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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II: Final Score 3-2 as OCB Nets Winner in Final Minute

OCB came back from two deficits, before Moises Tablante won it for the Young Lions in stoppage time.

Published

2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (4-1-1, 14 points) kept its unbeaten home record with a thrilling 3-2 win over Toronto FC II (0-4-1, 1 point) tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. The visitors took a third-minute lead through Jesus Batiz and an early second-half lead from a Hugo Mbongue goal. But OCB responded each time, first from Alex Freeman and then Abdi Salim, before Moises Tablante won it at the death.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman only made one change to the team that drew NYCFC II 2-2 last weekend. Imanol Almaguer wasn’t in the team, replaced by Alejandro Granados in the starting lineup. Javier Otero was back in goal, in front of Tablante, Nabi Kibunguchy, Salim, and Freeman. Granados, Cristian Medina, Juninho, Cristofer Acuna and Jhon Solis were in the midfield with Favian Loyola up top.

Perelman has said he wants his Young Lions to start fast and score inside the first minute. While OCB has gotten off to good starts this year, it was the visitors that scored early in this one. The goal came in the third minute from a long clearance by Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran, who sent the ball far up field. Aided by a strong wind, the ball sailed over the head of Salim, sending Batiz into the OCB box. The forward opened up and aimed for the far post, putting it in off the woodwork to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead.

In the fifth minute, Themi Antonoglou was given space about 30 yards out and dribbled into the OCB box. He beat multiple defenders, including a nice cut that put Kibunguchy on the ground, before Tablante got between the attacker and the ball, allowing Otero to collect it.

OCB almost had a chance to equalize in the seventh minute when Tablante entered the box and lifted the ball towards the near post. Acuna attempted an acrobatic attempt to put the ball on target but missed, allowing Gavran to fall on the ball.

Toronto had another opportunity in the 17th minute when a Medina handball gave the visitors a free kick. Antonoglou’s set piece was off the wall, providing Toronto with a corner. It eventually ended up with Adamo Pantaleo who shot from the top corner of the box, but it was high and wide of the target.

In the 23rd minute, Lucas Olguin sent a good ball forward for Mbongue, who shielded Kibunguchy to create a short breakaway. However, Otero came off his line to cut down the angle and blocked the shot away.

Two minutes later, Salim blocked a Batiz shot out for a Toronto corner that almost resulted in a second Toronto goal. The corner was too long, but Olguin laid the ball back for Pantaleo who fired from long distance. It was a good shot that appeared to be on target, but Otero stretched out in a diving attempt, tipping it wide of the goal for his second big save in three minutes.

In the 30th minute, Batiz did well to beat Freeman, but the OCB right back recovered well and blocked Batiz’s cross attempt out of play. The ensuing corner landed in the six-yard box, but no Toronto players could get on the end of it, allowing OCB to clear.

The Young Lions had their best first-half chance in the 32nd minute, when a quick give-and-go between Tablante and Solis enabled the former to send a low cross into the box. Acuna redirected the shot on target, but it was right at Gavran, who blocked it away. The rebound went to Loyola near the penalty spot, but he skied his shot over the goal.

OCB almost had another chance in the 36th minute, when Loyola’s pass out wide was knocked behind the end line by Olguin. The short corner was crossed into the box by Tablante with Kibunguchy charging in. Gavran’s punch didn’t leave the box, but nobody in purple could get on the end of it and Toronto cleared.

In the 40th minute, Granados fouled Antony Curic just outside of the OCB box, giving Toronto a good opportunity for a strike on goal. Markus Cimermancic took the set piece, curling it over the wall and on target. Otero’s view seemed to be slightly obstructed by several players, forcing him to dive and block it away.

Perelman made a somewhat surprising change in the 44th minute, bringing on Zakaria Taifi for his captain, Juninho. OCB had a late corner kick, but couldn’t make anything out of it and the Young Lions went into the break down 1-0.

OCB had more first-half possession (51.8%-48.2%), but Toronto had more shots (7-4), shots on target (4-1), and corners (5-3). The Young Lions had more crosses (7-3) and passing accuracy (86.1%-85.6%).

The fact that OCB was only down a goal at halftime was a positive as the Young Lions were thoroughly outplayed in the first 45 minutes. Without some fantastic goalkeeping by Otero, the scoreline could’ve been much worse.

While Toronto got off to the fast first-half start, it was the hosts that put on pressure to start the second 45 minutes. Less than two minutes in, Solis found Tablante out wide and the academy product sent a low cross into the box. It was to Loyola near the penalty spot, but he shot at Gavran, who blocked it away. The rebound went to Taifi, but Gavran stormed off his line to block the second attempt.

OCB kept possession after the block and it turned into the equalizing goal. Receiving the ball from Kibunguchy, Tablante raced towards the end line and sent a nearly identical pass to Loyola, who was standing in the same spot as his earlier attempt. Once again, Gavran made the stop, but this time it went to Freeman, who put it in to tie the game at 1-1.

Gavran made another big save in the 50th minute when Granados took a shot from just outside of the box. The Toronto goalkeeper did well to get down and block it out for a corner kick and caught the ensuing set piece to clear the danger.

In the 54th minute, Toronto took advantage of some more poor OCB defending. After Acuna’s shot missed the near post, Gavran played the goal kick short to Matthew Medeiros inside the Toronto box. Medeiros sent a long ball into the OCB half of the field and Kibunguchy appeared to have it under control. But he misplayed the long ball, allowing Mbongue to get in free on goal. He slipped the ball through Otero’s legs, regaining the lead for the visitors.

OCB had some chances to equalize around the 69th minute when the Young Lions had three consecutive corner kicks. The first came when a ball forward for Acuna was cleared out by Antonoglou, but it was cleared out of play by Alec Diaz. Solis connected with the second attempt, but it was blocked out by Mbongue. The third was headed on goal by Kibunguchy, and ended up in the arms of Gavran.

The OCB players felt that the Kibunguchy shot went off the arm of a defender and appealed to referee Natalie Simon for a handball in the box. But she didn’t agree and, with no video review in MLS NEXT Pro, play continued.

The Young Lions made their second substitution of the game in the 70th minute when Wilfredo Rivera came on for Granados. While it was a like-for-like change, Rivera is a first-team player coming on for a 16-year-old, so it was an aggressive move by Perelman.

OCB came close to an equalizer in the 74th minute when Solis chipped the ball into the box for Rivera. Pantaleo got to it first, but his clearance attempt sent the ball to the top of the six-yard box instead. Acuna beat center back Lazar Stefanovic to the ball and flicked it over Gavran, but the attempt was just over the crossbar.

After a miss by Kibunguchy and a Solis shot that went right to Gavran, the Young Lions found their second equalizer in the 84th minute. Pressure by Tablante forced Toronto into a turnover and Acuna shot from just outside of the box. Curic got his foot in the way, clearing it out for a corner kick. The ensuing corner by Rivera was into the mixer, but over the hand of Gavran. It landed on the head of Salim, who put it in to tie the game back up at 2-2.

“Today we played with heart, the second half especially. We made it happen,” Perelman said about his team coming back from two deficits. “But that was the players. They were inside, they pushed, they believed, they fought until the last second and they achieved it.”

OCB wasn’t resting with a draw and pushed hard for the win. In the 89th minute, Curic fouled Freeman, creating a chance for Loyola. The forward went for goal from just outside of the box, but Gavran punched it away.

Less than a minute later, they nearly gave it away when a pass by Medina was blocked by Olguin, allowing Julian Altobelli to take over. He played it wide for Antonoglou who sprinted into the OCB box and shot. Fortunately, Salim got back and blocked the attempt for a corner kick.

A minute into injury time, the hosts found the winner. Quickly pushing up field, Taifi found Loyola on the left, who played the ball towards the top of the box for Tablante. Starting at left back, Tablante had moved forward throughout the game and received the ball just outside of the box. The pass was a little behind him, but Tablante spun to maintain control and fired with his left foot. Gavran never had a chance, not even reaching out, and the Young Lions took their first lead with seconds remaining.

“The coach, he told me that it was going to happen. Actually, he told me that it was going to be me because I was having a great game,” Tablante said about his goal. “That was the only thing that I had left. I grabbed the ball there and shot it and thank God it went in.”

“I’m really proud of him,” Perelman said about Tablante. “I’m really happy for him. He’s a great boy. He fights a lot. He deserves it.”

Toronto led most statistical categories at halftime, but OCB dominated the second half. They ended up with more possession (55.7%-44.3%), shots (21-10), shots on target (12-5), corners (12-6), crosses (16-3), and passing accuracy (86.6%-81.9%).

“It was a crazy game,” Perelman said after the win. “We knew that the games against Toronto are like that. Last year, in all the games we analyzed from them, we know that they’re always crazy games. So we were there. We’re doing a great job. It’s not easy for our boys. A new team fighting every second, every meter. I’m proud of the boys. I’m really proud, especially in the second half.”

“It was a game for the team because we knew we were going to do it,” Tablante added. “We tied it and they scored another one. And thank God we are a strong team and we never went down mentally. And thank God we scored two more and we got the three points.”

The Young Lions are now 3-0-1 at Osceola County Stadium with a penalty shootout win. They also moved to the top of the Eastern Conference — at least temporarily — with 14 points, one ahead of their next opponent, Crown Legacy FC. However, they’ve played a game more than Crown Legacy and Columbus Crew 2 just behind. Crown Legacy plays New York City FC II tonight.

After Orlando City beat the LA Galaxy 2-0 and the Pride stunned San Diego Wave FC 3-1 last night, all three of the club’s teams won this weekend. It’s the first time that all three teams have won on the same weekend since August 12-14, 2022, when OCB beat NYCFC II, City beat the New York Red Bulls, and the Pride beat San Diego. However, while last time all three games were away, two of the games this weekend were at home.

Following a stretch of games that saw OCB play four of its last five at home, the Young Lions will now head out on a two-game road trip. It starts Friday night when they face Crown Legacy FC in North Carolina.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II: Final Score 2-1 as Defensive Mistakes Doom Young Lions

Two defensive mistakes deep in their own half saw OCB fall 2-1 at home to Toronto FC II.

Published

1 week ago

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June 25, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City B (6-6-2, 21 points) fell 2-1 tonight to Toronto FC II (5-5-4, 19 points) at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Hassan Ayari gave the visitors the lead in the fourth minute before Noham Abdellaoui equalized just before halftime. But a second-half mistake by center back Hayden Sargis allowed Antone Bossenberry to score the winning goal.

Since the first team was playing tonight as well, OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was forced into some changes. Abellaoui, Dylan Judelson, and Jhon Solis entered the starting lineup for Zakaria Taifi, Thomas Williams, and Diego Pareja.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Abdellaoui, Sargis, and Riyon Tori. Judelson and Solis were the defensive midfielders behind Dyson Clapier, Favian Loyola, and Bernardo Rhein with Shak Mohammed up top.

It was a hot night in Kissimmee and the game showed it. Neither team threatened much, despite three goals being scored. Toronto came out of halftime the more aggressive team, creating multiple chances. However, it was a slip by Sargis at the top of his own six-yard box in the 79th minute that resulted in the game-winning goal for the visitors.

The Young Lions got the first opportunity in the opposing box when Mohammed was tripped on the left by Constantinos Iliadis. Rhein took the set piece, sending a curling ball into the box. Abdellaoui got his head to the ball, but the center back couldn’t get over the attempt, sending it high and wide.

Toronto got its first chance in the third minute and made the most of it. Ayari miscontrolled a pass to the top of the OCB box, allowing Clapier to take possession. The Young Lions tried to work the ball out of the back instead of clearing it, resulting in Solis giving up possession at the top of his own box.

The ball was played to Nathaniel Edwards, who quickly sent Ayari behind the OCB back line. Mercado came out to challenge the attacker, but Ayari tapped it behind the goalkeeper to give the visitors the early 1-0 lead.

OCB got its second chance in the ninth minute when Tori’s ball into the box was cleared away. Clapier took possession and played a quick give-and-go with Loyola before shooting from the top right corner of the box. However, his attempt sailed over the crossbar.

A weak OCB clearance in the 10th minute gave Toronto a chance to double the lead. Nobody stepped up to challenge Lucas Olguin, so the midfielder dribbled into the box. He had enough space for a shot, but Abdellaoui was able to block the attempt.

The Young Lions nearly had a chance in the 20th minute when Mohammed played Loyola behind the back line. However, before the attacker could reach it, Toronto goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario jumped off his line to collect the ball.

It looked like the Reds might double their advantage in the 30th minute when Edwards was played long and behind the OCB back line. As he chased the ball, Mercado came out of his box, beating the attacker to the ball and clearing it away.

OCB found the equalizer from a set piece in the 40th minute. Loyola made a strong run into the Toronto third of the field before being fouled by Olguin. Solis took the free kick, sending a curling ball into the box. Abdellaoui was making a back-post run and got on the end of the ball to even the game at 1-1.

You’d expect the 6-foot-4 center back to score his first OCB goal from a header, but it was a nice volley with his left foot that opened his account.

“I’m always happy to score one goal. The goal was important for me because it was my first goal for OCB, Orlando City,” Abdellaoui said about his goal. “I’m proud, but I think for the team, I’m not happy that I can be happy because we lose and my goal doesn’t count. So I’m not really happy, but it’s always good to score goals.”

“It’s great. It’s great that all the players that need to be ready are ready to perform,” Goldberg added about Abdellaoui’s goal. “And even more when they contribute, so it’s great.”

The Young Lions looked to take the lead in the 43rd minute when Solis made a long run down the right. He cut the ball back for Mohammed near the top of the box, who tried to turn a shot on goal. However, he was unable to do so, sending the ball high and wide as he fell to the ground.

Iliadis received the ball in a seemingly innocuous spot in the 45th minute, far from the goal. After taking a touch forward and noticing nobody was closing him down, the midfielder fired from long distance. However, it didn’t cause any trouble for Mercado, going well wide of the target.

Mohammed made a run along the right edge of the box in the third minute of first-half stoppage time before playing it central for a wide open Clapier. The midfielder’s second touch was a shot, but Mark Fisher slid in to block it. Mohammed regained possession and won one last corner kick.

Solis’ ensuing set piece went straight to Sargis, who tried to volley the ball on target. But the center back couldn’t make solid contact, and the first half ended tied 1-1.

After 45 minutes, OCB had more shots (6-3), but both teams only put one on target. The Young Lions also had more crosses (2-0) and corner kicks (2-1), and better passing accuracy (90.5%-87.1%).

Marko Stojadinovic tried to regain the lead for Toronto in the 47th minute. The right back received the ball outside the box and found space between Solis and Rhein. Striking the ball with his left foot, he was able to keep it down, barely sending it over the crossbar.

The visitors had another good chance in the 50th minute when Ayari spun to lose Tori and played it back for Jahmarie Nolan before reaching the end line. The forward’s first touch was a strike on goal, but Sargis got in the way to block the attempt.

Pressure by Loyola on Stojadinovic in the 52nd minute created the first second-half chance for OCB. The attacker tried to play Mohammed through, but it was blocked out to Rhein. The teenager lifted the ball toward the back post, where Clapier was making a run. Clapier tried to volley the ball on goal, but couldn’t get much on it.

Nolan split a pair of defenders in the 55th minute to reach the top of the OCB box. However, Sargis stepped up to block his shot. The ball went straight to Ayari, who took a shot of his own. But this one was right at Mercado, who ended the attack.

OCB nearly created a chance in the 61st minute when Sargis played a beautiful long ball for Clapier in the box. The attacker brought it down well, laying it off for Loyola. Meanwhile, Tori was making a run down the right and Loyola sent the ball forward for him. Tori sent a cross into the box, but it was too close to De Rosario, who collected the ball and ended the threat.

In the 65th minute, Ayari used some nifty footwork to get into the OCB box and shoot. However, Judelson turned his back to the shot and the ball bounced off his legs. Toronto kept possession but couldn’t create any more shots during the attack.

Once the ball was sent out of play, Goldberg made his first change of the game, replacing Clapier with Justin Hylton.

Solis carried the ball to the top of the Toronto box in the 72nd minute before being tripped by Reid Fisher. The midielder was the only player in purple standing over the set piece and it was clear Solis was going for goal. The midfielder tried to beat De Rosario to his near post, but the shot was just over the top.

On the other end, Stojadinvoic took another attempt from outside the box. There was a clear path to the goal, but his shot was right at Mercado.

The Young Lions had a goal kick coming out of the second-half hydration break and immediately conceded their second goal of the night. Sargis played the ball short to Mercado, who sent it right back. But, as Sargis looked to play it wide for Reid-Brown, the center back slipped and fell over.

Josh Nugent took possession and sent a ball into the box. Abdellaoui’s clearance was short, allowing Bossenberry to bring it down with his chest and tuck it inside the far post to give Toronto the 2-1 lead.

Goldberg made his second change in the 84th minute. Jackson Platts came into the game for Rhein. Usually a center back, Platts moved into a defensive midfield role, and Solis pushed into the attacking midfield.

With a one-goal lead, Toronto sat back in the dying minutes. However, the Reds nearly broke out in the 87th minute. Stojadinovic played Iliadis into the OCB third. It was a foot race between Iliadis and Mercado, with the OCB goalkeeper getting there first to clear it.

The Young Lions looked to find their second equalizer in the 88th minute. Loyola lost the ball near the top of the Toronto box, but Hylton won it back off the foot of Olguin. He tapped it forward for Tori, who laid it back for Loyola. The Homegrown forward shot, but the attmept was blocked out for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece found the head of Abdellaoui, but the center back sent it wide of the far post.

Goldberg made his final change of the game in the 89th minute, replacing Judelson with Zinedine Rodriguez.

In the 90th minute, Stojadinovic tried to catch Mercado off his line from his own half. The ball rolled harmlessly wide of the goal, but Mercado had gotten back anyway and would’ve made the stop.

The fourth official showed four minutes of stoppage time and OCB tried desperately to find a second goal. In the third minute, Loyola made a run into the Toronto box. The forward went down after some contact with Timothy Fortier, but the contact was minimal and the referee allowed play to continue.

That was as close as the Young Lions got in the final minutes as they fell 2-1.

At full time, Toronto had more shots (12-11) and shots on target (4-2). OCB had more corner kicks (3-1) and better passing accuracy (89.9%-87.8%). Both teams had four crosses on the night.

“As we know about this league, on defense on isolated plays, unfortauntely, can cost you the match,” Goldberg said about the game. “We had good intentions, we had good moments in the game, and we couldn’t get the result.”

It was the second consecutive loss for OCB after falling 1-0 to Carolina Core FC on June 11. More importantly, the Young Lions looked lifeless offensively in both games, a bad sign as the season continues, although several of the top offensive players were with the first team in St. Louis, including Gustavo Caraballo and Justin Ellis.

The Young Lions remain in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, tied with NYCFC II and two points behind Huntsville City FC. They’re only one point ahead of Chicago Fire II and New England Revolution II for the final playoff spot.

OCB won’t have much time to dwell on this performance as the Young Lions have a huge game Monday afternoon against Philadelphia Union II in Chester, PA.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC: Final Score 1-0 as Toothless Young Lions See Win Streak Snapped

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3 weeks ago

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June 11, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Offense was difficult to come by for Orlando City B and Carolina Core FC at Truist Point Stadium in High Point, NC, tonight, as the hosts found the net late in the first half to supply all the scoring in a 1-0 OCB loss. Jathan Juarez scored an outstanding goal shortly before halftime, and the Young Lions (6-6-1, 20 points) offered almost nothing going forward as they saw their two-game winning streak snapped by Carolina (3-3-5, 16 points).

Once again, OCB found a way to lose to a team much lower in the table, although Carolina Core has played two fewer matches. But the Young Lions were never in this one offensively, attempting just three total shots in the game and not putting one on frame until the final 10 minutes of normal time.

Manuel Goldberg’s lineup included Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Hayden Sargis, and Zakaria Taifi. Riyon Tori and Diego Pareja started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Dyson Clapier, Bernardo Rhein, and Favian Loyola, with Shak Mohammed up top. The surprise was Jhon Solis starting on the bench.

For the third consecutive game, OCB was outplayed badly, and this time there were no late heroics. Nor was there time for any, as match referee Marie Durr decided one single minute of added time was enough for a match that saw five second-half substitutions and some lengthy setups for a few late Carolina Core set pieces.

Carolina Core FC, coached by former Orlando City goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, created the first shot of the match as Tori conceded an unnecessary foul near the right sideline three minutes in. The service was good but Facundo Canete sent a free header wide of the left post.

OCB’s first decent attack fizzled out three minutes later when Rhein was flagged for offside in the buildup just as Taifi was teeing up his shot.

Canete got his head to a cross in the 11th minute near the penalty spot but it was right at Mercado. The goalkeeper had to be sharp moments later when Tori failed to deal with a ball over the top and instead teed it up for the opposition. Mercado got caught coming part way out but he was able to make a vital save on another Canete chance.

OCB lived dangerously over the next few minutes, struggling to clear the defensive penalty area. When the Young Lions did manage to get forward again, Loyola won a free kick in the 19th minute near the right corner of the box. Rhein sent in a good cross but Mohammed couldn’t make good contact with it and collided with goalkeeper Alex Sutton, who was able to collect but needed treatment after the collision.

The Young Lions had their best — and last — opportunity of the opening period in the 25th minute. Mohammed won the ball at midfield to ignite the break and Reid-Brown’s cross near the end line was blocked out for a corner. The ensuing set piece found Sargis in front, but the center back’s header went just over the bar and landed on the roof of the net.

From that point on, OCB was too sloppy with the ball on the awful-looking baseball pitch to create any danger. The Young Lions did a decent job of keeping their defensive shape, but there were some warning signs down both flanks, where defenders gave a lot of space and were still beaten off the dribble multiple times.

Mercado was quick of his line in the 36th minute to beat Glory Nzingo to an attempted through ball. The opposing forward made contact with the OCB goalkeeper, who briefly got treatment but continued.

Carolina Core finally broke the scoreless deadlock in the 44th minute. Ibrahim Covi sent Juarez down the left flank and the fullback roasted Taifi to get inside of him and then curled an excellent, unstoppable shot from a tight angle just inside Mercado’s far post to make it 1-0.

The Young Lions couldn’t do anything in the four minutes of stoppage time. There was one promising attack that could have led to something but it fizzled with a poor touch by Tori near the right corner of the box.

At the break, Carolina Core had the advantage in possession (52%-48%), shots (4-2), shots on target (3-0), corners (2-1), and passing accuracy (85.7%-82.7%). The difference in quality was noticeable and the Young Lions were fortunate to trail only by one goal after the first half.

Goldberg made no changes to his lineup and things didn’t change on the field to start the second period. Mercado made two enormous saves in the 47th minute on Juarez and Nzingo to keep the deficit at a single goal. That attack started because Tori smashed the ball out of play off Loyola and it was kept alive by a poor Sargis clearance attempt on a cross from the right.

The first 15 minutes of the half saw OCB create nothing and turn the ball over on both forced and unforced errors. Nzingo fired over the bar at the end of a long spell of possession that began with a poor touch by Tori that gave the ball away, and that allowed Goldberg to make his first substitutions. He sent Solis and Dylan Judelson on for Pareja and Rhein in the 61st minute.

However, it was Carolina nearly doubling the lead two minutes later. Another terrible giveaway in the defensive third by OCB gave the hosts a quick transition chance with numbers forward. Nzingo took the shot himself and beat Mercado, but his shot rang off the left post, skipped across the front of goal, and the Young Lions were able to escape. Moments later, Juarez again blasted past Taifi on the left, but he sent his shot over the bar.

Nzingo missed wide to the left again in the 70th minute on another long spell of possession that began with a giveaway by Williams near midfield.

The Young Lions finally got forward in the 71st minutes, but they again got nothing out of the attack as Taifi got to the end line and sent his cross from the right behind the net and well out of play.

Goldberg sent on Justin Hylton before the ensuing goal kick, replacing Clapier.

Msunguchi Alenga’s shot was blocked by Sargis moments later as Carolina kept coming.

The Young Lions finally kept the ball for a few spells after that block, winning a couple of free kicks in dangerous spots. Reid-Brown was taken down just outside the left corner of the box in the 80th minute. Solis went for goal on the set piece and nearly leveled the game. His fantastic free kick was headed toward the upper left corner but Sutton made a diving save to keep OCB off the board. It was the first shot on goal of the match for the Young Lions.

OCB could do nothing with the ensuing corner, ending the threat.

Taifi blocked a David Polanco shot that could have put things away in the 88th minute.

Moments later, the fourth official put up a board showing just one minute of stoppage time. Goldberg was incensed and earned a yellow card for his understandable reaction. The match had five second-half subs and some lengthy set piece setups, but somehow only one extra minute was given.

OCB managed to win a corner in the added time, with Mercado coming up to join the attack. The cross in was cleared to the top of the box, and no one seemed particularly concerned about getting to it. Carolina gladly gained possession and tried to seal things with the net empty but Mercado hurried back and got to a loose ball, but the whistle blew the match complete.

In the end, Carolina dominated the attacking stats, finishing with the advantage in shots (13-3) and shots on target (5-1). OCB edged the hosts in passing accuracy (88.7%-87.4%) thanks mostly to a good spell between the 80th and 90th minutes and Carolina simply trying to clear its lines to see out the match. Both teams earned three corners.

It was a rough-but-deserved result for OCB, which struggled with the basics of passing and dribbling, needlessly having to expend energy to win balls back that would normally not be given up in the first place. Still, it’s impossible to say what might have happened with a couple more minutes tacked on as they normally would be in virtually any modern soccer match.

OCB is now 1-2-1 in the all-time series with the Foxes and will host Carolina Core in the next meeting on July 13.

OCB is off until June 25, when the Young Lions will play another midweek match as they’ll host Toronto FC II at Osceola County Stadium.

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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.

Published

4 weeks ago

on

June 6, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B

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 should’ve 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 referee’s flag was up for offside, allowing OCB to escape with the game still scoreless.

Huntsville City’s 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 midielder’s 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 attacker’s 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 back’s 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. Solis’ 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 didn’t 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 midfielder’s 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 weren’t 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 — who got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out — 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 wasn’t 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 couldn’t 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.

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