved 81 of 111 shots faced for a save percentage of 73%. He kept three clean sheets and compiled a record of 9-5-6 (W-L-D) while saving two of the four penalties he faced in regular play.

The 25-year-old signed a short-term deal following Stajduhar’s injury with his lone game on the team sheet being on the bench for a July 3 game against Toronto FC. He went on to sign a first-team contract on Sept. 20 through the 2024 season with options for 2025, 2026, and 2027. However, his 2025 option was declined following the season.

Mercado played for the FC Dallas academy in his youth, earning call-ups to the United States U-16 National Team and Mexico U-18 National Team. He played collegiately at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX, before joining San Antonio FC of the USL Championship.

The goalkeeper made his professional debut in 2021, coming on for the final 29 minutes in a 3-0 win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. He stayed with San Antonio FC through the 2023 season before joining OCB.

What It Means for Orlando City

As previously mentioned, Mercado’s option for 2025 was declined following the 2024 MLS season since the club already had three other goalkeepers. However, signing another goalkeeper became necessary when Orlando City traded Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15, leaving the club with two under contract.

Mercado will likely continue to be the club’s third goalkeeper and is the presumed starter for Orlando City B when the MLS NEXT Pro season starts in March. He’ll have to join the first team if Gallese goes away on international duty with Peru and Otero enters the starting lineup. Barring unavailability of Gallese and Otero, it’s unlikely he’ll see any MLS action.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B Announces Schedule for 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Season

Find out where, when, and who the Young Lions of OCB will play in 2025.

Published

4 weeks ago

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January 27, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

The 2025 MLS NEXT Pro schedule was released this afternoon, telling us where, when, and who Orlando City B will play in the team’s fourth year in the league. The league will again feature 29 teams in 2025, with three teams set to enter the league next year. There are 27 MLS affiliated clubs in the league and two independents — Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC.

The schedule remains at 28 games, with Orlando City B playing 14 at home, 13 away, and one at a neutral site at IMG Academy in Bradenton. OCB home games will take place at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee again this season.

OCB will start the 2024 season with a two-game home stand, opening the season on Sunday, March 9 against Columbus Crew 2 at 7 p.m. A week later, Atlanta United 2 will visit Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions will then hit the road for the team’s first two away games starting Wednesday, March 26 at Crown Legacy FC and following with a match at Chattanooga FC on Saturday, April 5.

In addition to opening the season at home, OCB will close the regular season by hosting FC Cincinnati 2 at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5. Last year, the Young Lions opened and closed the season on the road. All Decision Day games in the Eastern Conference will start at 1 p.m. and all Western Conference matches will kick off at 4 p.m. (ET).

OCB will compete in the 15-team Eastern Conference as part of the Southeast Division. The other teams in the division are Atlanta, Carolina Core, Chattanooga, Crown Legacy, Huntsville City, and rival Inter Miami II. The reserve version of the Tropic Thunder rivalry will play out over three meetings in 2025. The Young Lions will travel IMG Academy to face the Baby Herons on April 15, with the home match in Kissimmee coming May 17. The teams will meet again in Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 14.

MLS NEXT Pro teams will again only play opponents from their own conference, limiting travel. The Young Lions will play each team in the Southeast Division three times, including Atlanta United 2, and Chattanooga twice at home and once away, and Carolina Core, Crown Legacy, and Huntsville City once each at home and twice away. OCB will play the teams from the Northeast Division once, except Columbus and New England, which the Young Lions will face both at home and away. Orlando City B will face FC Cincinnati 2, New York City FC II, New York Red Bulls II, and Toronto FC II only at home in the regular season, while facing Chicago Fire II and Philadelphia Union II only on the road.

The busiest months for OCB this season will be June and August, when the Young Lions will play five matches. They’ll play four times in April and July, three times in March, May, and September, and once in October. The most common day the Young Lions will play is on Sunday (13 games). Additionally, they have five games on Saturday, four games each on Wednesday and Friday, and one game each on Monday and Tuesday. The most common kickoff time is 7 p.m.. The Young Lions will play 18 games with that start time, three times each at 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m., and once at 1 p.m. (Decision Day).

Once again, the postseason will include 15 games this year, concluding with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup. The higher playoff seeds will again select their opponents for the matchups in the first two rounds.

The majority of regular season games and all playoff games will again air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The remaining games will be streamed live on mlsnextpro.com.

As far as viewing conflicts go for Orlando City and Pride fans, there are a few overlaps in 2025. OCB plays at 7 p.m. on April 5 at Chattanooga with the MLS Lions playing at 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia that night. On May 23, OCB plays at Atlanta United 2 at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride and Royals kick off in Utah at 9:30 p.m. just as that game is concluding. On June 25, OCB plays at home at 7 p.m. against Toronto FC II, with Orlando City at St. Louis City at 8:30 p.m. OCB’s game July 25 at Huntsville City will kick off 30 minutes after the senior side begins playing at Columbus. The Young Lions start at home on Aug. 3 against NYCFCII an hour after the Pride and Utah Royals kick off at Inter&Co Stadium. OCB and the Pride are both home on Aug. 9 as well, with the Young Lions and Chattanooga getting underway at 7 p.m. at Osceola County Stadium, just 30 minutes before the Pride and Racing Louisville battle at Inter&Co Stadium. On Aug. 23, OCB will play at 7 p.m. at home against Atlanta United 2, with the senior Lions and Nashville SC kicking off at 8:30 p.m.

Orlando City B’s 2025 Schedule

  • Sunday, March 9 — vs. Columbus Crew 2, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 16 — vs. Atlanta United 2, 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 26 — at Crown Legacy FC, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 5 — at Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 9 — vs. New England Revolution II, 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, April 15 — vs. Inter Miami II (at IMG Academy in Bradenton), 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 27 — vs. New York Red Bulls II, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, May 2 — at Chicago Fire FC II, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 17 — vs. Inter Miami II, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, May 23 — at Atlanta United 2, 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, June 1 — vs. Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, June 6 — at Huntsville City FC, 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, June 11 — at Carolina Core FC, 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, June 25 — vs. Toronto FC, 7 p.m.
  • Monday, June 30 — at Philadelphia Union II, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 6 — at Crown Legacy FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 13 — vs. Carolina Core FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 20 — at New England Revolution II, 3 p.m.
  • Friday, July 25 — at Huntsville City FC, 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 3 — vs. New York City FC II, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 9 — vs. Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 17 — at Columbus Crew 2, 3 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 23 — vs. Atlanta United 2, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 31 — vs. Crown Legacy FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Sept. 14 — at Inter Miami II, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Sept. 21 — vs. Huntsville City FC, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sept. 27 — at Carolina Core FC, 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 5 — vs. FC Cincinnati 2, 1 p.m.
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