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Orlando City B

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

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4 years ago

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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.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II: Final Score 3-1 as OCB Takes Big Step Toward Playoffs

OCB earns its third straight win, ensuring the Young Lions control their own playoff destiny heading into Decision Day.

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3 hours ago

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September 13, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (11-9-7, 44 points) earned a huge three points with a 3-1 win over Toronto FC II (11-12-4, 39 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Ignacio Gomez and Gustavo Caraballo scored first-half goals before Harvey Sarajian made it 3-0 in the 58th minute. Elias Khodri converted a penalty late, but it wasn’t enough for the visitors.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding deployed the same starting lineup that cruised to a 4-1 win over Inter Miami II on Sept. 4. Tristan Himes was in goal, behind a back line of Clovis Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were the defensive midfielders, Caraballo, Sarajian, and Issah Haruna were the attacking midfielders, and Pedro Leao started up top.

The hosts were the better team from the opening whistle and fully deserved the win. They created more chances and better opportunities, taking a commanding lead just before the hour mark. They bunkered down in the final 10 minutes, allowing the visitors to control possession, and it took some good saves from Himes to avoid a nail-biting finish. But they come away with a huge result heading into the last game of the regular season.

The first chances came in the third minute when a poor pass by Amoo-Mensah for Himes went over the end line for a Toronto corner kick. While the visitors couldn’t create anything from the set piece, the eventual cross went just over Reid Fisher’s head. Richard Chukwu collected the ball, and Okonski headed away his cross.

Caraballo broke the other way with Sarajian and Leao. The attacker decided to play the ball to his left for Sarajian, who dribbled into the box and sent his shot just wide of the near post.

Toronto had another good chance in the seventh minute when Chukwu sent a dangerous ball to the back post where Damar Dixon was making a run. Fortunately, Archange reached the ball first, knocking it over the end line. The Young Lions cleared the ensuing corner kick, ending the attack.

Leao intercepted a bad ball out of the back by Toronto goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario. Rather than dribbling into the box, the striker sent an off-target pass toward Sarajian. Fortunately, it was also just beyond Gabriel Mikina’s reach. Caraballo took possession and sent a weak shot that didn’t cause any trouble for De Rosario.

The Young Lions opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Amoo-Mensah found Haruna with space, allowing him to enter the Toronto third of the field. While Leao was calling for a square ball, Haruna played a beautiful pass between a pair of defenders for Gomez’s well-timed run into the box. The midfielder’s second touch was a shot past De Rosario and inside the far post to give OCB the 1-0 lead.

Amoo-Mensah made a run to the end line in the 42nd minute before sending a cross to the back post. Leao had his back to the goal and attempted a bicycle kick, sending his attempt wide.

A minute later, the Young Lions doubled their lead. It started with an innocuous ball from Archange to Caraballo in the OCB half. The attacker dribbled into the Toronto third with no defender stepping up to challenge him. As he approached the top of the box, Caraballo took a touch inside and sent a gorgeous, curling shot past De Rosario and just inside the far post to make it 2-0.

Miller touched the ball off of Salaou’s foot in the third minute of stoppage time and Sarajian broke the other way. Caraballo sprinted down the field to provide support and Sarajian sent him into the Toronto box. The attacker opened up and attempted to curl the ball around De Rosario, but the goalkeeper got down to make a terrific save. However, Sarajian waited too long to make the final pass, causing Caraballo to be offside, so it wouldn’t have counted had it gone in.

It was a good first half by the hosts, who held the advantage in shots (7-2), shots on target (3-0), and passing accuracy (90.4%-90.1%). Toronto had more crosses (3-2) and corner kicks (4-1) in the first 45 minutes.

OCB had a great chance for a third in the 48th minute when Himes threw the ball long for Sarajian. The Young Lions had a two-on-one break with Leao to Sarajian’s right. However, as the defender closed him down, Sarajian tried to take it himself, lost possession, and ended up being called for a foul.

A minute later, Sarajian had the ball in the Toronto box with more defenders. This time, the attacker played it square for Caraballo, whose first touch sent it further right for Haruna. The midfielder settled and shot, but his attempt was deflected off target.

Toronto had a golden chance to get one back in the 54th minute when Marko Stojadinovic played Bryce Boneau in the OCB third of the field. Boneau’s first touch was a lovely pass for Jahmarie Nolan behind the back line. But, as the attacker prepared to open up for a shot, he tripped, softly touching the ball into Himes’ arms.

The Young Lions nearly scored a third in the 57th minute when Amoo-Mensah sent a fantastic cross beyond the far post. It was just over Dixon’s head where Okonski was waiting for it. The center back headed the ball toward the back post, forcing De Rosario to dive to his right to make a one-handed save.

Toronto quickly went the other way, losing the ball in the OCB third and allowing the Young Lions to build a counterattack. A give-and-go between Haruna and Gomez gave Haruna space to play the ball to Sarajian on the left. Stojadinovic was in a good defensive position, but Sarajian used his change of pace to create space for a shot, placing a left-footed shot from the left behind De Rosario and inside the right post to make it 3-0.

The goal seemed to spark Toronto as the Reds attempted to get back into the game to avoid being eliminated from playoff contention with one match remaining. In the 61st minute, Lucas Dawson dribbled through several OCB defenders before it was tapped off his foot. The ball went directly to Nolan at the top of the box, but his shot was over the target.

A minute later, Boneau winded through the OCB defense before playing the ball wide left for Fletcher Bank. Dixon came in from the right and tried to direct the ball on target but sent it over the crossbar. Bank created a chance for himself in the 65th minute, dribbling strongly down the left. The attacker had a step on Amoo-Mensah and found space for a shot, but he sent the attempt off target.

Wilding made his first substitution in the 66th minute, replacing Caraballo with Matthew Belgodere.

Stojadinovic received a pass from Boneau just inside the OCB half of the field in the 73rd minute and made a long run to the top of the box. The defender took a hard shot that Himes could only block wide. Toronto kept possession, eventually creating a cross for Dixon with nobody near him. The attacker’s first touch was a poor one, taking him inside and allowing Himes to close him down. By the time he was able to shoot, Himes was in an excellent position to make the save.

Wilding made two more changes during the 77th-minute hydration break. Brady Kendall and Nicolas Lasheras came on for Sarajian and Leao.

Kendall attempted to make his presence apparent in the 80th minute after receiving a pass from Haruna near the top of the Toronto box. The substitute took a touch before unleashing a right-footed shot that skipped wide of the target.

De Rosario tried to make something happen in the attack off the restart, sending a long ball into the OCB box. Dekwon Barrow had space and was behind the back line, but he couldn’t get enough on his header, allowing Himes to make the stop.

Toronto got a lifeline in the 83rd minute when Salaou found Fisher near the top of the OCB box. Belgodere challenged the center back, popping the ball up and towards the end line. It was a race bewteen Himes and Barrow to reach the ball with the Toronto attacker getting there first. As a result, Himes bundled him over from behind and referee Russell Miller pointed to the spot.

Khodri stepped up to take the spot kick. He sent Himes the wrong way, tucking the ball into the corner to make it 3-1.

In the 86th minute, a cross into the box went off Lasheras’ head, giving Toronto a great chance for a second. The deflection sent it over a group of players to Barrow and Khodri at the top of the six-yard box. Khodri was the one to get his head on the ball, sending his attempt over the crossbar.

Wilding made his two final changes in the 89th minute. Nicolas Torres and Caleb Trombino entered the contest, replacing Hylton and Haruna.

A poor touch by Kendall after receiving a pass from Archange in the 89th minute resulted in Stojadinovic taking possession. The defender carried the ball into the OCB third before firing from long distance right into Himes’ hands.

OCB put everyone behind the ball as the Young Lions tried to hold onto the two-goal lead. While Toronto controlled possession in the opposing half, the visitors couldn’t create any more shots, allowing the Young Lions to come away with the 3-1 win.

At full time, both teams had taken 14 shots and Toronto put one more on target (6-5). The visitors also attempted more crosses (12-5), won more corner kicks (6-3), and had better passing accuracy (88-7%-84.4%). But most of that was after OCB had a three-goal lead.

The Young Lions were struggling heading into the business end of the season. However, they responded from a five-game losing streak by winning their last three and putting themselves in a great spot to make the postseason.

The win puts OCB in eighth place on 44 points with every team having one game remaining. The Young Lions are only two points behind New England Revolution II for third and three points ahead of Huntsville City FC for 11th. As a result, they could finish anywhere from third to 11th, depending on what happens in the final game of the season.

That game will take place Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. when OCB hosts Atlanta United 2 at Oscoela County Stadium.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Inter Miami II: Final Score 4-1 as OCB Claims Three Huge Points in South Florida

OCB took a huge step towards qualifying for the playoffs with a road win over Inter Miami II.

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1 week ago

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September 4, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (10-9-7, 41 points) controlled in-state rival Inter Miami II (3-18-5, 15 points) tonight, winning 4-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Issah Haruna, Harvey Sarajian, Gustavo Caraballo, and Ignacio Gomez were the OCB goal scorers, while Nash Dearmin scored the lone goal for the South Florida club.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made one change to the team that beat Crown Legacy FC 3-2 Sunday night. Sarajian entered the starting lineup in place of Matthew Belgodere, who started on the bench.

Goalkeeper Tristan Himes started behind a back line of Clovis Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were in the defensive midfield behind Caraballo, Haruna, and Sarajian with Pedro Leao up top.

This was a much bigger game for OCB as the Young Lions fight for a playoff spot and Miami is already eliminated. That difference showed as the visitors were the more aggressive team and looked more determined to come away with three points. Miami created more shots than its opposition, but most of those attempts were from long range and well off target or blocked. Meanwhile, OCB had the better opportunities with a much higher percentage of shots on target.

The hosts created the first shot in the sixth minute when Nicholas Almeida intercepted a Sarajian pass and sent Idoh Zeltzer-Zubida forward. The attacker got behind the back line and it appeared as though he would be in on goal. But Okonski and Amoo-Mensah caught up. Amoo-Mensah deflected Zeltzer-Zubida’s shot from outside the box off target, and the Young Lions cleared the ensuing set piece.

OCB’s first chance came in the 10th minute and resulted in the game’s first goal. It started when Miller lifted the ball long on the right for Haruna. The attacker dribbled inside, used a spin to create space from his defender, and beat Matias Marin to his near post to give the Young Lions the early 1-0 lead.

It was Haruna’s third consecutive game with a goal after finding the net against Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 22 and Crown Legacy FC on Aug. 30.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Miami to respond. In the 12th minute, Marin sent a long ball down the right for Theo Vorenkamp. The right back cut back to create space from Archange and lifted a cross into the box for Mateo Saja. The attacker chested the ball down, but it was too far in front of him and Okonski sent it away.

The ball landed Dearmin’s feet. He took a couple of dribbles toward the center of the field before beating Himes to his right post to even the game at 1-1.

The Herons thought they’d taken the lead in the 15th minute when Zeltzer-Zubida sent a nice ball behind the back line for Saja. The attacker dribbled into the box and chipped Himes. However, the assistant referee correctly ruled Saja offside.

Miami forced Himes into his first quality save in the 19th minute when Matteo De Paula played Diego Rey to the end line. Okonski had a chance to clear the cross, but the center back couldn’t get a piece of the ball. It landed at Dearmin’s feet, but Himes tipped his shot over the crossbar. OCB cleared the ensuing corner, ending the threat.

Okonski headed away a set piece in the 22nd minute and a poor touch by Sloan Morrison gave OCB a two-on-one. Haruna drove down the field with Caraballo to his right. As Vorenkamp closed Haruna down, the midfielder played Caraballo into the box. Unfortunately, Caraballo’s shot was too close to Marin, allowing the goalkeeper to push the ball wide.

Four minutes later, the Young Lions took their second lead of the game. Amoo-Mensah gave the ball away in his own half, but a bad touch by Vorenkamp allowed Archange to retake possession. The left back played a beautiful ball between two defenders for Sarajian, making a run into the Miami third of the field. The attacker placed the ball behind Marin and inside the far post to give OCB a 2-1 lead.

Miami nearly responded right away, just as it did earlier. Vorenkamp laid the ball off for Rey, approaching the top of the OCB box. The attacker’s first touch was a shot past Himes and off the far post. The rebound set Saja up perfectly with a completely empty goal, but he couldn’t get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.

Amoo-Mensah sent a long ball forward for Sarajian in the 32nd minute, giving the attacker a good opportunity for his second goal. Vorenkamp caught up, forcing Sarajian to use a nifty touch to create space for a shot. However, Marin had his near post covered and blocked the attempt over the end line.

The ensuing set piece by Amoo-Mensah found Gomez at the far post. The midfielder’s initial header was blocked, but it fell right back to him. Marin blocked his second shot to the near post and the goalkeeper fell on the ball, ending the attack.

The hosts looked to even the game again in the 36th minute when Joseph Convers played a give-and-go with De Paula, setting Convers up just outside the OCB box. However, his first touch from the return pass was a shot that went right at Himes. Seconds later, Rey took the ball off of Miller’s foot and dribbled down the end line. He had a teammate trying to find space, but Archange and Okonski filled in that space, forcing Rey to fire a shot wide of the near post.

Leao broke down the middle in the 43rd minute, playing the ball to his right for Caraballo. The midfielder was unable to create a shot, causing him to look for Gomez instead. His pass was deflected, going to Hylton, who immediately found Leao. The striker quickly took a shot that forced Marin to tip it wide.

Less than a minute later, the Young Lions extended their lead. It started with Archange’s throw-in to Sarajian down the left. The attacker’s long cross through the box was controlled nicely by Haruna, laying the ball back for Caraballo. Gomez turned his back in the box as Caraballo fired from distance. In a bit of luck, the ball bounced off Gomez, redirecting past Marin and in to give OCB the 3-1 lead.

In the dying seconds of the first half, Leao played Haruna behind the back line. It looked like the midfielder might have a free shot on goal, but Vorenkamp slid in to deflect the attempt over the crossbar at the last second. The referee called a foul on the ensuing corner kick, ending the attack and the half.

Both teams took 10 shots in the first half, but OCB put more on target (7-3). While the Young Lions won more corner kicks (4-3) in the first 45 minutes, Miami had better passing accuracy (82.4%-75.3%).

OCB started the second half on the attack, just as it had ended the first. The Young Lions created a shot less than a minute after the restart as Sarajian found Caraballo near the penalty spot. But the attacker’s first-touch shot was over the target.

Miami’s first chance of the half came in the 48th minute when Dearmin played a lovely ball behind the back line for Rey. Himes did well to react quickly, coming off his line and blocking Rey’s attempt to chip him.

While both teams scored early in the first half, most of the early second-half shots were from outside the box and blocked. Miami put a chance on frame in the 57th minute when Saja lifted the ball from the left to the back post. Rey got his head to the ball but put his attempt into Himes’s chest.

Wilding made his first change in the 66th minute, replacing Leao with Belgodere. The substitute took his place on the left side and Sarajian moved into the striker role.

Gomez intercepted and cleared a Jerremy Ortela cross in the 74th minute, but Caraballo immediately lost possession to De Paula. Rather than looking for a teammate, De Paula took a long-distance shot from outside the box, sending his attempt into Himes’s arms.

De Paula received a pass on the left in the 76th minute, lifting a cross to the back post. Vorenkamp was there to get his head on the ball, sending his attempt wide of the near post. It was fortunate for OCB, as Vorenkamp had more time than he realized.

Wilding made two more changes in the 77th minute. Caraballo and Archange exited the contest, replaced by Nicholas Lasheras and Titus Sandy, Jr.

Sarajian played the ball to Belgodere on the left in the 81st minute and the midifeilder dribbled inside before finding Hylton near the penalty spot. Hylton spun to beat Morrison, who stuck his leg in, causing Hylton to go to the ground. Referee Jack Joyce pointed to the spot without hesitation, giving the Young Lions a golden opportunity to score a fourth.

With regular penalty takers Leao and Caraballo having departed, Gomez stepped up to take the kick. The young attacker did well with his first penalty of the season, sending Marin the wrong way to give OCB a commanding 4-1 lead.

Wilding made his final two changes in the 84th minute as Brady Kendall and Caleb Trombino came on for Haruna and Hylton.

Shortly after the changes, Miller fouled Judeson Aldeclat just outside the OCB box, giving the hosts a chance to get a goal back. Alejandro Flores took the set piece, sending his attempt just wide of the near post.

With the result no longer in question, the final minutes were more of a formality. A long-distance attempt by Flores that caused Himes little concern was the only shot by either team as the game slowly approached the final whistle.

At full time, Miami had more shots (22-16), but both teams put eight attempts on target. Despite Miami also winning more corner kicks (8-5), attempting more crosses (11-3), and having better passing accuracy (84.8%-73.8%), OCB came away with a relatively stress-free win.

The three points put OCB in a much stronger position to qualify for the playoffs. The Young Lions currently occupy the eighth position, which would host the No. 9 team in a one-game play-in game. They’re one point behind Atlanta United 2 and two ahead of NYCFC II. While both have a game in hand on the Young Lions, OCB and Atlanta will end the season against each other at Osceola County Stadium.

But that’s not all. OCB is only two points behind New England Revolution II and Connecticut United FC for the fifth and sixth spots. As a result, one of several results  — combined with a pair of OCB wins — will see the Young Lions qualify for the postseason.

OCB will likely have to win both of its last two games to make the postseason. That starts on Sept. 13 when the Young Lions host Toronto FC II in their penultimate game of the regular season.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 3-2 as OCB Snaps Five-Game Losing Streak

Two early second-half goals made the difference as OCB defeated Crown Legacy FC 3-2.

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2 weeks ago

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August 30, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (9-9-7, 38 points) snapped a five-game losing streak by defeating first-place Crown Legacy FC (13-5-7, 51 points) 3-2 tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Adrian Mendoza gave the visitors the early lead, and Issah Haruna equalized late in the first half. Goals inside the first three minutes of the second half by Matthew Belgodere and Gustavo Caraballo made it 3-1. Crown Legacy got one back through an Ignacio Gomez own goal in the 54th minute, but the Young Lions held on for the win.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made two changes to the team that lost 5-1 to Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 22. Clovis Archange and Caraballo entered the lineup, replacing Albright Chikamso and Nicolas Lasheras.

Goalkeeper Tristan Himes started behind a back line of Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were the defensive midfielders behind Belgodere, Caraballo, and Haruna, with Pedro Leao up top.

It looked like it would be a long night for OCB when Crown Legacy hit the post and scored inside six minutes. But they settled down and even got an equalizer before halftime. The key period of the game was the first three minutes of the second half, when OCB scored twice to take a 3-1 lead. The hosts were helped by the post two more times, allowing them to hold onto the lead and win their first game since July 12.

An Amoo-Mensah giveaway in the fifth minute gave Crown Legacy the first chance of the night. Andrew Johnson intercepted the pass and played it forward for Magic Smalls. The striker played it forward for Mendoza, who set up Andrej Subtoic for a shot that bounced off the near post. Unfortunately, the ball went right to Mendoza at the top of the box. The attacker dribbled inside to create space from Leao before sending a shot past Himes to give the visitors the early 1-0 lead.

The Young Lions created their first chances in the eighth minute when Haruna played Amoo-Mensah forward, and the right back’s cross was blocked out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was to the near post, where Johnson headed it over the end line for another. The second attempt bounced around the box before it landed at Okonski’s feet beyond the back post. The center back got a shot off, but Jahiem Wickham came off his line to make the save.

Crown Legacy was unable to clear, allowing Belgodere to find Archange making a run down the left. His cross glanced off Gomez’s head and fell to Caraballo on the right. Mikah Thomas blocked the midfielder’s first touch, ending the attack.

OCB turned a Crown Legacy corner kick into a counter in the 16th minute, led by Leao. The striker found Caraballo in the box, but he was unable to create enough space for a shot. However, after Crown Legacy headed out Belgodere’s cross, Archange found Leao. The defender wanted Leao to send the ball through for him, but Leao turned and fired wide instead.

Baye Coulibaly intercepted Himes’ poor pass out of the back in the 24th minute. The midfielder played the ball forward for Nathan Richmond before receiving it right back and sending his attempt over the goal.

OCB found the equalizer in the 31st minute. The Young Lions struggled at first to get the ball out of the back, but Belgodere was able to tap it to Leao, leading to a break down the field. The striker played the ball to the right for Haruna, who dribbled inside before firing behind a diving Wickham and into the far corner to even the game at 1-1.

Belgodere carried the ball into the Crown Legacy third of the field in the 45th minute and had space for a left-footed shot. But Willian Sangoquiza stuck his foot in and deflected it over the end line. The Young Lions played the ensuing set piece short to Caraballo and eventually played it wide to Amoo-Mensah. The right back’s cross found Leao’s head, but he put his attempt off the near post, narrowly missing giving OCB the late first-half lead.

At halftime, OCB had the advantage in shots (8-5), shots on target (2-1), corner kicks (5-4), and passing accuracy (82.7%-82.4%), but the teams traded goals and were even at the break.

The Young Lions got the second half off to the best possible start. Just 35 seconds in, Belgodere took the ball off Sangoquiza’s foot, dribbled inside to find some space, then beat Wickham to his near post to give OCB the 2-1 lead.

Three minutes later, Caraballo knocked the ball off of Johnson’s foot. It popped up to Haruna, who played a beautiful ball forward for Caraballo. The Homegrown product beat Johnson into the Crown Legacy box and used a deft chip to beat Wickham, making it 3-1 to the hosts.

In the 54th minute, Sangoquiza fired a ball off Gomez and over the end line for a corner kick. Jack Neeley volleyed the looping set piece, but Gomez cleared it. Coulibaly collected it outside the box and played it through Neeley and Mendoza for Richmond. Smalls and Gomez challenged for the cross, resulting in the ball glancing off Gomez’s head. It deflected over Himes, bounced off the inside of the post, and crept over the goal line to make it 3-2.

A short corner in the 61st minute gave OCB a great chance to extend its lead. Haruna found Amoo-Mensah in the box, and the right back quickly saw Leao nearby. The striker’s first touch was a shot with space, but he sent the ball well over the target.

An Amoo-Mensah giveaway in the 64th minute gave Crown Legacy an opportunity. Brian Romero took possession and laid the ball off for Sebastian Ventura with his back to the goal. Instead of a risky shot, the attacker found Daniel Longo approaching the OCB third of the field. Longo fired from distance, sending his attempt over the crossbar.

Wilding made his first changes of the game in the 75th minute. Hector Aguirre came on to loud cheers from friends and family, joined by Lasheras. The pair replaced Caraballo and Miller.

Aguirre collected a poor pass by Hugo Mbongue in the 78th minute and played it forward to Belgodere. Haruna made a run into the box and called for the ball, but Belgodere fired from distance instead, sending his attempt over the target.

Crown Legacy nearly equalized in the 82nd minute when Coulibaly found Sangoquiza darting down the right. The right back sent a low cross through the box that reached Romero on the left. The substitute cut inside to lose Amoo-Mensah and sent a shot just over the leg of Okonski. He beat Himes, putting his attempt off the far post. Longo followed the shot, putting his attempt off Okonski.

Ventura had a chance to even the game in the 86th minute when an Okonski clearance went to Thomas outside the box. Thomas played the ball square for Coulibaly, who sent Ventura between Okonski and Amoo-Mensah. The attacker used a nice spin move to get in on goal with Himes coming off his line. He tried to lift the ball over the OCB goalkeeper, but Himes got his right arm to it, sending the ball off the crossbar and out of play.

A 90th-minute ball into the OCB box found Ventura’s head between Haruna and Amoo-Mensah. Nobody in purple even jumped for the ball, but Ventura couldn’t get much on it, providing Himes with an easy save.

Wilding made two final changes as the game entered the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Brady Kendall and Titus Sandy, Jr. entered the contest for Haruna and Belgodere.

Crown Legacy created one final chance in the dying seconds of the game. Again, Ventura was unable to get much power behind his header, allowing Himes to fall on the ball and secure the win.

At full time, Crown Legacy had the edge in shots (15-14), but OCB put more on target (4-3). The visitors also finished with more corner kicks (7-6) and better passing accuracy (84.5%-80.8%).

The win snaps OCB’s five-game losing streak and a six-game winless streak. The team’s last previous point was on July 18 in Chattanooga, TN, and the most recent win was on July 12 away to FC Cincinnati 2.

Despite the three points, the Young Lions remain in 11th place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference. However, they’re tied with Huntsville City FC for 10th and just one point behind Chicago Fire FC II and NYCFC II for the final playoff spot with three games remaining.

They’ll look to build on this performance when they face rivals Inter Miami II Friday night in Fort Lauderdale.

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