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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Philadelphia Union II: Final Score 6-1 as OCB is Blown Out By Union II

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2 years ago

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Orlando City B (6-12-5, 25 points) was blown out by Philadelphia Union II (10-9-4, 37 points) 6-1 at Subaru Park in the penultimate game of the season. First-half braces by Chris Donovan and Quinn Sullivan put the game out of reach by halftime and Jose Riasco, Paxten Aaronson added second-half goals. OCB did get a consolation goal by Favian Loyola.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made five changes to the team that lost 2-0 to New England Revolution II last weekend. Adam Grinwis, Andrew Forth, Nick Taylor, and Jack Lynn returned to the starting lineup while Jared Romero made his first appearance for the team. Javier Otero and Mikey Halliday weren’t in the team and Brandon Hackenberg, Victor Yan, and Moises Tablante started on the bench.

The Young Lions started with a back line of Ignacio Galvan, Thomas Williams, Andrew Forth, and Tahir Reid-Brown in front of Grinwis. Alejandro Granados, Romero, Alex Freeman, and Nick Taylor were in the midfield with Lynn and Loyola up top.

OCB was eliminated from playoff contention Monday with the loss in New England. From the opening kickoff, the Young Lions played like a team with nothing to play for. There were several giveaways in the back and a complete lack of urgency throughout the game. It was as if the team had given up before the game even started.

As has happened many times this year, OCB started this game on the back foot, with Union II consistently on the attack. In the first three minutes, Aaronson got a pair of shots off, but both were right at Grinwis who made easy saves.

In the seventh minute, it was a mistake by Grinwis that opened the scoring. A long ball by Philadelphia was easily collected by Williams in his own half. The center back played a simple ball back to Grinwis to switch to the other side of the field. However, Donovan pressured the goalkeeper, who was nonchalant with the ball. By the time Grinwis was ready to send the ball up field, Donovan was right in front of him. The clearance bounced off the forward, over the head of Grinwis, and into the goal to give the hosts an early 1-0 lead.

Union II had another opportunity in the 16th minute, albeit from a long distance. A poor clearance attempt by Williams went right to Jesus Bueno, who quickly shot on goal. It appeared to be headed towards the low far corner, but Grinwis did well to get down and make the stop.

A minute later, Aaronson took his third shot of the game. While the first two were right at Grinwis, he tried to bend this one around the goalkeeper and just inside the far post. But he wasn’t able to get around it enough and the ball rolled harmlessly out of play.

Union II doubled their lead in the 22nd minute. It started in the back when Williams miscontrolled the ball, allowing it to go right to Donovan. The forward found himself with the ball and only Grinwis between him and the goal. Dribbling into the box, Donovan slipped it past the goalkeeper for his second of the game.

OCB quickly turned the kickoff back over to Philadelphia and Donovan went the other way. The forward, already on a brace, dribbled down the left. It looked like he was searching for a shot but instead played it across to Sullivan, who was darting in from the right. The midfielder took the shot well, putting it past Grinwis to make it 3-0.

In the 25th minute, Philadelphia scored its third goal in four minutes. Another turnover by OCB off the kickoff saw Union II quickly move the other way. Nathan Harriel carried the ball down the right and played it to Sullivan. The midfielder put it past Grinwis from a difficult angle for his second goal of the game and Philadelphia took a commanding 4-0 lead after just 25 minutes.

OCB got its first chance of the game in the 29th minute through Lynn. The team’s leading scorer dribbled into the box and was able to slip the ball behind Union II goalkeeper Brooks Thompson. The ball rolled slowly towards the Philadelphia goal but Brandon Craig slid in and cleared it away.

Down 4-0 and struggling defensively, the Young Lions made a change in the 33rd minute. Reid-Brown came out of the game and was replaced by Theo Franca as OCB went to three in the back.

Philadelphia almost made it five in the 40th minute with a free kick. Williams fouled Donovan about 25 yards away from goal, allowing Union II captain Craig to take a shot at goal. Craig was aiming for the near post and the ball nearly beat Grinwis but the defender just missed wide.

Already with a commanding lead, Philadelphia continued to search for a fifth before halftime. In the 45th minute, the hosts nearly had a chance when Grinwis was unable to control the ball. The goalkeeper spilled it right in front of him, but there were multiple defenders in the area and it was cleared away.

Shortly after that chance, Philadelphia nearly scored on another free kick. Romero fouled Anthony Sorenson just outside of the box, creating a set piece opportunity for the hosts. Jeremy Rafanello stepped up to take this one and nearly put it inside the near post but it skimmed the outside of the woodwork and went out of play.

The teams shared possession (50%-50%) in the first half but Philadelphia dominated the first 45 minutes. The hosts had more shots (13-1), shots on goal (8-1), corners (4-0), and crosses (7-3). While Philadelphia scored four first-half goals, OCB only had one somewhat dangerous attack in the opening period of play.

OCB made two changes at halftime, looking to find a spark in the second half. Usual starters Tablante and Yan came on for the Young Lions, replacing Williams and Lynn. However, the substitutions didn’t seem to matter, as Philadelphia started the second half as it ended the first half, scoring inside the first 30 seconds.

Another turnover allowed Union II to break towards the OCB goal and create a pair of chances less than a minute into the second half. Donovan carried the ball down the right and sent a pass across the box for Aaronson waiting at the far post. After going to the ground on the ball across the box, Grinwis did well to get up and block Aaronson’s shot. But it went right to Maike Villero who put the ball towards goal. Riasco was the one to get the final touch, putting it in and giving the hosts a 5-0 lead.

In the 55th minute, Villero sent a nice ball into the box for Riasco. The midfielder had OCB captain Forth beat and the center back took him down. Referee Sergii Demianchuk didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, giving Philadelphia a penalty. Grinwis guessed the right way on the penalty, but Aaronson put it under the goalkeeper to give Union II a 6-0 lead.

Villero almost had a goal for himself in the 61st minute off of a free kick. The halftime substitute was aiming for the far post and the ball appeared to be on target, but Grinwis did well to keep it out. Aaronson ended up with the ball and sent it in for Riasco who fired on goal but Grinwis made another nice save to keep the deficit at six.

In the 60th minute, Nelson Pierre came on for Donovan, who constantly caused problems for OCB during the first hour. It didn’t take long for Pierre to get a mention as he nearly scored in the 65th minute. He took a shot from distance that beat Grinwis but bounced off of the inside of the left post. The ball rolled right along the goal line and bounced off the right post, somehow staying out and allowing Grinwis to grab it.

It didn’t make a difference down 6-0, but OCB got one back in the 69th minute. Loyola attempted a long shot from well outside of the box. The shot shouldn’t have troubled Thompson but it took a deflection and sailed over the goalkeeper’s head, making the score 6-1.

As time wound down, the game opened up and the teams were able to find space for odd-numbered attacks. However, there were only two shots in the final 20 minutes of the game. Both of those shots were for Philadelphia and both were well off target.

As you would expect from a 6-1 result, it was a dominant performance by Philadelphia. OCB had more possession (50.9%-49.1%), but Union II had more shots (28-3), shots on target (13-2), corners (6-1), and crosses (12-7).

The 6-1 defeat equals the worst loss in the five-season history of OCB. The Young Lions also lost 6-1 on June 19 against Columbus Crew 2 in Ohio.

OCB is in ninth in the Eastern Conference of MLS NEXT Pro and in fourth in the five-team Central Division. The Young Lions will return home next Sunday to finish the season against Toronto FC II at Osceola County Stadium.

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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.

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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.

Published

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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