Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. NYCFC II: Final Score 2-2 as OCB Takes Two Points at Home
OCB squandered a 2-0 first-half lead to draw NYCFC II 2-2, but took away two points by winning the penalty shootout.

KISSIMMEE â Orlando City B (3-1-1, 11 points) remains unbeaten at home in 2023 after drawing 2-2 with NYCFC II (2-1-1, 7 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium. Defender Nabi Kibunguchy scored a first-half brace, but NYCFC II responded with goals by Samuel Owusu late in the first half and Nicholas Benalcazar in the closing minutes. Penalties decided who would get the extra point, and the Young Lions took the shootout, 8-7.
OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made three changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Atlanta United 2 last weekend. Thomas Williams, Tahir Reid-Brown, and Jack Lynn werenât in the starting lineup, replaced by Abdi Salim, Moises Tablante, and Cristofer Acuna. Salim rejoined the lineup after missing last weekendâs game while being examined for an injury during training.
The back four in front of Javier Otero was Alex Freeman, Salim, Kibunguchy, and Tablante. Imanol Almaguer, Cristian Medina, Jhon Solis, and Juninho were in the midfield, with Favian Loyola and Acuna up top.
Perelman has put an emphasis on his team starting games quickly and the Young Lions did it again in this one, putting NYCFC II on the back foot early. The first chance came in the seventh minute, when Tablante took a shot from outside of the box, but it was over the target.
They almost had a second chance in the ninth minute when Tablante sent a low cross into the six after a good run into the box from the left. But nobody in purple was closing in and the visitors were able to clear.
In the 10th minute, Stephen Turnbull fouled Tablante just outside of the NYCFC II box. Medina stepped up to take the kick and went directly for goal, but his shot was just over the crossbar.
Receiving the ball near his own box in the 16th minute, Medina sent a great long ball at shin level that sent Tablante behind the NYCFC II defense. It looked like the attacker would have a breakaway on goal, but the assistantâs flag was up for offside.
The first decent chance for NYCFC II came in the 19th minute, when Turnbull received the ball on the right from Benalcazar. He sent a curling cross into the OCB box, but it was too close to Otero, allowing him to catch it.
The Young Lions finally broke through in the 21st minute. A short free kick allowed Almaguer to send the ball into the box. Freeman and Alex Rando challenged for the 50-50 ball with Freeman getting his head to it first. The right back was able to flick the ball behind the goalkeeper where Kibunguchy was running on and headed it in to give the Young Lions a 1-0 lead.
NYCFC II tried to pull one back two minutes later when Turnbull made a good run into the OCB box. He avoided a stray leg, staying on his feet, and played it across for John Denis, who shot. But it was blocked and OCB cleared.
In the 26th minute, Juninho tried to double the OCB lead, dribbling into the NYCFC II box. He got a shot off, but Rando was able to block it out of play.
The ensuing corner by Medina was to the top of the box where Kibunguchy was waiting. The center back got off a surprisingly strong header, sending it past Rando for his second goal of the game and giving the Young Lions a 2-0 lead.
Three minutes after the goal, Medina found Loyola, who quickly played Acuna into the box. The forward shot on goal, but it was blocked out of play by Benalcazar for another OCB corner. Again, Medinaâs corner found the head of Kibunguchy, but this time he had a defender on him and the header was over the crossbar.
NYCFC II finally got another shot off in the 35th minute, when a give-and-go between Piero Elias and Denis provided enough space for Elias to shoot. Fortunately, it was right at Otero, enabling him to make an easy save.
OCB nearly had a chance in the 37th minute when Tablante played a low cross for Acuna, who was charging into the NYCFC II box. But it was a little too far for the forward and Rando was able to collect it.
In the 41st minute, Tablante took a shot from the left of goal that was blocked. NYCFC II was unable to clear, and Tablante beat the defenders to the free ball just outside of the box. He took a sliding shot as he attempted to get to the ball first, but sent it off target.
A minute later, Denis almost got one back for the visitors when he dribbled into the OCB box from the left. Otero was defending his near post, so Denis attempted to curl the ball inside the far side. It was a good attempt and he didnât miss by much, hitting it just wide.
The fourth official showed one minute of first-half injury time and that was enough for NYCFC II to get a goal back. It started with a strong run by Turnbull, who split two OCB defenders to get into the box. Despite the OCB players disagreeing, the referee said the ball went out off of Tablante, giving NYCFC II a last-second corner kick.
The corner by Denis was to the top of the box where Owusu was waiting. It was a great scissor kick by the center back, who volleyed the ball past Otero to cut the OCB lead in half.
That was the last play of the first period, as OCB didnât even have time to kick off and took a 2-1 lead into the break.
The late-half surge by the visitors resulted in NYCFC II having more first-half possession (55.6%-44.4%). However, OCB had more shots (9-8), shots on target (4-2), and corners (2-1), one of which resulted in a goal. Additionally, NYCFC II had more crosses (5-2) and passing accuracy (80.2%-74.4%).
OCB made two changes to start the second half, bringing on a pair of first-team players, as Almaguer and Acuna made way for Shak Mohammed and Jack Lynn.
While OCB was the more aggressive team to start the first half, NYCFC II got off to the better second-half start. In the 48th minute, Benalcazar found Elias just outside of the OCB box. The midfielder dribbled inside the 18 and took a low, strong shot on goal. But Otero was up to the challenge, getting down to block the attempt away for a corner kick.
They had another chance in the 58th minute, when Turnbull dribbled into the OCB box and played Maximo Carrizo behind the defense. The midfielder opened his hips and aimed for the back post, where Otero couldnât cover. The shot wasnât far off, skipping just past the far post.
Perelman made his third and fourth substitutions at the hour mark and it was another pair of first-team players. This time, Medina and Loyola were replaced by Thomas Williams and Wilfredo Rivera. It was a defensive change as the Young Lions went to five defenders, with three center backs, trying to maintain their one-goal lead.
Already chasing an equalizer, the situation got worse for NYCFC II in the 74th minute when Owusu, who had been booked in the 28th minute, took down Juninho from behind. The referee didnât hesitate to bring out a second yellow, sending off NYCFC IIâs first-half goalscorer.
Freemanâs ensuing free kick was blocked by Jonathan Jimenez. The OCB players wanted a handball in the box, but the referee disagreed.
With a man advantage, OCB put some attacking pressure on the NYCFC II defense and created a good chance in the 77th minute when Tablante laid the ball off for Lynn. The strikerâs shot was from just outside of the box and appeared to be headed toward the bottom right corner of the goal. But Rando got down and made the stop.
Despite being down a man, NYCFC II found their equalizer in the 81st minute. Juninho fouled Denis outside of the OCB box, providing a set piece for the visitors. Denisâ free kick was a hard strike over the hands of Otero and slammed off the crossbar. Unfortunately, it went right to Benalcazar, and the NYCFC II captain headed it to the far post for the equalizing goal.
NYCFC II had more possession and was creating more chances despite being a man down and it got better for the visitors when Mohammed fouled Christian McFarlane near midfield. The challenge resulted in Mohammedâs second yellow card of the night and both teams were down to 10 men.
It looked like NYCFC II would claim all three points when a poor challenge by Williams resulted in Jack Beer going to the ground. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, awarding NYCFC II a penalty.
Denis stepped up and sent the ball towards the bottom left corner. Otero guessed correctly, but it didnât appear as though he was quick enough to get to it. Fortunately, the penalty was wide of the goal, keeping the score at 2-2.
In the fourth and final minute of injury time, there was a scramble in the OCB box as NYCFC II searched for a winner. Denis was able to get an off-balance shot off, but it was blocked by a group of defenders.
That was the last chance of the game as the teams drew 2-2. After 90 minutes, NYCFC II had more possession (56.8%-43.2%), shots (14-11), crosses (7-4), and accurate passes (82.7%-76.5%). Meanwhile, OCB had more shots on target (5-4).
However, MLS NEXT Pro rules state that draws go to penalties to decide which team gets an extra point in the standings. It was OCBâs first draw and penalty shootout of the 2023 season.
The shootout started out with some excellent conversions by both teams. The first six shooters scored before Tablante stepped up to start the fourth round. Rando guessed correctly, diving to his right to make the stop.
The next shooter was Matthew Myers. OCB has depended on Otero to make big saves from the spot on several occasions over the last few years, and he came up big again, knocking Myersâ attempt away to keep the shootout at 3-3.
After Zakaria Taifi converted, Ronald Arevalo was up. The penalty hit the crossbar and the OCB players sprinted towards the hero goalkeeper. However, the assistant referee determined that the ball crossed the line, allowing the NYCFC II players to celebrate instead.
Freeman was the next to shoot and it looked like Rando mightâve won it for the visitors when he got his hand to it. But it was a strong strike by the Homegrown Player, so Randoâs one hand couldnât keep it out.
After former Lion Rio Hope-Gund converted to tie it back up, the next five players were successful. It was 8-7 when McFarlane stepped up to take his attempt. Otero dove to his left and got both hands behind the ball to keep it out of the net. As a result, OCB took two points from the game.
“It was a tough match as we imagined. They are a good team.,” Perelman said after the game. They have too much time playing together. They had a good, organized gameplay. There were moments in the first half where I really liked the team, the way we played. We have to control the game, especially when we’re winning.”
While the Young Lions will celebrate winning the shootout, theyâll be disappointed to not claim all three points. They were the better team during the first half and held a lead and had a man advantage late in the second half. But the visitors controlled the second 45 minutes, keeping OCB under constant pressure.
The Young Lions will look to keep their strong form going next Sunday when they welcome Toronto FC II to Osceola County Stadium.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 3-2 as Young Lions Complete Late Comeback
Despite being outplayed the whole game, two late goals saw OCB beat Huntsville City FC away from home.

Orlando City B (6-5-1, 20 points) came away with possibly the most unlikely win in team history, defeating Huntsville City FC (4-3-4, 19 points) 3-2 in Alabama. Hayden Sargis scored his first OCB goal before Christian Koffi and Gunnar Studenhofft made it 2-1 for the hosts. But the Young Lions roared at the end with an 84th-minute goal by Jhon Solis and a stoppage-time winner by Dyson Clapier to claim all three points.
OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes to the team that beat Chattanooga FC 2-1 on Sunday. Carlos Mercado returned to the lineup for Javier Otero and Noah Levis got his first start, replacing Gustavo Caraballo.
The back line in front of Mercado in goal was Tahir Reid-Brown, Sargis, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Riyon Tori and Solis were in the defensive midfield behind Bernando Rhein, Favian Loyola, and Levis with Shak Mohammed up top.
This shouldâve been a dominant win for Huntsville City FC. The hosts completely controlled the game from start to finish but struggled to hit the target. That was enough for the Young Lions to stay close and strike at the end, giving them an amazing three points.
Huntsville was the first team to get into the attack. Koffi received a pass at the top of the box and shot in the second minute, but the attacker got little on it and Williams cleared the ball away.
The Young Lions got their first chance in the seventh minute when Reid-Brown played a long ball across the field where Taifi did well to bring it down. The right back dribbled inside and nobody stepped up to him, so he took a shot from outside the box.
In the 10th minute, Koffi received a pass from Tyshawn Rose at the top of the box. He laid it off for Pep Casas, who shot for the top corner. Mercado got a hand to the ball, knocking it off the post. However, Isaiah Jones was there to tap it in from close range.
As Jones ran to the corner flag to celebrate, he noticed the assistant refereeâs flag was up for offside, allowing OCB to escape with the game still scoreless.
Huntsville Cityâs pressure made it hard for OCB to get the ball out of its own end. The hosts won possession, setting Raul Miglietti up for a shot from the top of the box. The attempt sailed wide and Miglietti appealed for a corner kick, but the referee signaled for a goal kick.
Koffi tried to make something happen in the 22nd minute before laying the ball off for Moises Veliz. However, the midielderâs shot was blocked by Tori. The rebound went to Casas, who quickly took a shot of his own, but Taifi got in the way.
Two minutes later, Huntsville City created a similar opportunity. This time it was Koffi taking the first shot, with Sargis blocking it. The rebound went to Miglietti, and his shot was off Loyola.
In the 25th minute, a weak clearance from a Casas corner kick went right back to the attacker. He dribbled to the endline and tried to play it in front of the goal, but Mercado got down to trap it between his legs. The play resulted in Mercado going down and requiring attention. However, he was able to get up and continue.
Taifi played a long ball across the field in the 28th minute, finding Rhein on the far side. The teenager sent it forward for Loyola in the box before making a run. Loyola looked like he would send Rhein through but pulled it back, losing his defender. The first-team forward aimed a shot for the near post, but Lauta had it covered.
Koffi created more trouble for the OCB back line in the 39th minute. Weaving through defenders, he found Jones in the box. The attackerâs first touch ran into Reid-Brown, but he regained possession and shot again. This time Williams was in the way. The rebound went to Veliz, whose shot was blocked as well.
Mohammed stuck his foot out and got part of Veliz in the 44th minute near the top of the OCB box, giving the hosts a free kick. Veliz went for goal, but the shot was off the wall and out for a corner kick.
Casas sent the ensuing set piece high into the box, where Kevin Carmichael outjumped everyone to get his head to the ball. However, the cross was a bit too high and the center backâs header was over the top.
Huntsville continued to push forward as the game entered first-half stoppage time. In the third added minute, Koffi created one more shot, getting into the box and shooting. But Sargis got his foot in front, blocking the ball away.
It was a dominant half by the hosts. Huntsville City had the advantage in shots (12-2), crosses (3-2), corner kicks (5-0), and passing accuracy (89.2%-77.6%). But, while OCB put both shots on target, Huntsville only put one of its 12 shots on frame and it was scoreless after 45 minutes.
Goldberg made his first change during halftime. Diego Pareja came into the game for Levis.
Despite being completely outplayed, it was OCB that struck first. In the 48th minute, the Young Lions won a corner kick. Solisâ set piece into the box found the head of Sargis and the Orlando City Academy product redirected it into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
Unfortunately, the lead didnât last long. In the 50th minute, Bowen dribbled into the box, running into Reid-Brown. However, the defender kept possession and created a shot that was blocked by Williams. The rebound went to Koffi, who took a touch inside before placing the ball past Mercado to even the game at 1-1.
The hosts created another chance in the 55th minute when Rose found Veliz near the penalty spot. The midfielderâs first touch was a shot, but Williams was there to block it.
In the 62nd minute, Koffi received the ball on the left side of the box, dribbling inside and firing from distance. However, his attempt was well over the top. That was the last touch for the attacker as he was substituted immediately after the attempt.
Goldberg made his second substitution of the night in the 65th minute, replacing Mohammed with Dyson Clapier.
Shortly after coming on, Bryce Boneau had a great attempt on goal in the 67th minute. The attacker controlled a short clearance with his thigh and volleyed the ball on target. However, Mercado did well to tip it over the top.
The OCB goalkeeper was down briefly after the fall, but was able to continue. The ensuing corner kick by Alan Carleton found the head of Carmichael. It was a strong header that Mercado did well to block over the crossbar.
After the next corner was cleared away, Carleton took a set piece from the opposite side. This one found Studenhofft at the near side of the six-yard box. Studenhofft redirected his header inside the far post to give Huntsville a deserved 2-1 lead.
Damien Barker John dribbled into the box in the 75th minute before shooting at the near post. But Mercado was there again to make the stop, blocking it out of play. The ensuing set piece by Carleton bounced around before landing at the foot of Carmichael with space. Fortautnely, the center back was unable to keep his footing or get a shot off.
In the 76th minute, Tori went down. After brief treatment, the defensive midfielder limped off the field, replaced by Justin Hylton.
Barker John did well to shield Clapier in the 79th minute. Rather than going down with Clapier pulling on his jersey, the attacker fired. However, Clapier put enough pressure to put him off, sending his shot high and wide of the target.
Clapier played Rhein into the box in the 84th minute. The midfielder pulled the ball back to create space for a shot and Bowen caught up and knocked the ball out of play. The Young Lions werenât able to create anything from the set piece, but Hylton drew a foul near the top of the Huntsville box.
Solis and Loyola stood over the ball with Solis taking the free kick. The midfielder curled his attempt around Lauta â who got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out â to even the game at 2-2.
Immediately after the goal, Solis went down, apparently with a cramp. His teammates initially helped stretch his leg, but he eventually needed more support. The midfielder ended up leaving and was replaced by Noahm Abdellaoui.
Just as it did after OCB scored the first goal, Huntsville looked to respond right away. Carleton took a shot from outside the OCB box, but it was right at Mercado who made the easy save.
The Young Lions nearly scored the winner on a long-range set piece in the 90th minute when Lauta took a poor angle to a long ball into the box, allowing Taifi to touch the ball past him. It was heading into the empty net, but Zach Barrett caught up and cleared the ball off the line.
But OCB wasnât done yet.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Loyola took possession and sent Hylton forward. It looked like the young substitute was looking for his own shot, but he played it square for Clapier, who was catching up. It was an easy finish for the first-year OCB player to give the Young Lions the late 3-2 lead.
Huntsville pushed hard to try to find a winner, but they couldnât create a solid chance until the ninth minute of stoppage time. Rose lifted the ball into the center of the box where Carmichael was running on. The center back put a strong header on target, but Mercado punched it away. The referee blew the whistle immediately after and OCB claimed all three points away from home.
At full time, Huntsville had the advantage in shots (30-6), shots on target (9-6), crosses (9-3), corner kicks (12-2), and passing accuracy (89.7%-75.5%). But Mercado made several huge saves to keep his team in the game and allow OCB to pull out a stunning win.
The three points moves OCB into third place in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind Chattanooga FC and New York Red Bulls II. The Young Lions are tied with NYCFC II but have two games in hand.
The Young Lions have a short week, hitting the road again on June 11 when they face Carolina Core FC in High Point, NC.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Chattanooga FC: Final Score 2-1 as OCB’s Noah Levis Nets Late Winner
Noah Levis’ late goal sees OCB claim all three points against first-place Chattanooga FC.

Orlando City B (5-5-1, 17 points) appeared to be headed for a shootout against Chattanooga FC (8-2-2, 27 points) as the teams were tied 1-1 late in the match. But Noah Levis scored in second-half stoppage time to give OCB the win at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.
Shak Mohammed gave the Young Lions the early lead before Steeve Louis Jean equalized just before halftime. Levis’ conversion lifted OCB to a much-needed win against the team at the top of the Eastern Conference.
OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was forced into multiple changes for this game because Jackson Platts, Colin Guske, and Justin Ellis are away with the U-18 United States Men’s National Team. Goldberg replaced the trio of starters with Hardyen Sargis, Gustavo Caraballo, and Favian Loyola. Additionally, Javier Otero joined the second team for this game, replacing Carlos Mercado in goal.
The back line front of Otero was Tahir Reid-Brown, Sargis, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Riyon Tori and Jhon Solis were in the defensive midfield behind Bernardo Rhein, Loyola, and Caraballo with Mohammed up top.
Chattanooga got the first opportunity of the game in the sixth minute when Taifi blocked Milo Garvanianâs cross out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece went off a visiting player and out for a goal kick, ending the threat.
On the other end, OCB took the first shot of the game in the eight minute. Loyola received a pass near the top of the box before playing it over to Reid-Brown, approaching on his left. Since no defenders stepped up to the left back, he fired from distance, sending his shot over the target.
The Young Lions nearly had a chance in the 11th minute when Taifi found Mohammed near the penalty spot. The forward tried to turn on the ball, but his first touch popped up too high. As a result, Farid Sar-Sar cleared the ball before Mohammed could shoot.
A minute later, OCB took advantage of a Chattanooga mistake to take the lead. Ethan Dudley played a seemingly innocuous pass into the center of the field for Nathan Koehler. But it was a poor pass and Loyola stepped up to intercept. The Young Lions were on a three-on-one break, so it was an easy pass to a wide-open Mohammed and the forward put it in to give the hosts an early 1-0 lead.
Tori and Darwin Ortiz came together in the 20th minute, resulting in both players going down. They required concussion tests and Ortiz was eventually booked for the challenge. While Tori was able to continue, Chattanooga was forced into a concussion substitution, replacing Ortiz with Daniel Mangarov.
In the 26th minute, Otero came off his line to punch a cross away. The clearance went to Louis Jean, who shot from just outside the box. However, the attempt was blocked before it reached the goal.
OCB quickly went the other way and Taifi found Mohammed in the box. The forward was looking to shoot, but he couldnât find enough space. Instead, he played the ball across for Caraballo. The teenager took a shot at goal, but his attempt was also blocked.
Chattanooga tried to make something happen in the 34th minute from a free kick. Mangarov took the set piece, sending it towards the back post for Koehler. The center back tried to volley the ball and redirect it on goal, but he knocked it out of play instead.
Garvanian knocked Taifi down in the 39th minute, giving OCB a free kick in the Chattanooga third. Solisâ shot was blocked out for a corner kick, and Taifiâs ensuing set piece was back to Loyola. The first-team attacker dribbled forward before shooting from outside of the box, but it was right to Chattanooga goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic.
As Jakupovic attempted to punt the ball up the field, Mohammed stepped in front. The clearance was off Mohammedâs back and the OCB attacker was booked.
A flurry of activity by Chattanooga resulted in an equalizer in the 43rd minute. It started when Garvanianâs shot was blocked by Caraballo. The block went straight to Mangarov, approaching the end line. The substituteâs second touch was a shot from a tight angle that Otero blocked.
Chattanooga kept possession, resulting in a cross into the box. Otero came off his line and appeared to have an opportunity to catch it, but he punched it away with one hand. In a play similar to earlier in the game, it went to Louis Jean. Again, the Haitian fired from outside the box. However, this time he was directly in front of the goal, The hard shot went past Otero and in, evening the game at 1-1.
The visitors tried to take the lead in the 45th minute when Mangarov did well to shield Taifi from the ball. He played it back for Keegan Ancelin. The midfielder had space for a shot, but he couldnât get around the ball, sending his attempt well wide.
The final chance of the first half came in the third minute of stoppage time. Taifi lost possession near the top of the Chattanooga box but got it right back. The right back turned to shoot, but he couldnât get over the ball and sent his attempt way over the target.
After 45 minutes of play, Chattanooga had more shots (7-6) and crosses (6-2). OCB had better passing accuracy (85.2%-84.8%). Both teams ended the first half with two corner kicks, two shots on target, and a goal.
OCB tried to get the second half off to a quick start, nearly converting in the 47th minute. Mohammed did well to shield and turn his defender, getting a shot off towards the back post. The ball skipped past Jakupovic but wide of the far post.
In the 49th minute, Reid-Brown received the ball on the left, outside the box. The left back took a couple of steps forward before firing towards goal. His shot was on target but right into the arms of Jakupovic.
Mangarov tried to create something himself in the 50th minute, beating a couple of defenders to get into the box. He got a shot off, but Williams stuck his foot in and got a piece of it. As a result, the ball went straight to Otero.
Loyola nearly gave the Young Lions their second lead of the night with a long run in the 57th minute. He dribbled into the middle and shot from the top of the Chattanooga box but hit the left post. The rebound ended up with Rhein, but he was offside, ending the attack.
Caraballo took a chance at goal in the 60th minute when he received the ball on the right. The 16-year-old attacker had Taifi making an overlapping run, but he took the chance himself. The midfielder opened up and sent a shot towards the far top corner of the goal, sending his chance wide.
Chattanooga had a couple of opportunities in the 63rd minute, first when Callum Watson found Dudley at the top of the OCB box. Sargis got in front to block the attempt and the visitors maintained possession. Garvanian took the second attempt from the left, aiming for the back post. But he sent his attempt wide and OCB escaped the danger.
In the 67th minute, a long ball by Jakupovic was headed on by Tate Robertson for Peter Plougmand. Otero blocked the attempt that went to Mangarov at the top of the box. The attacker shot right at Otero, who made the stop.
Goldberg made his first change of the night in the 71st minute as Levis came on for Rhein.
Robertson played a dangerous ball to the back post in the 85th minute. He had multiple teammates in the box, but Sargis did well to head it away.
The Young Lions went the other way with Loyola carrying the ball to the top of the Chattanooga box before being taken down by Mangarov, who was booked for the challenge.
Solis was the only person standing over the ball, taking the free kick. However, he sent his shot straight into the wall. The rebound was sent forward for Tori, but the rookie was offside.
Goldberg made another change in the 88th minute, sending 17-year-old Justin Hylton on for his OCB debut, replacing Caraballo.
In the 90th minute, Mike Bleeker found Plougmand in the box. Chattanoogaâs leading goal scorer laid it off for Mangarov at the top of the 18, but he couldnât get anything on the ball, sending it harmlessly wide.
A minute later, OCB took its second lead of the night. Solis and Mohammed combined to send Loyola behind the Chattanooga back line. The attacker took a shot from the right side of the box, forcing Jukupovic into a one-handed save. It looked like the ball was going out of play, but Hylton saved it. He sent the ball towards the penalty spot, where Levis met it and converted to give the Young Lions a 2-1 lead.
âThat talks very good about them because they are prepared,â Goldberg said about substitutes Hylton and Levis being involved in the goal. âThey are ready. And sometimes itâs tough to play less, but here in the second team, you need to take every chance. We are happy that they took it.â
Goldberg made his final change in the second minute of stoppage time, replacing Loyola with Noham Abdellaoui.
Chattanooga won a corner kick in the third minute of stoppage time and everyone came up, including Jakupovic. OCB cleared with Reid-Brown carrying the ball down field. Without anyone in goal, the left back shot from his own half. Louis Jean sprinted towards his own goal, stopping the ball before it crossed the line, keeping it a one-goal game.
The visitors pushed forward once more, but they couldnât create anything else, and the Young Lions came away with the win.
Both teams took 14 shots in this game, but OCB put one more on target (6-5). Chattanooga had the advantage in corner kicks (5-3), crosses (10-2), and passing accuracy (86.1%-84.5%), but it was OCB that scored the late goal to claim all three points.
âWe are very happy for the win. But, most of all, that we were able to overcome a 3-0 loss (a week ago against Atlanta) beating the team that was top of the league,â Goldberg said. âSo, thatâs the stand out for us.â
âObviously, it was a pretty difficult match versus the number one team in the league right now,â Loyola added. âSo, it was a pretty hard match to go up front. I think our team played really well defensively and attacking. And, honestly, the mentality we had throughout the game was just amazing.â
OCB moves up to fifth in the Eastern Conference with the win, tied with NYCFC II, a point behind New England Revolution II, and two points behind Huntsville City FC after 11 games.
The Young Lions will take the field again Friday night when they travel to Alabama to face Huntsville City FC.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 3-0 as Young Lions Humbled by Atlanta, Selves
OCB falls to Atlanta United 2 in arguably the team’s worst performance of the season.

Orlando City B (4-5-1, 14 points) got an extra home game tonight due to a scheduling conflict in Georgia, but instead of taking advantage of not having to play Atlanta United 2 (2-2-6, 14 points) on the road, the Young Lions were humbled 3-0 in their own building. At least they can take some solace that it was a closed-door beatdown that fans couldn’t attend.
Atlanta took the early lead through Gabriel Wesseh’s conversion of a Carlos Mercado howler before Cayman Togashi scored on both sides of halftime.
This game was originally scheduled to take place in Kennesaw, GA, on Friday night. However, due to venue unavailability, it was moved to Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Despite playing in their home stadium, the Young Lions were the away team. Since Atlanta was the home team, OCB’s southeast rivals requested a closed-door game.
As if the two-day delay wasnât enough, severe weather in the area delayed the game for nearly an hour, finally getting underway at 8:25 p.m. The rain made a difference in the game, as the players had trouble playing on the waterlogged pitch in the early moments.
OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made one change to the team that came away with a 3-0 win over Inter Miami II on May 17. Gustavo Caraballo wasnât in the team and was replaced in the lineup by Bernardo Rhein.
The back line in front of Mercado in goal was Tahir Reid-Brown, Jackson Platts, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Colin Guske and Riyon Tori were the defensive midfielders behind Rhein, Justin Ellis, and Jhon Solis with Shak Mohammed up top.
The game was pretty much over from the opening whistle. OCB rarely threatened and sent the ball well off target when it did. Meanwhile, Atlanta looked like the only team that wanted to play, constantly creating dangerous chances in the final third.
Atlanta went on the attack early and took advantage of an OCB mistake. Receiving a pass back from Platts, Mercado was out of his box, looking to play the ball up the field, but he sent it directly to Wesseh. Wesseh easily chipped the OCB goalkeeper, putting the ball in the empty net and giving his team the fourth-minute lead.
Javier Armas tried to beat Mercado from distance in the eighth minute, shooting for the far post from outside the box. It looked like Mercado got a hand to the ball, knocking it wide. But the referee gave a goal kick instead.
Guske played a quick free kick to Reid-Brown in the 21st minute, sending the left back to the end line. Mohammed made a run to the near post and Reid-Brown sent the ball in, but it was too close to Jonathan Ransom, who made the save.
In the 22nd minute, Armas found Nykolas Sessock making an overlapping run on his right. The right back had Cayman Togashi and Dominik Chong Qui making runs into the box and sent in a hard cross, but nobody could get on the end of it and the ball went all the way through the box.
Taifi won a corner in the 24th minute when his cross was blocked out of play by Braden Dunham. The right back took the set piece, sending it to the back post. Platts outjumped his defender to get his head to the ball, sending it just over the crossbar.
Atlanta had a series of corner kicks in the 28th minute. The second found the head of Salvatore Mazzaferro, who redirected the ball towards goal. It was on target but went off the shoulder of Reid-Brown. The ensuing corner was cleared, ending the extended attack.
Armas had the ball in a seemingly innocuous spot in the 31st minute. The Atlanta captain fired a shot on target from distance, but Mercado blocked it down and collected it.
OCB had one of its rare first-half chances in the 35th minute when Ellis found Mohammed making a run into the box. The forward took a touch towards the end line, slightly cutting down his angle before firing it into the arms of Ransom. That was the only OCB shot on target in the game.
On the other end, Armas found Wesseh on the right. The midfielder had plenty of space, taking a touch inside before attempting another long shot towards goal. This time it was too close to Mercado, who made the stop.
In the 38th minute, Chong Qui was making a run to the top of the box when Taifi met him. The ball popped in the air towards goal where Sessock was making a run. He nearly got to the ball before Mercado, but he couldnât quite reach it and the OCB goalkeeper picked it up.
Solis tried to win the ball from Chong Qui in the 40th minute, ultimately tripping the midfielder and giving Atlanta a free kick. Armas stepped up to take the set piece, sending it to the far post. He had Mercado beaten, but the ball bounced off the woodwork, keeping the OCB deficit at 1-0.
Atlanta doubled its lead in the 45th minute from a free kick in its own third of the field. Chong Qui flicked Mazzaferroâs long set piece into the box. Platts and Togashi went after the ball, with Platts getting there first. But Togashi muscled the center back off the ball. Mercado had started to come out, but changed his mind when Togashi had possession. With the goalkeeper caught in no-manâs land, Togashi touched it around the OCB goalkeeper and into the once-again wide-open net to give Atlanta a commanding 2-0 lead.
After 45 minutes, Atlanta had the advantage in shots (9-5) shots on goal (4-1), corner kicks (3-2), and passing accuracy (85%-83.3%). OCB had more crosses (2-1), but the best chances were by the team in stripes.
Goldberg made one change at halftime. Rhein, who went down earlier in the first half, was replaced by Favian Loyola.
Atlanta continued its attack on the OCB goal out of the break, creating a chance in the 50th minute. Chong Qui dribbled towards the top of the box before firing. It looked like the shot might be on target, but Taifi stepped in front to block it.
In the 55th minute, Sessock dribbled into the box before laying the ball off for Armas. The attacker tried to lift the ball over Mercado, but couldnât get it to come down, and it sailed over the crossbar.
Ransom cleared the ball way up field in the 57th minute. Mercado came out of his box, but Togashi beat him to it. The attacker chipped the ball over the OCB goalkeeper and it appeared to be going in, but Williams got back to knock it out of play, keeping the deficit at two goals.
Solis intercepted a pass at midfield in the 59th minute, heading the other way. The midfielder was pulled down by Armas before he could reach the ball, earning a yellow card. Solis took the free kick himself from a position in which heâs scored before. However, he sent this one directly into the wall.
Mohammed played the ball back for Loyola from the corner in the 61st minute. The halftime substitute lifted it into the box where Taifi was making a run. He went over the defender and got a head to it, sending it wide.
Solis had another chance from a corner kick in the 66th minute when Atlanta failed to clear the ball. The midfielder found a way through multiple defenders and had a good look at goal, but sent the shot over the top.
After receiving a pass from Platts, Loyola lost the ball to Cooper Sanchez in the 68th minute. Dribbling into the OCB third of the field, he found Togashi near the top of the box. Reid-Brown was there to defend, but Togashi spun to lose him and tucked the ball into the far bottom corner to make it 3-0.
In the 70th minute, Solis made a good, long run into the Atlanta half of the field. He played it centrally for Ellis, who quickly sent it on for Loyola. The first-team forward had a good look at the goal, but his shot went wide.
Solis tried to play Reid-Brown a long ball in the 72nd minute, but Sessock got their first, playing it back to his goalkeeper. However, Ransom was under pressure from Reid-Brown and played a terrible ball out of the back, sending it straight to Loyola. The goal was wide open, but Loyola sent the ball over the top.
Goldberg made two more changes in the 74th minute. Hayden Sargis and Diego Pareja came into the game for Guske and Platts.
Former OCB attacker Moises Tablante made a long run to the top of the OCB box in the 76th minute before being taken down by Williams. The center back protested the decision, but Atlanta had a free kick in a great position.
Armas stepped up to take the set piece and went for goal. It was a hard shot that fortunately went well over the crossbar.
A stoppage of play in the 78th minute gave Goldberg the opportunity to make his fourth change of the game. Noham Abdellaoui came on for Williams.
A long ball out of the back by Chong Qui in the 82nd minute found Wesseh across midfield. The forward beat the new center back pairing of Abdellaoui and Sarigs to get in on goal. As Abdellaoui caught up with the attacker, Wesseh shot. However, Mercado did well to come off his line and tip it wide.
It was a frustrating night for the Young Lions, which was on full display in the 88th minute when Solis played Reid-Brown down the left. Sessock did well to shield the OCB left back, winning a goal kick. Reid-Brown kicked the advertising board in frustration after being out-muscled by his smaller opponent, a perfect representation of the night for Orlando.
Mercado nearly made a costly error in the 90th minute when he played a ball out of the back directly to Adyn Torres. However, the Young Lions were able to win it back and draw a foul to avoid any more danger.
Wesseh received a pass at the top left corner of the box in the second minute of stoppage time. He was given plenty of space, so he took the shot himself, sending it wide of the far post.
A minute later, Ryan Carmichael made a run into the OCB box and sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Fortunately, nobody in black and red was close enough to get on the end of it and the ball went out of play.
That was the final chance for either team as Atlanta came away with a dominant 3-0 win. At full time, Atlanta had the advantage in shots (23-12), shots on target (7-1), and corner kicks (5-4). OCB had better passing accuracy (84.2%-80.1%) and both teams had five crosses.
It was an abysmal performance by OCB. Every player made costly mistakes, and the team failed to threaten the Atlanta goal. Even when defensive mistakes by the opposition gave the Young Lions a golden opportunity, they found a way to mess it up.
The Young Lions are currently in eighth place, barely above the red line. However, theyâre now tied with Atlanta on points and only one point ahead of Chicago Fire II and Inter Miami II.
OCB will have to shake this one off and find a way to rebound when they host Chattanooga FC on June 1.
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