Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 6-2 as 10-Man OCB Falls in Alabama
Defensive errors haunt the Young Lions as they’re dominated by Huntsville City FC.

Orlando City B (8-7-2, 27 points) traveled to Alabama tonight where the Young Lions fell 6-2 to Huntsville City FC (5-7-4, 22 points). A fifth-minute goal by Alex Freeman got OCB off to a good start, but the hosts scored five unanswered through Chris N’Sa, Azaad Liadi, Kemy Amiche, and a brace by Isaiah Johnston. Jack Lynn got one back in the 65th minute, but Joey Skinner netted a late goal to put the game away.
OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made two changes from the team that completed a 5-3 comeback win over FC Cincinnati 2 last weekend. Freeman and Favian Loyola entered the starting lineup, replacing Zakaria Taifi and Shak Mohammed. Loyola returned to OCB this weekend after joining the bench of the first team last weekend and Mohammed was on the bench for the MLS side last night in Utah.
The back line in front of goalkeeper Javier Otero was Franco Perez, Alejandro Granados, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Jhon Solis, Juninho, Cristian Medina, and Imanol Almaguer made up the midfield, with Lynn and Loyola lining up as the forwards.
Following the opening goal by OCB, Huntsville City took over, though it was largely due to some defensive errors by the Young Lions. They were already down by two goals when Kibunguchy was issued a red card in the first minute of the second half. It only got worse as the game went on and Perelman was clearly unhappy with his defensive unit as three of the four came off during the game.
Huntsville had most of the possession in the early minutes, but it was the Young Lions that struck first. OCB built its attack in the fifth minute when Solis sent a long ball forward for Juninho. The captain reached it before the ball crossed the end line and played it back to the penalty spot, where Freeman was charging in. Nobody picked up the right back and it was a calm finish by Freeman to give his team an early 1-0 lead.
OCB had a chance to double its lead in the 13th minute, when Freeman received the ball up the right and sent a cross into the box. Lynn was making a run behind the Huntsville City center backs and attempted to connect with the cross by sliding, but it was slightly too far in front of him.
The Young Lions maintained possession on the other side of the box, and Josh Drack fouled Solis to give OCB a free kick. Despite being about 30 yards out, Juninho went for goal on the set piece, missing just wide of the near post.
The hosts got their first decent opportunity in the 15th minute when Drack sent a long ball behind the OCB defense for Ollie Wright. The forward collected the ball and put it past Otero, but Drack’s pass was a little too late and Wright was clearly offside.
Four minutes later, Huntsville found its equalizer. It started when Skinner’s cross attempt was blocked out by Freeman. Nicky Law played the corner kick short for Drack, who played a quick one-two before giving the ball back to Law. The Huntsville City captain sent a great cross to the back post, where N’Sa reached the ball over Perez, heading it past Otero to even the game at 1-1.
Huntsville City nearly took the lead in the 24th minute when Granados fouled Liadi outside of the OCB box. Drack took the set piece and the shot was headed inside the near post, but Otero made a diving catch to keep it out.
OCB should’ve had a close-range shot in the 28th minute when Juninho played the ball out wide for Perez. The left back sent a cross towards the top of the six-yard box, where Lynn was making a run. Unfortunately, it was too close to Huntsville City goalkeeper Ben Martino, who easily collected it.
Huntsville City took the lead in the 32nd minute from the spot. N’Sa played a nice give-and-go with Drack to send him into the box and past Perez. The left back attempted to catch up but unnecessarily pulled down N’Sa. Referee Gabriele Giusti didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, issuing Huntsville City a penalty. Johnston stepped up to take the kick, sending Otero the wrong way and the ball into the upper corner to give his team a 2-1 lead.
In the 35th minute, Liadi fouled Medina near midfield and was booked for the challenge. Medina took the free kick quickly, attempting a shot pass for Loyola, but it was a bad one and Law took over. The Huntsville City captain initially was looking for Johnston up the middle, but played it wide to Amiche instead. The midfielder found Johnston making a run between center backs Kibunguchy and Granados, enabling him to slip it by Otero for a 3-1 lead.
Two minutes later, the hosts nearly scored a fourth when another bad turnover by the Young Lions gave Amiche possession on the right. OCB was caught forward, allowing Liadi to get behind the defense. Fortunately, the cross was a bit too far forward and Liadi couldn’t connect with it.
OCB had a chance to get one back in the 41st minute when Perez played the ball back for Juninho just outside of the box. The midfielder’s first touch allowed him to beat Johnston and shoot for the far post. Martino looked beat, but the shot was just wide.
The final chance of the first half was for Huntsville City a minute into first-half injury time. Drack got behind Medina to the left of goal and had space for a shot, but Otero did well to get down and block it with his right foot, keeping the deficit at two goals.
OCB ended the first 45 minutes with more possession (53.9%-46.1%), but Huntsville City had more shots (9-4), shots on target (7-1), corner kicks (2-0), and passing accuracy (89.2%-86.4%). The difference in the first half was poor decision-making by the Young Lions that gave the hosts golden opportunities and they didn’t miss.
Perelman made one change at halftime as Moises Tablante came on for Perez. It got worse for the Young Lions less than a minute into the half when Liadi was sent behind Kibunguchy and the center back pulled him down. After brief consideration, Guisti issued Kibunguchy his second yellow card of the game and OCB was down to 10 men. It was deja vu, as Kibunguchy’s first booking came inside the first minute of the first half when he fouled the same striker.
The red card to a center back forced Perelman to make a defensive change, despite being two goals down. Taifi came on to partner Granados, replacing forward Loyola.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to extend their lead, scoring a fourth in the 51st minute. Receiving the ball from Skinner down the left sideline, Drack sent the ball on with a bicycle kick for Wright. The forward sent a cross into the box, where Liadi slid in and knocked it past Otero, making it 4-1 Huntsville.
OCB had its first chance of the second half in the 53rd minute, when Freeman sent a pair of crosses into the box looking for Tablante. Martino blocked the first cross back to Freeman and Huntsville City was eventually able to clear.
The hosts scored their fifth goal in the 55th minute. It was another turnover for OCB, as Liadi won the ball near midfield and quickly sent it forward for Wright. The striker didn’t hesitate to send Amiche behind the OCB back line for a breakaway. Amiche took his time, placing it past Otero, who had no chance, and giving Huntsville City a commanding 5-1 lead.
Immediately after the goal, Perelman made two more substitutions to his struggling back line. Tahir Reid-Brown and Thomas Williams came into the game for Granados and Medina.
Despite the four-goal advantage, Huntsville City continued pushing for more. In the 60th minute, Amiche played it forward on the right for N’Sa. The defender sent a great cross into the box that found Drack. The midfielder’s header attempt beat Otero, but went wide of the far post.
N’Sa had a chance for his second of the game in the 64th minute when a pass back from the goal line was just behind him. The right back attempted to turn and volley a shot on goal, but missed the ball, allowing OCB to clear.
The Young Lions got a goal back in the 65th minute, created by Tablante. The attacker sent a great ball across the field for Lynn, who was making a run to the far post. He used his chest to bring down the ball and sent a half-volley past Martino to cut the deficit to three at 5-2.
The goal was Lynn’s 10th of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season. In addition to extending his team lead, it also tied him with Atlanta United 2’s Nick Firmino for the golden boot lead.
In the 67th minute, Jonathan Bolanos played the ball back for Amiche. The midfielder quickly volleyed it on goal, looking for a second-half brace, but hit the side of the net.
Four minutes later, Bolanos took an ambitious shot from a very long distance. Nobody expected the attempt, but it was a quality shot that beat Otero, going just over his head. Fortunately, it also went just over the crossbar.
Perelman used the stoppage in play after the miss to make his final substitution of the game. In an attacking change, Cristofer Acuna came on for Solis.
Huntsville City scored its sixth goal in the 78th minute and it was probably its most impressive. Skinner received the ball from Amiche outside of the OCB box and quickly decided to take a shot at goal. He got the shot off just before the sliding Lynn could reach it, sending a line drive past Otero to make it 6-2.
OCB had a chance to get one back in the 80th minute when Acuna took a shot from close distance. Martino did well to block the attempt, but sent it right in front of goal. It looked like Lynn would send the rebound back on target, but it was cleared out of play for a throw-in before he could reach it.
As the clock neared 90 minutes, Huntsville City was happy to keep possession and OCB didn’t seem interested in challenging the home side. Huntsville created a chance in the 87th minute when substitute Nebiyou Perry took a low shot from just outside of the box. But he sent it right into the arms of Otero.
A minute later, Amiche put the ball between the legs of his defender to turn him and create enough space for a shot. He caught up to the ball and fired from the top of the box, but Reid-Brown got in front of the attempt to block it. That was the final chance of the game.
At full time, Huntsville City dominated with more possession (56.1%-43.9%), shots (20-11), shots on goal (11-5), corner kicks (5-2), crosses (11-10), and passing accuracy (92.5%-86.4%).
This was probably OCB’s worst performance of the season as the Young Lions were unable to maintain possession and gave the ball away too easily, providing multiple chances for the opposition. While Kibunguchy’s red card impacted the game, the result already seemed confirmed as Huntsville City pounded Otero’s goal and put seven of its nine first-half shots on frame.
Despite the loss, OCB remains in fifth place in the Eastern Conference and in second in the Central Division. The Young Lions are seven points behind Columbus Crew 2, but have a game in hand.
OCB will have to forget this poor performance and look to right the ship, returning home next Sunday night to face Atlanta United 2 at Osceola County Stadium.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Inter Miami II: Final Score 3-2 as OCB Falls To In-State Rivals
OCB fell to Inter Miami II for the third time in the last four meetings.

Orlando City B (3-2-1, 11 points) fell 3-2 to Inter Miami II (2-3-1, 7 points) tonight at IMG Academy in Bradenton. Tyler Hall gave Miami the early lead before Tahir Reid-Brown equalized midway through the first half. Mateo Saja gave Miami back the lead just before halftime, and Idoh Zeltzer-Zubida put the game out of reach in the second half. Shak Mohammed converted a penalty in the dying moments, but it wasn’t enough as the Young Lions fell to their in-state rivals.
OCB and Inter Miami II played at IMG Academy for the second consecutive year as part of the Generation Adidas Cup. While it was a neutral site game, Miami was the designated home team.
Several OCB regulars didn’t play in this game because they’re representing the club’s U-18 team in the Generation Adidas Cup. As a result, OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made six changes to the team that won 1-0 over New England Revolution II on April 9. Carlos Mercado, Noham Abdellaoui, Riyon Tori, Hayden Sargis, Juan Quevedo, and Dyson Clapier entered the starting lineup for Javier Otero, Jackson Platts, Colin Guske, Gustavo Caraballo, Justin Ellis, and Thalles.
The back line in front of Mercado in goal was Reid-Brown, Abdellaoui, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Sargis and Tori were the defensive midfielders behind Clapier, Quevedo, and Jhon Solis with Mohammed up top.
Neither team was able to create anything in the first 10 minutes. The first chance of the game came in the 12th minute when Mohammed was sent over the top and behind the Miami back line. However, a heavy first touch allowed Miami goalkeeper Ivan Schmid to come off his line and collect the ball.
Three minutes later, it was the opposition that struck first. A Sargis foul in the OCB third gave Miami a set piece. Zeltzer-Zubida took the free kick, sending the ball into the box. Sargis and Bailey Sparks tried to get a touch, but it went through to the back post. Hall beat Williams to the ball, tapping it in to give Miami a 1-0 lead.
Miami nearly doubled their advantage in the 20th minute when a chip over the back line for Saja nearly fell perfectly for the attacker. However, Saja was unable to get his foot on it and Mercado collected the ball.
The Young Lions found their equalizer in the 23rd minute from an unlikely source. Solis made a long run to the end line and sent the ball in front of goal. Unfortunately, Mohammed couldn’t turn it on target. But the ball went directly to Tori. The rookie played it left to Clapier on the far side of the box, and he laid it off for Reid-Brown rather than shooting himself. The left back sent a hard, low shot through traffic and just inside the far post to even the game at 1-1.
A defensive mistake nearly gave the lead right back to Miami in the 26th minute. Williams received a pass back by Reid-Brown and immediately gave it up to Saja. The attacker was in on goal and took a shot, but Mercado did well to make the save with his left hand, pushing it wide. Miami was unable to create anything from the ensuing corner kick and the Young Lions escaped.
In the 30th minute, Taifi sent a dangerous low cross into the box. The ball went through several players before landing at the feet of Clapier. The midfielder attempted a first-touch shot, but he was falling backward and sent the attempt well over the top.
OCB had a good chance to take the lead in the 40th minute when Reid-Brown was sent down the left. The left back caught up to the ball and sent a low cross to Mohammed making a run to the near post. The forward met the ball but sent it wide.
The Young Lions felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 41st minute when Hall and Quevedo raced for a ball over the top. As they entered the box, Hall threw his arm up and into Quevedo. The OCB midfielder went down and Schmid collected the ball. But the referee determined it wasn’t a penalty.
OCB paid for its missed chances in the 44th minute when Miami retook the lead. Sparks made a run down the left and sent a hard, low cross into the box. Saja got his heel to the ball, redirecting it past Mercado and in to give Miami a 2-1 lead.
After 45 minutes, Miami had more shots (5-4), shots on target (3-1), crosses (4-2), and corner kicks (2-0). OCB had better passing accuracy (83.9%-82.3%).
The first chance of the second half came in the 50th minute when Preston Plambeck dribbled across the top of the box before shooting from distance. It looked like the shot might’ve taken a deflection off a defender, but Mercado handled the attempt.
Miami doubled its advantage in the 55th minute with a great goal by Zeltzer-Zubida. The midfielder received a pass on the left and dribbled across the top of the box, passing Taifi and Solis before unleashing a rocket. Mercado dove to his left, but he didn’t really have a chance as the ball rippled the net to give Miami a commanding 3-1 lead.
The Young Lions tried to respond, creating a chance in the 56th minute. The low cross into the box found Quevedo, who tried to guide it inside the far post. Unfortunately, he didn’t get much on the ball, sending it wide.
In the 64th minute, a Solis pass found Taifi and Mohammed, who appeared to run into each other. Fortunately, Mohammed left it for Taifi and the defender took a touch before firing from very long distance. He was trying to catch Schmid off his line but sent the attempt wide.
Solis sent Mohammed down the right in the 66th minute. The forward had to decide between shooting and sending the ball across the box. He chose the latter, but nobody was making a run and the ball went harmlessly through.
Goldberg made his first and only change of the game in the 68th minute. Zinedine Rodriguez came into for Clapier.
The Young Lions nearly found an equalizer in the 85th minute. Taifi’s corner kick was cleared away, but Solis took possession and played Taifi back down the right. The defender sent a cross into the box that found the head of Williams. The center back’s header was traveling just inside the post, but Schmid dove to his left, knocking the ball wide.
Taifi drew a foul 25 yards away from goal as the game reached second-half stoppage time. Solis stood over the ball by himself, taking the set piece. The midfielder went directly for goal, sending a strong shot towards the near post. However, Schmid dove to his left, catching the attempt.
In the third minute of stoppage time, OCB got another chance from a corner kick. The set piece was sent to the back post, where Mohammed was waiting. Unfortunately, the forward wasn’t able to get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.
In the ninth minute of stoppage time, Taifi beat his defender and dribbled into the box. Cristian Ortiz came in from behind, taking the defender down. The referee immediately pointed to the spot, awarding OCB a penalty.
As OCB’s leading scorer, Mohammed stepped up to the spot to take the kick. The striker sent the Miami goalkeeper the wrong way, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Two minutes later, the Young Lions felt they should’ve had a chance to equalize. Taifi’s cross resulted in contact in the box. Mohammed came flying in with a high foot and was called for the foul. OCB’s team and bench appealed for a penalty on the initial pass, but the referee disagreed.
That was the last chance as the Young Lions fell to Inter Miami II for the third time in their last four meetings. OCB is now winless in five straight against Miami, not having beaten the Herons since a 1-0 win on May 25, 2023.
OCB ended the game with more shots (13-9) and corner kicks (5-2). Miami finished with the advantage in shots on target (6-5), crosses (5-4), and passing accuracy (84.2%-83.6%).
Three points would’ve seen OCB match Chattanooga FC on top of the Eastern Conference, albeit having played one more game. Instead, the Young Lions sit in second, three points off the top. They’re only one point ahead of New York Red Bulls II, having played two more games.
The Young Lions have a 12-day break before they take the field again. It’ll be a crucial game against Red Bulls II on April 27 at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. New England Revolution II: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions Stay Unbeaten at Home
OCB took down previously undefeated New England Revolution II to move into a tie for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando City B (3-0-1, 11 points) took down New England Revolution II (4-2-1, 8 points) 1-0 tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Shak Mohammed’s 81st-minute goal was the difference as the Young Lions took all three points and remained unbeaten at home in 2025 (2-0-1).
The midweek game saw five players return to OCB from the first team after being on the bench in Philadelphia over the weekend. Javier Otero, Thomas Williams, Colin Guske, Gustavo Caraballo, and Mohammed entered the lineup for Carlos Mercado, Noham Abdellaoui, Hayden Sargis, Dylan Judelson, and Dyson Clapier.
The back line in front of Otero in goal was Tahir Reid-Brown, Jackson Platts, Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Guske and Jhon Solis were the defensive midfielders behind Mohammed, Justin Ellis, and Caraballo with Thalles up top.
New England was the better team for much of the game, creating more chances than the hosts. However, few of those opportunities were on frame. OCB only had one or two threatening chances in the first 80 minutes, mostly coming right at the end of the first half. But Mohammed came through when his team needed him, striking with less than 10 minutes remaining.
The first shot of the game came in the fifth minute when Marcos Dias carried the ball near the top of the OCB box and fired. But Williams stepped up and blocked the attempt with his back.
A minute later, Gevork Diarbian received a long ball on the left and took Taifi one-on-one. The attacker made a move before trying to curl the ball around the defender and Otero, but sent the shot wide of the far post.
In the eighth minute, OCB was slow to react to a header, allowing Alex Monis to take possession. He carried the ball to the end line before sending the ball toward the penalty spot. Liam Butts and Diarbian tried to get a touch on it with their backs to goal. Instead, it went to Eric Klein, whose shot was right at Otero.
OCB had its first chance in the 11th minute when Solis intercepted a pass from Hesron Barry. The midfielder sprinted down field, finding Caraballo making a run behind the New England back line. The teenager opened up to shoot with his first touch, sending the shot right into the hands of New England goalkeeper Donovan Parisian.
Revs II had a great chance in the 14th minute when Dias played Diarbian down the left. The midfielder was charging towards the end line and sent a low ball across the box. Monis was making a run into the six and slid in between Williams and Reid-Brown, but he couldn’t get on the end of the ball.
Darbian sent another ball into the box in the 24th minute. It looked like Platts was going to clear it, but the center back didn’t get much on it. The attempted clearance went directly to Dias, whose first touch was an awkward shot from his heels. The attacker wasn’t able to get much on it, sending the ball harmlessly wide.
OCB got its second chance in the 27th minute when Caraballo sent a low ball to the top of the box where Mohammed was making a run. The Young Lions’ leading scorer met the pass and tried to put his first touch on goal. However, the defender got a touch to the ball, making the block.
OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was forced to make an early change in the 30th minute when Thalles went down away from the play. The forward received treatment for a few minutes before being replaced by Clapier.
Solis drew a foul in the 32nd minute in the New England third, creating a rare first-half chance for the Young Lions. He quickly played the set piece short to Mohammed who spotted Caraballo making a run into the box. New England was unprepared as Caraballo touched the ball by a sliding Barry. However, his shot was over the crossbar.
Diarbian continued to cause problems for OCB on the left, finding Dias at the top of the box in the 42nd minute. The attacker took a shot, but Guske did well to get in front of the attempt.
After defending for much of the first half, OCB finally created a few chances in the dying minutes.
A give-and-go between Taifi and Solis in the 44th minute saw the former send a cross in that was headed out for a corner kick .Caraballo took the corner kick, sending it towards the back post where Platts was waiting. He had space to put the ball on target, but failed to get a clean touch on the ball and it went out of play.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Clapier’s shot was deflected out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was towards Platts in the box. A defender got to it first, but the ball popped up instead of out. Platts got a foot to the ball but couldn’t get any power behind it, sending it directly to Parisian.
A minute later, Caraballo had a shot blocked out for a corner kick. The Young Lions couldn’t create anything from this set piece and the half ended scoreless.
At halftime, New England had more shots (9-5), but OCB had the edge in crosses (4-3), corner kicks (3-1), and passing accuracy (88%-86.4%). Meanwhile, both teams put one chance on target.
“We talked in halftime that the game was very even,” Goldberg said about his halftime speech. “So, we said it’s about wanting it just a little bit more than them. And that’s what we tried to do.”
The second half got off to a much slower start. Both teams tried to create attacks but were unable to get anything from them.
Goldberg made his second change in the 55th minute. Riyon Tori came into the game for Ellis.
Shortly after the substitution, Butts created a chance with little space. The attacker looked to be covered, but he found enough space for a shot. It forced Otero to make a block with one hand, sending the ball out of play.
Butts had another chance in the 59th minute when Dias carried the ball to the end line. Dias played it back for Butts near the top of the six-yard box, and Butts’ first touch was a shot, but it went wide of the near post.
Solis gave the ball away to Olger Escobar in the 71st minute, creating another chance for New England. Damorney Hutchinson took possession on the right, trying to beat Otero to his near post. But his shot was blocked into the outside of the net.
Guske found Taifi on the right side of the box in the 74th minute. The defender was able to find enough space for a shot, but couldn’t get over it, sending his shot over the crossbar.
Goldberg made his final change in the 78th minute. It was a defensive change as Sargis came into the game for Caraballo. Taifi moved from right back to right midfield to make room.
OCB didn’t have many quality chances in this game, but the Young Lions took the lead in the 81st minute. Platts received the ball on the right in a seemingly innocuous position. He sent Mohammed between Gabriel Dahlin and Victor Souza. Dahlin’s hand went up, but the assistant referee determined the forward was onside. Mohammed slipped the ball through Parisian — who got a touch on it but couldn’t keep it out — to give OCB the lead.
“I tried the pass before. I had the space to beat the left winger, so it was a big touch. Then Shak obviously made the run,” Platts said about his assist. “First pass, he told me to play it earlier. So, next time I saw him I just played it earlier. And it was a goal.”
It was the first goal conceded by New England in nearly four full games to start the 2025 season.
It looked like the visitors might find an equalizer in the 84th minute when Escobar kept possession under pressure and laid it off for Allan Oyirworth. The midfielder had space for a shot, but Sargis got in the way to block it.
In the third minute of stoppage time, Judah Siqueira lifted the ball into the box for Hutchinson. Platts was against his back and Hutchinson went down. However, there was minimal if any contact. While New England appealed for a penalty, the referee correctly didn’t award one.
New England ended the game with more shots (15-9), shots on target (4-3), and crosses (8-4). OCB had better passing accuracy (87.9%-84.2%) and the all-important goal. Both teams ended up with five corner kicks.
“We knew it was going to be tough. That’s why they were undefeated,” Goldberg said about the game. “That’s why they haven’t received goals. So, we knew it was going to be tough.”
The win moves the Young Lions into a tie for first place with Chattanooga FC atop the Eastern Conference on points. However, the Tennessee-based independent club has a game in hand and the all-important tiebreaker in goal differential.
OCB will take the field again on Tuesday against rival Inter Miami CF II. The game will be at IMG Academy in Bradenton, but OCB is the designated away team.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B’s Loss to Chattanooga Shows Impact Of Shak Mohammed
Shak Mohammed’s importance to OCB was on display in Saturday night’s loss in Chattanooga.

Orlando City B faced an independent team Saturday night, putting the Young Lions in a unique position. When they face fellow reserve sides, the games are usually the day after the first team plays. But Saturday night’s game was at the same time, and it showed issues in the OCB attack.
Chattanooga FC is one of two independent teams currently playing in MLS NEXT Pro. As you would expect, the Tennessee-based side plays most of its home games on Saturday nights, when they can draw bigger crowds. Unfortunately, that means the Young Lions took the field the same night as the senior side, kicking off just 30 minutes prior to the MLS squad’s match in Philadelphia.
A lack of bodies for the first team meant multiple OCB regulars had to join the senior Lions for their trip to Philadelphia. The biggest loss for the game in Chattanooga was undoubtedly Shak Mohammed, who started on the bench for Orlando City.
While Mohammed has yet to claim his place with the first team, he’s made a major impact on the second team. His 11 goals last season led the Young Lions, and he has the team lead in goals this season with two in the first three games, including a goal in each of the two previous contests.
The 21-year-old’s absence was apparent Saturday night in Tennessee. Justin Ellis started in the position Mohammed usuallly occupies with Thalles starting up top. Meanwhile, Zakaria Taifi moved from his usual defensive position into the attacking midfield.
All three players had chances early in the game. While Ellis played the distributor, Thalles and Taifi had clear chances in the first 45 minutes. However, neither player was able to put the ball past Chattanooga goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic, who had seven saves on the night.
The missed opportunities showed an issue that OCB might face in the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season. The better Mohammed plays, the more likely he is to be with the first team. This usually won’t be a problem, as the two teams rarely play on the same days. But you can’t depend on that for the team’s success this season.
If OCB wants to improve on the 2024 campaign and win a postseason game for the first time in team history, the Young Lions will need others in the attack to step up. Otherwise, it could be frustrating nights when Mohammed is unavailable.
The lack of offensive efficiency Saturday night also showed how good Mohammed has been with the second team. Obviously, the third-division league is a much lower quality than the first-division MLS, but it leads to a question about Mohammed’s future in Orlando.
The forward was a first-round selection out of Duke in 2023. The Lions gave up Ruan in a trade with D.C. United to move up in the MLS SuperDraft, taking Mohammed with the second overall pick. Now in his third professional season, he hasn’t made the impression you’d expect from someone taken so high.
To be fair, we were seeing this with Jack Lynn as well. The 2022 first-round MLS SuperDraft pick was tearing it up in MLS NEXT Pro without seeing much time with the first team. However, he was clearly taking positive steps and was beginning to play a bigger role before retiring this past off-season.
Lynn’s departure left a spot Mohammed could fill for both teams, and he’s done a good job with OCB. His 11 goals showed a significant increase from his six goals for the Young Lions in 2023, despite only playing in two more games. Now, he just needs to show improvement with the first team.
Saturday night’s disappointing offensive performance by OCB showed Mohammed’s impact in the attack. While the Young Lions are a dangerous team with the Ghanaian in the lineup, nobody stepped up to fill his production in Chattanooga, resulting in the team’s first loss of the season. It showed the impact the attacker has had on the team this year and the improvements of his game.
Watching Moahmmed the remainder of the season will be interesting. Will he finally make the jump to appearing regularly with the first team? Will Ellis or Thalles fill Moahmmed’s production when he’s away? We should find out these answers in the near future.
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