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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Philadelphia Union II: Final Score 3-1 as Young Lions Blasted at Home

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2 years ago

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Orlando City B (4-9-3, 17 points) fell 3-1 to Philadelphia Union II (5-7-3, 20 points) at Osceola County Stadium in a chippy affair that saw the visitors score twice after OCB equalized late. Both teams lost their starting goalkeepers to second-half red cards and OCB went down to nine men in the closing moments when Diego Pareja was sent off. Matt Real gave the visitors the lead in the 52nd minute and OCB answered through Ethan Subachan in the 85th. But late goals by Jesus Bueno and Nelson Pierre saw Philadelphia leave with all three points.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made four changes from the team that completed a 4-3 comeback win last weekend against Chicago Fire II. Joey DeZart was injured last weekend, taking him out of the lineup. Additionally, Wilfredo Rivera, Erick Gunera, and Neicer Acosta were out of the lineup. They were replaced by Nick Taylor, Alejandro Granados, Favian Loyola, and Moises Tablante, who came back from his one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.

The Lions had one player in the starting lineup that was in the team Saturday night when the first teams faced off at Exploria Stadium. Jack Lynn came off the bench late for the senior side and started up top tonight. Meanwhile, Philadelphia had four players in the team that were in the first team last night. Christopher Donovan and Quinn Sullivan came off the bench and Real and Bueno were unused subs in Philadelphia’s 1-0 win.

The Young Lions got off to the better start in this game, creating their first chance in the sixth minute. Loyola found Tablante on the far side of the field, creating a shot for the midfielder. The shot was blocked and Alex Freeman picked it up but it was quickly knocked out for a corner kick.

A minute later, Loyola sent another ball towards the back post. It was likely supposed to be a cross for Tablante on the far side, but the ball drifted toward the far post and appeared to be on target. In fact, it was close enough that Union II goalkeeper Matt Freese felt that it was necessary to dive and catch the long ball.

Tablante should’ve opened the scoring in the 12th minute when he took the ball away on the Philadelphia half of the field and bolted the other way. The midfielder had a breakaway on goal and attempted to dribble around a defender and beat Freese. However, he lost control, which resulted in a weak shot, allowing the Union II goalkeeper to jump on the ball.

It appeared that Tablante might have another breakaway chance in the 18th minute when a nice flick on by Lynn with the outside of his right foot sprung the midfielder free. However, the assistant had his flag up, signaling for offside.

Philadelphia had its best early chance in the 23rd minute when Brandan Craig played a ball through for Bueno. The midfielder nearly caught up to the ball in the box behind the OCB defense, but it was a bit too far in front of the sliding Bueno and Javier Otero collected it.

The Union had another chance in the 26th minute when Real sent a cross in looking for Bueno. The cross found Bueno’s head, but he couldn’t get it down and the shot went over the crossbar.

The best first-half chance for OCB came in the 28th minute. It started with Tablante, who used some nifty footwork to beat a pair of defenders. He found Lynn in front of goal but the striker’s shot was right at Freese. The block went right to Victor Yan, who fired on goal from the top of the box. However, his shot bounced off the crossbar and the Young Lions missed another great opportunity to open the scoring.

A bit of history occurred for OCB just after the missed chances. Philadelphia broke the other way and Juan Perdomo went down injured in the OCB box. The midfielder required medical assistance, forcing him to come off for three minutes, as the recently released injury rule for MLS NEXT Pro dictates. While other players have received attention during OCB games since the rule came into effect, it was the first time that the player wasn’t substituted.

Sullivan nearly gave the visitors the lead in the 37th minute. The midfielder fired a shot off from the top of the box that was dipping and appeared to be headed just below the crossbar. As a result, Otero was forced to tip it over.

In the 42nd minute, Sullivan attempted a curling shot from outside the box toward the lower right corner, but Otero did well in goal, diving to make the catch and keeping the game scoreless.

A minute later, Sullivan attempted to catch Otero off his line from his own side of the field. The ball was sailing close to the crossbar but went just over, falling on top of the net. However, Otero wasn’t too far out and was close enough that he would’ve caught it had it not gone over.

Union II had one more chance as the first half neared its end. Anton Sorenson made a nice run, getting a shot off to the right. Otero blocked it away and Thomas Williams cleared it away from danger.

OCB had the better first half overall, with better chances. At the half, OCB had more possession (61.1%-38.9%) but Philadelphia had more shots (8-5), shots on target (4-2), corners (3-2), and crosses (5-2).

The visitors got off to a roaring start to the second half. Inside the first minute, a good cross to the far side met the foot of Perdomo. The midfielder attempted to shoot to the far post, but missed just wide.

In the 50th minute, Donovan dribbled into the middle of the box and found enough space to shoot. With no defenders in front of him, it was a golden chance to open the scoring, but the shot was right at Otero, who easily caught it.

Union II finally broke through two minutes later. A long corner kick towards the far side of the box was headed back across by Donovan. Real beat the OCB defenders to the ball and headed it past Otero to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead.

Philadelphia nearly got a second in the 54th minute when an attempted cross by Sullivan was blocked out of play by Ignacio Galvan. The corner was redirected on goal by Nathan Nkanji and beat Otero, but Lynn was there to head it off the line and the Young Lions avoided a two-goal deficit.

OCB could have found the equalizer in the 59th minute when Lynn was sent through into the Philadelphia box. However, Boubacar Diallo played it well, clearing the ball out of play for a corner kick.

The ensuing corner fell in the middle of the box. As the Union II players failed to clear it, OCB attempted to find space for a shot. Unfortunately, they were unable to find enough space to put the ball on goal. The ball popped out to Loyola outside the box and the midfielder shot but it was well off target.

The Young Lions had another opportunity in the 65th minute when Taylor’s cross was over the head of Lynn at the top of the six-yard box. However, it landed at the feet of Freeman who played it back for Lynn, who sent his shot over the crossbar.

In the 68th minute, OCB caught a break. Tablante was sent through on goal and Freese came out to challenge. He took down Tablante just outside the box, which referee Anya Voigt determined was a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity and issued Freese a red card. As a result, Philadelphia took Diallo off for backup goalkeeper Brooks Thompson.

The ensuing free kick was right into the wall. Lynn ended up with the ball with more space in front of goal but sent it right to Thompson. However, the backup goalkeeper was unable to control it and it fell to Loyola, whose shot missed high.

In the 75th minute, the teams went to the sidelines for a hydration break. During the stoppage, multiple OCB players surrounded the officials near midfield. Voigt ended up showing a red card to Otero. In about 10 minutes, both teams had lost their starting goalkeepers.

The sending off of Otero meant that OCB had to bring on backup goalkeeper Dominic Pereira. It was the 17-year-old Orlando City academy product’s first professional appearance. To make room for the goalkeeper, Perelman took off Galvan. He also replaced Lynn with Ethan Subachan, which helped the Young Lions get back into the game.

OCB found its equalizer in the 85th minute. Freeman received a long pass on the right and sent it back across the box. Freeman’s beautiful cross sailed beyond Thompson to where Subachan was standing near the back post. The second-half substitute didn’t waste his opportunity, putting it in for his first professional goal and evening the game at 1-1.

However, the game didn’t remain tied for long. Just two minutes after the Young Lions scored, Philadelphia took the lead back. Real sent a long cross into the box that found Bueno, but Williams blocked his shot. The rebound went to Sullivan, who aimed for the far post. Making a run further into the box, Bueno got his heel to the ball and it went into the far corner, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.

A minute into second-half injury time, Union II nearly put the game away. Pierre found space for a shot and aimed for the right low corner but sent the ball just wide. Moments later, OCB’s Freeman sent a ball across the box, but nobody in purple was there to get on the end of it.

Four minutes into added time, Philadelphia put the game away. Pareja lost the ball to Sullivan near midfield and the Union II midfielder started a three-on-two break. With an option on either side, he sent the ball to the left for Pierre. After missing just wide minutes earlier, Pierre put it into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Tensions flared following the goal as the players gathered near midfield. Pierre had been booked for his excessive celebration after the goal but that wasn’t all. The fracas at midfield resulted in Maike Villero and Pareja getting booked. It was Pareja’s second booking of the game, as he also received a yellow in the 83rd minute for a professional foul.

Initially, Pareja thought he had gotten away with it as Voigt didn’t seem to realize that she had already booked the midfielder. However, she eventually realized that he was already on a yellow card and sent him off, reducing the Young Lions to nine men.

Philadelphia had one more chance to make it four when Sullivan set up Bueno but the shot was off target. Down to nine players and two goals, there was no coming back for the hosts and OCB fell again at home.

In the end, OCB commanded possession (60.6%-39.4%), though the Young Lions had less possession in the second half. Philadelphia ended up with more shots (22-15), shots on goal (10-5), corners (5-3), and crosses (12-10).

The two teams were tied on points coming into this game, so Philadelphia ended the night in seventh while OCB fell to eighth. The Young Lions will also stay in third in the Central Division, tied on points with Chicago Fire II and six points behind Inter Miami II.

OCB will now have a two-week break before traveling north of the border to take on Toronto FC II on Aug. 7 at 7 p.m.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Columbus Crew 2: Final Score 4-3 as OCB Loses First Road Game of 2024

OCB conceded twice in two minutes in the late stages, falling to Columbus Crew 2.

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1 day ago

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May 15, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (3-3-3, 13 points) lost its first away game of the season this afternoon, falling 4-3 to Columbus Crew 2 (4-3-2, 15 points) at Lower.com Field. Wilfredo Rivera and Shak Mohammed were the OCB goal scorers, while the third was an own goal by Ty Nero. Jayden Da, Chase Adams, and Gibran Rayo scored for the hosts, with the fourth being an own goal by Imanol Almaguer.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg only made one change to the team that earned a 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls II last Wednesday night. Yutaro Tsukada was out of the team after joining the first team on a short-term contract. His spot in the starting lineup went to fellow first-team attacker Favian Loyola.

The back line for the Young Lions in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Manuel Cocca, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Almaguer and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Jhon Solis, Mohammed, and Loyola with Rivera starting up top.

This will be considered three points lost for OCB. The Young Lions took an early lead in both halves and, without three poor minutes, might’ve been able to return home with all three points. They dominated the chances throughout the game and led in every major statistical category at halftime and full time. However, their inability to hold onto the two leads is something that will haunt this team as it takes an extended break.

OCB was the early aggressor, creating an attack in the opening seconds through Rivera and Loyola. However, Loyola lost possession on the right. The Young Lions restarted their attack, resulting in the first shot of the game. Solis lifted the ball into the box and Rivera met it, attempting a volley to the far post. He didn’t hit it well and the ball rolled harmlessly wide of the target.

The Young Lions created their second attack in the third minute when Mohammed made a run down the end line and attempted to send the ball across the face of goal. Crew 2 goalkeeper Stanislav Lapkes did well to get down and knock it out of play with his foot. The first corner was looking for Kibunguchy at the far post, but Adams got to it first, heading the ball over the crossbar. Rivera’s second corner kick was aiming for back-post heads again, but it went all the way across the field and out of play, ending the attack.

Crew 2 had its first chance in the ninth minute when Giogrio De Libera was sent forward to the end line. The midfielder played the ball back for Jacob Greene, who was wide open near the penalty spot. The shot got behind Mercado, but Freeman was there to clear it off the line and over the crossbar. The ensuing corner kick was cleared out without much trouble.

In the 13th minute, Nero took Loyola down hard from behind near midfield, leading to the game’s first goal. The ensuing set piece was a give-and-go between Freeman and Loyola. Sent down the right, Freeman played a great ball in front of goal, where Rivera was making a run. It only took a soft touch from the forward to tap it behind Lapkes and in to give the Young Lions the 1-0 advantage.

OCB had another shot two minutes later, but this one was much less troublesome for the hosts. Solis gained possession well outside the box and tried to find space to create an opportunity. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find anything and shot from distance. The shot was right at Lapkes, creating no problems for the goalkeeper.

The hosts found their equalizer in the 18th minute from a set piece. It started when a mishit by Adams landed at the feet of Greene at the top of the box. The midfielder shot immediately and his attempt was heading inside the post, but Mercado dove to his left to tip it wide. The ensuing corner kick was cleared and ended up with Adrian Gonzalez on the far side. It was a great cross to the opposite post, where Da outjumped Williams and headed it past Mercado to even the game at 1-1.

Da nearly had a second goal in the 22nd minute when he found enough space to take a shot at goal. The attempt took a deflection, sending it into the outside of the net. The ensuing corner kick didn’t result in anything else, keeping the game tied.

Rivera had a chance for his second in the 25th minute when he was sent forward by Loyola. The forward had Greene on his hip, but had a step on the defender. He slowed up slightly to set up his shot, enabling Greene to stick his foot in and clear it out of play.

The ensuing short corner kick fell for a second inside the six-yard box, but it was eventually cleared by Da.

Crew 2 immediately went the other way and created a chance of its own. Owen Presthus was sent down the right and played a dangerous cross into the OCB box, where Da was making a run to the back post. Fortunately, Kibunguchy slid in at the last second to knock the ball away.

A minute later, the hosts took their first lead of the day. Kibunguchy played the ball back to Mercado, who had plenty of time to find a teammate. However, he inexplicably sent the ball directly to Adams. The Crew 2 forward was calm with possession, slipping the ball past a flat-footed Mercado and giving his team a 2-1 lead.

OCB equalized in the 34th minute with a goal that was similar to the first. Freeman was sent down the right with a long ball. He had Rivera making a run into the box, but sent it to the top of the 18 instead. Mohammed was making a trailing run and did well with it, putting his first touch on target. It was close to Lapkes, but the Crew 2 goalkeeper couldn’t get to it and OCB evened the game at 2-2.

The Young Lions probably should’ve had a third in the 37th minute when Loyola made a run to the end line and sent the ball back for Rivera near the penalty spot. The forward attempted to set up for a shot, but the ball got caught in his feet. As a result, Crew 2 was able to clear.

OCB nearly took the lead in the 41st minute with a long ball down field. Rivera was attempting to run onto it, but it was too far in front of him. Fortunately, Freeman was also making a run and the right back connected with it. His shot appeared to be on target, but Lapkes came off his line and deflected the shot over the crossbar.

Two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Rivera had a chance when he was sent forward by Solis. His first touch was a shot from a tight angle, but hit the outside of the post. The forward came back from an offside position to meet the ball and the referee determined he was too late, ruling him offside.

The Young Lions had one final chance in the first half with the last touch . They were looking for a shot from just outside of the box, but Mohammed’s last touch was cleared out. However, it was a soft clearance right to Almaguer. The OCB captain fired from distance and missed just wide of the near post, resulting in the game entering halftime at 2-2.

After 45 minutes, OCB had more shots (10-5), shots on target (5-4), corner kicks (4-3), and crosses (6-2), and better passing accuracy (88.4%-85.2%). Despite creating more chances than the opposition, the Young Lions only scored twice and went to the break tied.

Crew 2 created the first chance of the second half and it was from a familiar source. Greene entered the OCB box with Freeman on his hip, but got past the right back to shoot from a tight angle. Mercado did well to cover his near post and blocked the shot, enabling Kibunguchy to clear the ball away.

OCB had its first second-half chance in the 50th minute when Loyola lifted the ball behind the Crew 2 defense where Rivera was making a run. The forward raced for the ball, attempting to beat Lapkes to it, but the Crew 2 goalkeeper got to it first.

However, in the 51st minute, OCB took its second lead of the game. Solis sent Almaguer forward and the OCB captain sent a cross into the six-yard box. The pass was behind Freeman, but Nero accidentally knocked the ball into his own net, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead.

Crew 2 quickly went the other way and created a chance off the restart. It was a strong attempt from outside of the box that appeared to be heading inside the near post, but Mercado dove to his right and tipped it wide. The ensuing corner kick was cleared by the Young Lions and they maintained their one-goal lead.

In the 57th minute, Presthus received the ball on the right and sent a dangerous low ball into the box. Williams got to it before anyone else, sending it over the crossbar for a Crew 2 corner kick. The ensuing set piece ended up with Diego Almeida outside of the box. The defender took a long distance shot, but sent it well over the target.

The Young Lions had a good chance in the 61st minute when Cocca found Mohammed making a run behind the back line. He reached the pass before he got to the end line and sent it to Freeman making a trailing run to the top of the six-yard box. The right back’s first touch was a shot with the inside of his foot, but Lapkes was there to make the stop.

OCB looked to strike on the counter attack in the 66th minute when Solis won the ball from Almeida near midfield. Solis sent Mohammed forward and the attacker attempted a shot from a tight angle, but Lapkes blocked it out of play with his leg. The ensuing corner kick by Rivera found the head of Williams, who got over the ball, but his attempt was off the crossbar.

A minute later, Rivera received the ball in the Crew 2 box. The forward dribbled across the face of goal, looking for space for a shot, but was well defended. His eventual attempt was blocked out for a corner kick. The first set piece was met by the head of Williams, but it was deflected out of play. The second corner kick found Mohammed, and he dribbled toward the end line before Almeida cleared it behind the goal. The final attempt resulted in a cross by Solis that Kibunguchy attempted to volley to the far post, but the center back missed wide.

Goldberg made his first change of the game in the 70th minute, replacing Mohammed with Yeiler Valencia.

Crew 2 found another equalizer in the 74th minute. Receiving the ball down the left, Tristan Brown sent the ball in front of goal. Almaguer attempted to clear it, but sent it into his own net instead, evening the game at 3-3.

It didn’t take long for the hosts to strike again and take their second lead. Second-half substitute Rayo had the ball in a seemingly innocuous position, with several players between him and the goal. Dribbling inside, the attacker shot from distance. It appeared as though Mercado couldn’t see the shot as he was left flat-footed, watching the ball travel inside his near post to give Crew 2 a 4-3 lead.

In the 82nd minute, Solis played a good ball forward for Valencia with space. The second-half substitute had room shoot, but it was well off target. Immediately after the miss, Goldberg made two more changes. Justin Ellis and Majed Abdullah entered the game for Rivera and Guske.

The Young Lions had a great chance to equalize again in the 86th minute when Almaguer sent a free kick to the back post. Cocca was making a run and found himself wide open. The left back attempted to put the header on goal, but sent it wide.

Before Crew 2 could restart play, Goldberg made his final change of the game, replacing Almaguer with Zakaria Taifi.

Despite being down a goal, the Young Lions weren’t able to create any shots during the four minutes of added time, falling 4-3 to Crew 2.

At full time, OCB had more shots (19-11), shots on target (8-7), corners (9-6), and crosses (9-7), and better passing accuracy (88.1%-85.6%). While they led in all statistical categories, a couple of poor minutes resulted in two goals for the hosts, turning an away win into a loss.

While OCB has already lost twice at home, this is their first loss away from Central Florida. They’re now 2-1-3 on the road and fall to seventh in the MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference after being jumped by Crew 2.

The Young Lions now have an extended break as they don’t return to the field again until Sunday, May 26. They’ll welcome Huntsville City FC to Osceola County Stadium as they look to get back on the right track.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. New York Red Bulls II: Final Score 3-1 as OCB Claims First Home Win of 2024

OCB uses two early goals to beat New York Red Bulls II.

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1 week ago

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May 8, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (3-2-3, 13 points) won its first home game of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season, 3-1 tonight over New York Red Bulls II (4-2-3, 17 points) at Osceola County Stadium. Shak Mohammed and Yutaro Tsukada both scored inside the first six minutes to give the Young Lions an early 2-0 lead, and Tsukada scored his second in the 34th minute. A second-half penalty by Ibrahim Kasule got one back for the visitors, but they couldn’t find any more.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes to the team that drew Chattanooga FC 1-1 away on Saturday. Carlos Mercado replaced Javier Otero in goal, while Alex Freeman returned to the starting lineup, sending Zakaria Taifi to the bench. The back line in front of Mercado was Manuel Cocca, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Wilfredo Rivera, Jhon Solis, and Tsukada. Mohammed started up top for the fifth consecutive game.

The Young Lions started the game as the aggressors, jumping on their opponents and taking an early two-goal lead. Mercado didn’t have much to do in goal during the first 45 minutes and only faced a couple of dangerous situations in the second half. Both teams had some bad giveaways that could’ve been devastating, but neither were able to take advantage. While New York threatened to score a second late, the Young Lions were never in danger of losing the lead.

OCB got off to the best possible start by striking just over 90 seconds after kickoff. It started with Tsukada in his own half, making a long run that included a give-and-go with Rivera. Tsukada fired from the top of the box, but hit the left post. The ball bounced right to Mohammed, who controlled it and shot with his second touch. New York goalkeeper Aidan Stokes got a hand to it, but it wasn’t enough as the striker gave the hosts the early 1-0 lead. It was his second straight match with a goal.

“Especially the first 10 minutes, we conceded the early goal the last few games,” Tsukada said about the quick start. “So we’ve been talking about the first 10 minutes to be more aggressive to get the first goal.”

It didn’t take OCB long to double its advantage, doing so in the sixth minute. Guske sent a long ball from his own half that found Tsukada at the top of the New York box. Dylan Sullivan was on the rookie, but gave up defending when he saw Stokes near the top of the box. Tsukada dribbled around the goalkeeper, making it an easy finish and giving the Young Lions a commanding 2-0 lead inside 10 minutes.

“I was trying to get in behind because I haven’t been scoring the last five games. So I was trying to score,” Tsukada said about his goal. “And then getting behind was important for me.”

The visitors had their first opportunity in the eighth minute when Omar Valencia sent a cross into the OCB box. It was headed out by Cocca, but only to Steven Sserwadda outside of the box. The midfielder sent the bouncing ball towards goal, but missed wide of the target.

New York had a second attempt in the 10th minute when Guske won the ball from Rafael Mosquera, but immediately lost possession. Frank Ssebufu quickly shot for the far post but missed wide.

In the 16th minute, Mohammed nearly scored his second of the night when Rivera forced Juan Gutierrez into a turnover by pressing him. The ball bounced right to Mohammed who only had Stokes in front of the goal. However, the striker slipped while attempting to shoot, sending the ball into the outside of the net.

Red Bulls II almost had a chance in the 21st minute when a poor tackle attempt by Kibunguchy enabled Mohammed Sofo to enter the box. Fortunately, Kibunguchy recovered well, catching up to the attacker and clearing the ball out of play. It took four consecutive corner kicks, but the final one went all the way through the box, enabling the Young Lions to clear the danger.

On the other end, OCB should’ve had a third goal when Solis dribbled to the end line and found Tsukada in the middle of the box. However, the midfielder took too many touches, enabling the New York defense to recover and win possession. Making matters worse, Tsukada had Mohammed open but couldn’t find him.

The Young Lions got their third goal in the 34th minute from a set piece. It started when Tsukada made a long run down the left and was pushed over by Bento Estrela, earning him a yellow card. Tsukada took the free kick, which deflected off a defender, catching Stokes going the wrong way and giving OCB a 3-0 lead.

Tsukada’s second of the night was an important goal, coming after a number of defensive third turnovers threatened to allow New York back into the match.

The Young Lions then created another set piece near the New York box in the 39th minute when Rivera cut back and won a foul from Gutierrez. Cocca and Tsukada stood over the ball with Cocca taking the set piece. However, his free kick was well over the target and never caused any concern for Stokes.

In the 43rd minute, Omar Valencia sent a cross towards the back post that met the head of Ssebufu, jumping over Williams. The header was over the crossbar, but New York won the goal kick back with its press and created another chance for Ssebufu. The midfielder’s second shot was further off target, missing wide.

In the final minute of first-half injury time, Sullivan’s ball into the box was cleared out by Kibugnuchy but only to Mosquera. The forward used some nifty footwork to cut back and lose Guske before getting off a shot. However, Williams got his body in the way and blocked the attempt, enabling the Young Lions to take a 3-0 lead into halftime.

After 45 minutes, New York had more shots (8-7), corners (5-2), and crosses (6-2) than the hosts, but OCB had more shots on target (3-2) and better passing accuracy (89.8%-85.7%). Most importantly, all of OCB’s shots on frame went in as the Young Lions took a three-goal lead into the break.

Goldberg made two changes at halftime, one defensive and one offensive. Abdi Salim replaced Williams at center back and Justin Elliis replaced Rivera in the attack.

Red Bulls II created the first chance of the second half in the 51st minute when Kasule drew a foul just outside of the OCB box. Three attackers stood over the ball, but it was Sofo who took the set piece. However, he sent it directly into the wall, enabling OCB to clear.

The visitors found their first goal of the night in the 55th minute when Sofo dribbled across the box. Guske charged in with an ill-advised challenge from behind, taking down the attacker. Referee Russell Miller immediately pointed to the spot, awarding New York a penalty.

Kasule stepped up to take the penalty, doing so with confidence. As Mercado dove to his right, Kasule put the spot kick into the opposite top corner. It was an excellent penalty that Mercado couldn’t have reached even if he had guessed correctly. As a result, the OCB lead was cut to 3-1.

In the 63rd minute, Tsukada attempted to take on a double team consisting of Sullivan and Sserwadda after receiving a long ball by Cocca. Sullivan defended the midfielder well, winning the ball and tapping it to Sserwadda. However, Cocca quickly won it back and took a shot towards the far post. There was no way Stokes was going to reach the attempt, but the shot missed just wide.

The Young Lions felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 65th minute when Tsukada received a long ball forward from Guske. He played it inside for the oncoming Mohammed, who slipped while attempting to send his first touch inside the far post. The ball bounced off of Gutierrez and the OCB players thought it was a hand ball, but Miller determined otherwise.

Sofo attempted an ambitious shot in the 69th minute that would’ve been the goal of the season. It started when Sserwadda chipped the ball into the box for Kasule. The New York goal scorer found Sofo in the middle and the attacker turned and volleyed the ball. However, he wasn’t able to get over it, sending the attempt over the target.

Tsukada made an excellent run into the New York box in the 71st minute and nearly scored a fantastic goal. He had one man to beat, but Aidan O’Connor stood tall and made the stop as the last defender. Almaguer took control of the clearance and found Tsukada, again defended by O’Connor. The midfielder went down and OCB felt a penalty should have been called, but Miller only told Tsukada to get up.

Shortly after the play, Goldberg made his third change of the game as Favian Loyola replaced Solis.

New York nearly cut the deficit to one in the 74th minute when quick passing saw Tanner Rosborough with the ball on the right. The second-half substitute sent a low cross that went just past the sliding Salim and found Sofo right in front of goal. Mercado hadn’t been challenged much in this game, but stood his ground and blocked the shot.

OCB’s fourth substitution came in the 77th minute during the second-half hydration break, with Diego Pareja entering the game for Guske.

In the 80th minute, a mistake in the OCB box nearly resulted in a second goal for New York. It began with an innocuous free kick by Cocca back to Mercado. The goalkeeper sent a short pass forward to Almaguer, but the OCB captain couldn’t control it. Rosborough got to the ball first and played it over for Sofo, who took a shot. Fortunately, Mercado was there to make the stop.

An 81st-minute free kick in OCB’s own half nearly ended in a fourth goal when Almaguer played it forward for Freeman and the defender sent Loyola down the right. The substitute made a perfect pass between two defenders to Mohammed, sending the forward into the box. Mohammed attempted to guide the ball inside the far post with his first touch, but missed wide.

Freeman had a chance in the 84th minute when Loyola, after a give-and-go with Mohammed, played the ball into the middle of the field for Ellis. Rather than taking it himself, Ellis laid it off for Freeman making an overlapping run. The right back attempted a shot from a tight angle, but missed wide of the far post.

On the field for less than 10 minutes, Pareja went down in the 85th minute and required attention. Instead of going down a man while trying to keep the lead, per MLS NEXT Pro rules for lengthy injuries, Goldberg made his final substitution, replacing Pareja with Taifi.

Red Bulls II had a great chance at a second in the 88th minute when a ball across the box was just missed by Kasule and ended up with Juan Mina. The substitute sent the ball back across, which Mercado blocked with his leg. However, it only went to Rosborough right in front of goal. He tried to turn and put a shot inside the post, but missed wide.

The fourth official showed seven minutes of stoppage time and New York continued its attack. In the third minute, Sserwadda found Curtis Ofori at the top of the OCB box. The first touch by Ofori was a shot towards goal that sailed just over the crossbar. That was the last chance for the visitors as the Young Lions held on for the 3-1 win.

New York created more chances than OCB, ending the game with more shots (19-12) and shots on target (5-4). The Red Bulls also had more corners (6-4) and crosses (15-7). Meanwhile, the Young Lions had better passing accuracy (88.4%-85.5%).

The game was won on two early goals, a reversal from what OCB has been dealing with this season. The Young Lions have conceded inside the first 11 minutes in four of their first seven games and inside the first 10 minutes in their last two. Rather than being put on the back foot early, they put the opposition in that position tonight, something Goldberg was happy about.

“It was good to hit the first punch today. So finally we were able to overcome that,” Goldberg said about scoring early. “We were getting scored on in the first minutes, now we were able to reverse that. So that’s a really good point. It feels really good, mainly for them, because they had the attitude that we’ve been talking about. They did it by themselves. It was them. They are the protagonists. They are the ones responsible for the things. For the good things. So, very happy for that.”

The win is OCB’s first at home this season (1-2-0). That includes the game against Inter Miami II at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, which was officially a home game. The three goals equals the most the Young Lions have scored in a game this season, with the other being their 3-2 win away to Atlanta United 2 on March 16 in the season opener.

OCB is off this weekend before hitting the road with another weekday matchup. This one will be an afternoon affair at Columbus Crew 2 Wednesday, May 15 at noon.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II: Final Score 2-1 as OCB Drops First True Home Game of 2024

Toronto FC II scored two goals off rebounds as OCB drops its first game at Osceola County Stadium this season.

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3 weeks ago

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April 28, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (2-2-2, 9 points) fell 2-1 to Toronto FC II (2-2-1, 7 points) in the Young Lions’ first game at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee this season. While Wilfredo Rivera netted OCB’s lone goal of the game, Toronto scored twice when Charlie Sharp and Jesus Batiz reacted quicker than the Young Lions defense, putting in rebounds.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made one change to the team that beat Crown Legacy FC 2-0 away on April 19, as Nabi Kibunguchy returned to the starting lineup in place of Abdi Salim. The back four in front of Javier Otero were Manuel Cocca, Thomas Williams, Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Imanol Alamguer and Colin Guske made up the defensive midfield behind Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Rivera with Shak Mohammed up top.

The home side was the better team throughout much of the game, but its inability to get shots on frame had a major impact on the result. The Young Lions missed the target on all five first-half chances and only put two on target in the second half. The other significant impact on the game was the team’s late reactions to rebounds after Otero saves. Both Toronto goals came from blocked shots where defensive players were caught flat-footed, enabling the visitors to score.

The first chance of the game for the Young Lions came in the sixth minute when Almaguer chipped the ball over the Toronto defense for Tsukada running behind. The rookie got his foot to the ball with a soft shot towards goal, but Antony Curic got in front and blocked the attempt.

The visitors took the lead in the ninth minute. Sharp cut inside to enter the box before dropping the ball back to Markus Cimermancic, who shot on goal. Otero did well to get down and block the attempt, but Sharp reacted quicker than Guske, getting to it first. The forward touched the rebound into the far corner to give Toronto a 1-0 lead.

In the 15th minute, Cocca sent a cross into the Toronto box from the left. It got through multiple players before Freeman and Batiz slid in trying to win the ball. They collided at the top of the six, enabling Toronto goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario to jump on it.

Rivera took OCB’s second shot in the 17th minute after receiving the ball from Freeman. The attacker attempted an ambitious and ill-advised shot from long distance with Batiz right in front of him. The Toronto midfielder blocked the attempt with ease and ended the threat.

Toronto had another opportunity in the 28th minute when Guske went down from a challenge by Sharp while receiving a pass from Kibunguchy. The ball rolled to Charlie Stanland, who sent it forward for Sharp. Looking for his second goal of the game, Sharp took a long-distance shot past Williams that forced Otero to make a diving block.

The Young Lions were given a good opportunity in the 31st minute when Stanland went up and over Tsukada for a high bouncing ball. Referee Brad Jensen blew for a foul, giving OCB a free kick about 30 yards out and directly in front of goal. Tsukada and Rivera stood over the ball, with Tsukada taking the set piece. It was a dipping shot, but it went just over the crossbar.

In the 37th minute, Solis found Almaguer near the penalty spot. Facing the sideline, Almaguer turned in an attempt to get over the ball and send it on goal. Unfortunately, he was unable to put it on target, sending the shot well over the target.

Cocca’s cross in the 41st minute was blocked out of play by Curic, giving OCB the first corner kick of the game. The ensuing set piece by Cocca was to the near post, where Freeman beat Ythallo and got a soft touch towards goal. It was behind De Rosario, but Adam Pearlman was there to clear it away.

At halftime, OCB had the advantage in shots (5-4), corners (1-0), crosses (5-1), and passing accuracy (87.3%-79.4%). But while Toronto was able to put three attempts on target, OCB didn’t have any on frame, and the visitors scored the lone goal in the first 45 minutes.

OCB came out of halftime flying, in search of an equalizer. In the 48th minute, Tsukada found Rivera to his right. The attacker shot on goal, but it was deflected into the arms of De Rosario. Seconds later, Cocca sent a dangerous cross into the box, looking for Tsukada. It was a little behind the midfielder and he couldn’t control it, enabling Toronto to clear.

In the 49th minute, Tsukada was the one to send a hard cross across the face of goal. However, nobody in purple was making a run into the six-yard box and it was cleared away.

The Young Lions finally converted in the 50th minute, a goal that was well deserved. Cocca’s ball into the box was headed away by Batiz, but only to Rivera nearby. The former first-team Homegrown Player controlled the ball with his thigh before volleying it past De Rosario to even the game at 1-1.

“I don’t know. I just saw it coming out, took a touch with my thigh, and tried to put it in the back of the net,” Rivera said about his goal. “And it worked.”

“I think he’s having a really great personality,” Goldberg said about the goal scorer. “He’s becoming really strong for us and we are happy for him.”

Toronto had its first sustained attack of the half in the 58th minute, when Ythallo’s shot headed towards the far post. Otero did well to dive to his left, tipping the ball out of play for a corner kick.

While the first two set pieces were headed out by Mohammed and Cocca, the third one stayed in play. The ball was headed in and out of the box before Mark Fisher volleyed it towards goal. However, the shot was wide, enabling the Young Lions to end the threat.

Goldberg made his first substitution of the game in the 63rd minute and it was a like-for-like change as Tahir Reid-Brown came into the game for Cocca at left back.

OCB should’ve taken the lead in the 69th minute when Rivera took the ball away from Ythallo, Toronto’s last defender. Rivera dribbled in on De Rosario and shot towards the near post with his left foot, sending the attempt wide. The Toronto goalkeeper had his near post covered, so Rivera probably should’ve opened up and gone for the far post. Regardless, the game remained tied at 1-1.

Toronto went straight down field from the goal kick and created a chance. Batiz lifted the ball across the box to Fisher on the far side. The attacker headed the ball back across goal, but nobody in white could get on the end of it. He had time to control the ball and shoot, but OCB was able to clear instead.

OCB made two more changes in the 77th minute and, again, they were like-for-like changes. Forwards Rivera and Mohammed were replaced by Justin Ellis and Favian Loyola.

One of the two most recent substitutes got involved quickly as Ellis found Tsukada just outside of the box. The midfielder turned and shot on goal, but De Rosario was there to collect it.

In the 83rd minute, Williams fouled Fisher outside of the box, giving Toronto a free kick. Julian Altobelli and Batiz stood over the free kick as OCB set up a two-man wall. Batiz’s shot was blocked by Solis but went right back to him. His second shot was towards the near post, but rolled just wide.

Goldberg made another change in the 87th minute. Tsukada, who was dangerous for much of the game on the left side, was replaced by Yeiler Valencia, who made his OCB debut.

While OCB had been the better team throughout the second half, it was Toronto that found the late goal. In the 89th minute, Andrei Dumtru found Altobelli inside the box. The midfielder cut inside to beat Williams and attempted a curling shot towards the far post. Otero made a diving save, knocking it wide. However, in a play eerily similar to Toronto’s first goal, Batiz beat Freeman to the loose ball and put it into the roof of the net, giving the visitors a 2-1 lead.

Immediately after the goal, Goldberg made his final substitution of the game, replacing Guske with Diego Pareja.

Five minutes into stoppage time, Toronto had a good chance to put the game away through Altobelli on the left. Otero did well to get down and block the first shot, but the ball circulated around and ended up back with Altobelli. He shot a second time towards the far post, but Otero made another good stop to keep it a one-goal game.

OCB quickly sent the ball the other away, looking to create a final chance as the clock ticked past six minutes of stoppage time. But a late foul was the final action and the final whistle secured the Young Lions’ 2-1 loss.

At full time, Toronto had more shots (15-9), shots on target (7-2), and corner kicks (5-1). OCB had the edge in crosses (8-6) and passing accuracy (87.1%-82.2%), but the team’s struggles finishing and poor reaction time to Otero saves cost the Young Lions dearly.

“Unfortunately, we got surprised with an early goal, which is something that we are trying to avoid. So that’s really something to work on, to act more than what we react,” Goldberg said about the game. “But after that, the group reacted really well. That makes us very happy. Of course, we are not comfortable with the result, but there’s still a long way to go for us.”

“I thought we came out pretty slow. Obviously, they got the goal in the first couple minutes, but I think we bounced back pretty well,” Rivera added. “Obviously it was a tough result. Obviously our first game at home as well, so it was a bad one for us.”

OCB remains on a four-game unbeaten run away from home, but is now 0-2-0 in the state of Florida. While the first of those two games was at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, it was considered the team’s first home game of the season.

The Young Lions will head back out on the road, which has been a friendlier environment for them, as they face Chattanooga FC Saturday evening.

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