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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. NYCFC II: Final Score 4-3 as OCB Completes Second-Half Comeback

A pair of braces by Shak Mohammed and Jack Lynn saw OCB erase a 3-1 deficit and win it late.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (11-9-3, 37 points) came back from a two-goal, second-half deficit tonight to beat NYCFC II (9-11-2, 29 points) 4-3 at Belson Stadium in Queens, NY. Shak Mohammed gave the Young Lions an early lead, but Matt Myers and Jack Beer scored two goals in two minutes to flip the scoreline. Myers’ second in the 55th minute made it 3-1, before a Jack Lynn brace and an 87th-minute winner by Mohammed secured all three points for the visitors.

OCB had some first-team players in the lineup during Wednesday night’s 5-4 loss to New England Revolution II, so there were some changes in the team for this trip. Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Wilfredo Rivera entered the lineup in place of Mason Stajduhar, Alex Freeman, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Felipe. Freeman was the only one of those four to make the trip.

The back line in front of Otero was Taifi, Kibunguchy, Abdi Salim, and Moises Tablante. Imanol Almaguer, Cristian Medina, Wilfredo Rivera, and Jhon Solis were in the midfield with Mohammed and Lynn up top.

OCB got off to a great start in this game, but NYCFC II settled down after the first 15 minutes. The hosts controlled the final half hour of the first half and took a commanding lead 10 minutes into the second half. But Lynn’s 62nd-minute goal provided a spark for the Young Lions and they had NYCFC II on their back foot for the majority of the second half. Braces for the two forwards were the difference as the Young Lions completed their largest comeback win of the season.

OCB had the game’s first chance when Stevo Bednarsky fouled Solis directly in front of goal and 25 yards out. Solis was the only one to step up and take the set piece, sending it into the arms of NYCFC II goalkeeper Alex Rando.

The Young Lions had another attempt in the fourth minute when Jonathan Jimenez fouled Tablante just outside of the box and to the left of goal. Rivera sent the free kick towards the near post, where Solis was making a run, but it missed the midfielder. Mohammed was the first to reach it behind him, but he sent the shot over the target.

The pressure by OCB paid off in the sixth minute when it forced the hosts into a mistake. Receiving the ball from Rio Hope-Gund, Klevis Haxhari attempted a pass for Samuel Owusu, but Taifi stepped in front to pick it off. The defender quickly sent the ball forward for Mohammed, whose second touch was a shot past Rando and into the corner to give the Young Lions an early 1-0 lead.

OCB had a chance to make it two in the ninth minute when Rivera took the ball away from a NYCFC II corner kick. He found Mohammed on his left and the Young Lions had numbers going forward. Mohammed’s low cross looked like it would connect with Medina, but it went by the midfielder and to Solis, whose shot was blocked.

NYCFC II found the equalizer in the 17th minute when Mohammed fouled Christian McFarlane by the sideline. Owusu sent the free kick into the box where MLS NEXT Pro’s leading goal scorer Myers got behind Medina and volleyed the ball past Otero. Medina held his arm up claiming it was offside, but the goal was given to make it 1-1.

Less than a minute later, Kibunguchy played a short ball to Medina, who was quickly swarmed by NYCFC II players. Beer took the ball off Medina’s foot and his second touch was a strong shot that beat Otero inside his near post, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead.

It looked like OCB might have a breakaway in the 27th minute when Lynn made a run through the middle of the field and called for the ball. Almaguer had it on the right and sent it forward for the striker, but Lynn couldn’t hold his run and was ruled offside.

NYCFC II nearly had a third goal in the 32nd minute when quick passing by the hosts resulted in Jimenez receiving the ball on the right. The midfielder sent a low cross towards the far post, where John Denis was making a run, but Almaguer slid in to block it. The ball popped up for Myers at the penalty spot and the forward tried to turn and put the ball on goal. Fortunately, he couldn’t get over it and the shot went harmlessly over the crossbar.

Jimenez received the ball on the right again in the 37th minute, dribbling behind Salim. He had Denis making a run towards the far post, but decided to take the shot himself. He had a decent angle, but sent the shot right to Otero who easily made the stop.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made his first change of the game in the 41st minute. Starting the game on the bench, regular right back Freeman came on for Taifi shortly before halftime.

In the 43rd minute, a quick give-and-go between Freeman and Mohammed enabled the latter to send a dangerous cross towards the near post, where Lynn was making a run. Unfortunately, it was a bit too far in front of the striker, and Rando was able to fall on it. Seconds later, Mohammed beat his defender to the end line and sent another ball towards Lynn at the near post. This one was closer to the striker and Lynn tried to use his heel to knock it past Rando, but couldn’t get on the end of it and the ball bounced through the box.

The fourth official put up three minutes of first-half stoppage time and NYCFC II was the only team to create a chance before the end of the half. Jimenez played the ball outside for Hope-Gund, who played it back to the midfielder at the top of the box. His shot was through the legs of Kibunguchy, but into the arms of Otero.

The Young Lions dominated the first 15 minutes, creating multiple chances and striking first. But the goal woke the hosts up and they had the better opportunities in the final 30 minutes of the first half. At halftime, OCB had more possession (51.7%-48.3%) and better passing accuracy (79.1%-72.6%), but NYCFC II had more shots (7-6), shots on target (4-3), and corners (5-1).

OCB had the first second-half chance in the 49th minute after Tablante was taken down by Jimenez just outside of the box. The short set piece ended up with Almaguer, who sent a good ball towards the six. It was headed towards the top of the box by Owusu, where it landed at the feet of Salim, but his shot was blocked by Bednarsky. Kibunguchy took a second attempt, but his shot was blocked by Haxhari.

In the 54th minute, Freeman dribbled the ball across the top of the box and gave it to Rivera. The attacker attempted to find space, eventually going down after contact with Owusu. NYCFC II broke the other way where Beer found Myers for a breakaway. Otero did well to come off his line and block the attempt. Denis ended up with the rebound, but Almaguer got in front to block it out of play.

The ensuing corner kick by Denis went into a group of players in the box. Owusu jumped over everyone, but Myers was the one to get the final touch, putting it past Otero to make it 3-1.

NYCFC II nearly had a fourth in the 59th minute when Denis played a low ball through the box. Jimenez ended up with it and sent a shot on goal, but Otero made a diving save, tipping it wide. Denis neary reached the rebound, but Almaguer got to it first, clearing it out of play.

Lynn almost got one back for OCB in the 61st minute when Tablante sent a dangerous ball towards the top of the six-yard box. The striker was there and got his foot to the ball, but Rando was able to get down and block it away with his foot.

Right after that attempt, NYCFC II tried to play the ball out of the back, but Medina intercepted the pass. Receiving the ball from Medina, Rivera found Solis, who quickly played it to Mohammed. Lynn was making a run towards goal and Mohammed found him, enabling the striker to redirect it in and making it a 3-2 game.

Perelman made his second substitution in the 64th minute, bringing Franco Perez on for Rivera.

OCB received a boost of energy as the game neared the 70th minute, keeping more possession and creating more chances than its opponents. The Young Lions had multiple opportunities, primarily with Almaguer lifting balls into the box, but nobody could get on the end of them. The only shot was a long-distance cross or shot attempt by Almaguer that sailed out of play.

Just after that chance, OCB made its final change of the game, bringing Favian Loyola on for Tablante.

The Young Lions found their equalizer in the 80th minute from a poor touch by Piero Elias. Mohammed got to the ball before Elias, tapping it to Loyola, who immediately sent the ball forward for Lynn making a run behind the NYCFC II back line. The striker shot from just outside of the box, aiming for the near post. Rando should’ve done better with it, but the ball got past him to even the game at 3-3.

OCB took the lead in the 87th minute when the ball was played around for Solis on the left. The midfielder lifted it forward for Perez, making a diagonal run into the box. The substitute found Mohammed at the penalty spot, and the forward didn’t miss his opportunity, putting it past Rando and into the top corner to give OCB a 4-3 lead.

The fourth official showed five minutes of second-half stoppage time, but it was extended when NYCFC II nearly had a chance. A ball through the box found McFarlane, but Almaguer got there just in time. The midfielder also tried to keep the ball from going out for a corner kick, flipping over the advertising boards and requiring attention.

OCB had a great chance to put the game away in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Haxhari swung and missed on a shot from outside of the box. Perez took control and sprinted the other way. Mohammed made a run through the middle of the field, but NYCFC II was lacking numbers in the back as the hosts were pushing for a late equalizer.

Owusu was the only man back for New York and had to make a decision, eventually leaving Mohammed to close down Perez. He played it across for Mohammed, whose first touch should’ve been a shot on goal. Instead, he took a touch, allowing Bednarsky to catch up. Mohammed cut back and shot, but it was blocked by Rando, ending his chance at scoring a hat trick.

NYCFC II had one last chance in the seventh minute of stoppage time when Ronald Arevalo found Elias sprinting forward. After his first touch, Elias and Medina collided and the referee awarded the hosts a free kick just outside of the box. NYCFC II wanted a penalty, but replays showed the foul occurred just before Elias entered the penalty area.

Jonathan Shore and Maximo Carrizo, a pair of second half substitutes, stood over the ball. Shore stepped over it and Carrizo took the set piece. The attempt went high and wide of the target, ending the last chance of the game. The final whistle blew immediately after the shot and OCB picked up a much-needed road win.

While NYCFC II controlled most of the first half, OCB came to life after Lynn’s first goal of the night. At full time, the Young Lions had more possession (57.1%-42.9%), shots (17-12), crosses (19-11), and passing accuracy (81.8%-72.6%). NYCFC II had more corner kicks (11-4) and both teams put seven shots on target.

This is the second time this season that OCB has come back from a 3-1 deficit to claim all three points. The Young Lions had a similar comeback on July 2 against FC Cincinnati 2, winning that game 5-3 at Osceola County Stadium. The win keeps OCB in fifth in the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Chicago Fire II and five points ahead of Philadelphia Union II for the seventh and final playoff spot.


After playing three games in eight days, OCB will have two weeks off before welcoming Columbus Crew 2 to Kissimmee on Aug. 27.

Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions Remain Undefeated

OCB continued its undefeated start to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season by edging Crown Legacy in North Carolina.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (2-0-1, 8 points) scored with their lone shot on target tonight in a 1-0 win over Crown Legacy FC (0-1-1, 1 points) at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthew, NC. Shak Mohammed’s 30th-minute goal was the difference as the Young Lions continue their hot start to the season.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made three changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Atlanta United 2 on March 16 and took the extra point 4-1 on penalties. Carlos Mercado returned to net for Javier Otero, Gustavo Caraballo replaced Colin Guske — who is on international duty — and Dyson Clapier replaced Justin Ellis.

The back line in front of Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Jackson Platts, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Dylan Judelson and Jhon Solis were in the defensive midfield behind Caraballo, Mohammed, and Clapier with Thalles up top.

The first chance for either team came in the seventh minute when Mohammed intercepted a poor pass in the Crown Legacy third of the field. He played it forward for Thalles, who was taken down by Baye Coulibaly.

Solis took the set piece, aiming for the near top corner. However, he was unable to get the ball to dip down enough, sending it off target.

Caraballo tried to make something happen in the 13th minute, dribbling into the Crown Legacy box. He took a shot on the run, but Jack Neeley got in front of the attempt, blocking it with his foot.

Crown Legacy got its first decent chance in the 16th minute when Nikola Petkovic received a pass near the top of the OCB box. He took a touch to get around Judelson and attempted to curl the ball into the far top corner, but it sailed off target.

The hosts nearly had another chance in the 28th minute when right back Yves Tcheuyap made a good run to the end line and sent a dangerous ball into the six-yard box for Jack Sarkos. However, Williams got in front to clear it out for a corner kick. Crown Legacy recycled the ball, forcing Williams to clear it away again. This time the Young Lions were able to clear the danger.

OCB took the lead in the 30th minute when Platts played the ball forward for Caraballo, who sent it further down the right for Taifi. The right back sent a dangerous ball into the box that was beyond the reach of Thalles and Clapier, but fell to Mohammed. The attacker didn’t make any mistakes, placing the ball past Isaac Walker to give the Young Lions a 1-0 lead.

OCB displayed some terrific breakout play in the first half. In the 32nd minute, a long ball by Mercado was flicked on by Mohammed for Clapier. The midfielder tipped the ball over Neeley and had a step on Coulibaly. The defender pushed Clapier over just before he entered the box, giving OCB a free kick in a dangerous spot.

Coulibaly was lucky to only get a yellow card for the play. Fortunately for him, another defender got back, so he wasn’t the last defender. Otherwise, it would’ve been a red card.

Taifi and Solis stood over the set piece with Solis taking the kick. The midfielder curled the ball towards the near post, just missing wide.

Crown Legacy created some danger in the 40th minute when Brian Romero sent a dangerous ball across the box. Coulibaly was making a run to the far post and the ball reached him, but the midfielder couldn’t get his foot on it.

Reid-Brown sent a good ball to the top of the six in the 44th minute. Williams was making a run between two defenders, but he wasn’t able to redirect the ball on target.

At halftime, OCB had more possession (64%-36%), shots (7-6), and shots on target (1-0). Meanwhile, Crown Legacy had more corner kicks (4-3) and crosses (6-3), with better passing accuracy (90.3%-88.4%).

Shortly after the restart, Rocket Ritarita lifted a ball near the penalty spot in the 50th minute that was chested down for Aron John. The attacker’s first touch was a shot on target that forced Mercado into a good save. The rebound ended up with Petkovic, who sent a second shot towards goal, but Platts slid in to block the attempt.

OCB nearly had a chance in the 53rd minute when Taifi made a long run down the right and sent a cross in for Thalles. The striker had position on his defender, but the cross was too strong for the striker to get his head on it.

A minute later Taiif made a similar run and took it himself. The right back fired from a tight angle, trying to lift it into the top of the net. However, Walker reacted well to block the attempt.

Crown Legacy had a golden chance to equalize in the 58th minute when a cross from the right went through the box and over the end line. Platts and Sarkos were tangling and referee Jeremy Scheer pointed to the spot.

John stepped up to take the penalty, sending it towards the left post. Mercado guessed correctly, diving to his right and making the save to keep the OCB lead and his shutout.

Goldberg made his first change of the night in the 62nd minute as Zinedine Rodriguez came into the game for Clapier.

The 70th minute brought a scary moment for OCB when Mikah Thomas sent a through ball into the OCB box for Ritarita. Mercado got to it first but couldn’t handle it. Ritarita continued his run, colliding with Mercado. The goalkeeper required some medical attention, but he was eventually able to continue.

OCB won a free kick in the 81st minute when Neeley pushed Mohammed down from behind just inside the Crown Legacy third of the field. Neeley was issued a yellow card for the challenge. Caraballo took the free kick, finding an unmarked Thalles making a run to the back post. The forward’s first touch was a redirection, but it went over the top.

Thalles won a 50-50 ball in the 83rd minute, tapping it forward for Mohammed to run onto. The attacker got behind the back line and was in goal as Walker came off his line. Mohammed tried to chip the goalkeeper, but his attempt bounced wide to the right.

Immediately after the miss, Goldberg made his second change of the game. Hayden Sargis made his professional debut, coming on for Caraballo.

Crown Legacy had a great chance in the 85th minute when Ferna Ferreira used a nice touch to lose Taifi and reach the endline. He sent a dangerous cross into the six with two teammates running in, but Judelson got back to clear it away.

In the 90th minute, Ritarita sent a cross into the box that Mercado should’ve handled easily. However, it bounced off his hands. A Crown Legacy attacker was making a back post run, but it went out of play.

During the stoppage, Goldberg made his final change of the night, replacing Thalles with Juan Quevedo.

In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Mohammed broke out near midfield. Neeley, who had been booked earlier, pulled him back. The professional foul required a yellow card, his second of the night.

The final attempt of the game came in the final seconds when Ferreira twisted and turned Quevedo to create space. It looked like the attacker would have a free shot on goal, but Judelson came flying in to block it. That was the final attempt as the Young Lions held on for the 1-0 win.

At full time, Crown Legacy had the advantage in shots (16-10), shots on target (3-1), corner kicks (11-3), crosses (21-6), and passing accuracy (90%-83.1%). However, the Young Lions took advantage of their one shot on target and held on for another three points.

The Young Lions continue their strong start to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season. They’ve only dropped one point this year, acquiring eight points from three games. They sit atop the Eastern Conference, tied with New York City FC II.


OCB will now have an extended break, not taking the field again until April 5 when the team travels to take on Chattanooga FC in Tennessee.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 2-2 as Young Lions Claim Extra Point in Penalties

OCB led in the second half but conceded an equalizer before claiming the extra point in the penalty shootout.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (1-0-1, 5 points) played to a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United 2 (0-1-1, 1 point) tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Luke Brennan gave Atlanta the lead in the 30th minute before Justin Ellis equalized just before halftime. Shak Mohammed gave the Lions their first lead in the 56th minute and Ronan Wynne equalized for the visitors in the 78th minute. The Young Lions then took the extra point by winning the penalty shootout, 4-1.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes from the team that won 2-1 over Columbus Crew 2 last Sunday night. First-team backup goalkeeper Javier Otero got his first start of the season, replacing Carlos Mercado. Thalles got his first start for OCB, replacing Dyson Clapier.

The back line in front of Otero was Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Jackson Platts, and Zakaria Taifi. Dylan Judelson and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Mohammed, Ellis, and Jhon Solis. Thalles started alone up top.

Atlanta had the first attempt at goal in the sixth minute when former Lion Moises Tablante found Brennan near the top of the box. Reid-Brown was in front of him and the midfielder shot, but Judelson flew in to block the attempt out for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece was knocked out for a second corner and the second attempt was caught by Otero, ending the threat.

It looked like OCB would have its first chance in the eighth minute when Taifi sent a dangerous low ball across the box. Three players in purple were making runs, with Solis closest to it. However, nobody could get to the end of the pass as it went all the way through.

The Young Lions’ first shot came in the 10th minute when Thalles knocked the ball off a defender, giving OCB its first corner kick. Solis’ set piece went through the box where it ended up with Taifi. The defender fired from outside the box, but the shot was right at Atlanta goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert.

Atlanta nearly had a chance in the 25th minute when Brennan sent a dangerous ball into the six for Rodrigo Neri. Williams was on the attacker, putting enough of his body on him to keep Neri from getting onto it.

A minute later, Mohammed was called for a foul on Brennan just outside the box and to the right of goal. The short set piece between Cooper Sanchez and Tablante resulted in a Brennan shot from distance, but Platts was in position to block it.

The visitors finally got their goal in the 30th minute after a pair of clearances. Ryan Carmichael sent a long cross to the back of the six-yard box where Salvatore Mazzaferro headed it towards goal. The ball went past Otero and Brennan ran onto it to knock it in, giving Atlanta a well-deserved 1-0 lead.

The Young Lions had their best first-half opportunity in the 40th minute when Taifi was sent long on the right behind the back line. The defender dribbled into the box as Hibbert came off his line, making a good save.

On the other end, a short corner kick resulted in Tablante sending a ball into the box. Mazzaferro got his head to the ball, flicking it towards the far post, but sent it wide.

The Young Lions got their equalizer in the 44th minute when Ellis received a throw-in and played a quick give-and-go with Solis to beat three defenders. The forward’s first touch after receiving the ball back from Solis was past Hibbert and off the far post to even the game at 1-1.

Atlanta was the better team in the first 45 minutes with the advantage in shots (10-4), crosses (7-0), corner kicks (6-1), and passing accuracy (87%-79.3%). However, OCB put three of its four shots on target while Atlanta only put one of 10 on frame.

Atlanta got off to an aggressive start to the second half and nearly scored in the 46th minute. While OCB attempted to clear an Atlanta corner kick, Solis got caught playing with the ball in his own box. Neri came in from behind and shoved Solis to the ground, taking possession. The attacker tried to beat Otero to his near post, but hit the outside of the net.

The Young Lions got their first second-half attempt in the 55th minute when Ellis found Reid-Brown near the top of the box. The left back cut inside to lose his defender and shot, but Wynne got in the way, blocking it out for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece by Taifi sailed beyond the back post where Mohammed came flying in to volley the ball past Hibbert, giving his team a 2-1 lead.

“We’ve been training for me to make the run to the second post and I happened to be there. And unbelievable delivery by Taifi and I was there to meet it,” Mohammed said. “So it’s good. It’s a good connection and hopefully many more to come.”

“Very participative, very active, very aggressive with a lot of desire,” Goldberg said about the goal scorers. “And that’s what we want. Sometimes the ball will go in. Sometimes it won’t. But the more we try to do it, it’s going to be better.”

Tablante tried to find an equalizer against his old team in the 61st minute. He ran into a defender but kept possession. A touch inside allowed him to shoot between Reid-Brown and Judelson, but he sent his shot over the crossbar.

In the 64th minute, Dominik Chong-Qui fired from the corner of the box, forcing Otero to block the ball over the crossbar at his near post. Tablante took the ensuing corner kick, but Otero was there to catch it.

Goldberg made his first two changes of the game during the next stoppage. Gustavo Caraballo and Clapier came into the game for Thalles and Judelson.

Otero was called into action in the 72nd minute when Braden Dunham’s shot from outside the box was deflected. Otero had to adjust to block the attempt, sending it wide. However, Neri was following up. Otero quickly jumped up to block that attempt as well, sending it out of play.

“Outstanding,” Goldberg said about Otero’s performance in goal. “I’m really happy for him. That he could take the chance properly for the team and for himself. And he did an outstanding job.”

Caraballo tried to double the OCB lead in the 73rd minute. The first-team midfielder took the ball to the end line before cutting back, creating space from Mazzaferro and Dunham. He was aiming for the far post, but the shot traveled wide.

The visitors found their equalizer in the 78th minute through a set piece. Guske was unable to clear Nykolas Sessock’s free kick near the top corner of the box, enabling Neri to head it back into the middle of the six-yard box. Wynne and Williams were tussling as they approached the ball, but the Atlanta attacker beat the first-team center back, evening the game at 2-2.

Goldberg was forced into another substitution in the 84th minute when Ellis went down injured. The forward received some attention before eventually being replaced by Zinedine Rodriguez.

Atlanta substitute Adyn Torres tried to be the hero in the 87th minute when he received the ball about 25 yards from goal. The attacker took a touch before firing a shot from long distance. Otero felt it was close enough to jump, but the attempt continued rising and went over the crossbar.

Torres’ attempt was the final chance for either team, as the 90 minutes ended in a 2-2 draw. Atlanta controlled the game in nearly every statistical category. Despite being on the road, the visitors had the advantage in shots (19-9), shots on target (6-5), crosses (11-2), and corner kicks (10-3). They also had better passing accuracy (85.8%-76.1%).

“I agree it was tough. We didn’t find ourselves very comfortable in the first half, and that put us there a little uncomfortable in the game,” Goldberg said. “We scored a goal in a very good moment of the match. It was at the end of the first half. And in the second half we were a little bit better. We’ve got a lot of things to work on to get better. But the good news is at least we got those two points and that’s something to look on.”

“I think on the balance of the game, it was a fair point that we got. We got the two points at home and we’re still undefeated at home,” Mohammed added. “So that’s big. It’s good to start the season that way. Two games and undefeated. So it was good. There’s still a lot of ways for us to improve and we’re going to do that. It’s just the second game of the season. So we’re looking forward to the season and it’s good that we started this way.”

Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, the teams had to shoot penalties to see who would get the extra point.

The Young Lions were perfect in the shootout, with goals by Guske, Solis, Platts, and Clapier. Carmichael hit the post on the first Atlanta attempt and Otero saved Mazzaferro’s shot on the second. Neri scored the third to keep the game alive before Clapier ended it.


OCB ends the two-game season-opening homestand with five points. The Young Lions will have to wait 10 days before they take the field again, taking on Crown Legacy FC in North Carolina on March 26.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Columbus Crew 2: Final Score 2-1 as Young Lions Win Season Opener

OCB opened its 2025 season with a victory, scoring twice before holding on for dear life in the second half.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (1-0-0, 3 points) opened its 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season with a 2-1 win over Columbus Crew 2 (0-1-0, 0 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium. Newcomer Dyson Clapier gave the Young Lions the lead in the 10th minute and Zakaria Taifi doubled the advantage just after the break. Crew 2 dominated possession after that and pulled a goal back late through Keesean Ferdinand, but it wasn’t enough, as OCB took all three points.

The first starting lineup of the season for the Young Lions consisted of Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Jackson Platts, and Taifi. Dylan Judelson and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Clapier, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed, with Justin Ellis up top.

OCB got off to an attacking start, trying to send Taifi down the right multiple times. But it was a Crew 2 throw-in that opened the scoring. In the 10th minute, Chase Adams received the throw and played a soft pass to Ferdinand in the Columbus box. Ellis jumped on the play, tipping the ball off of Ferdinand’s foot to Clapier, whose first touch was a rocket past Luke Pruter for the opening goal.

Columbus had its first decent attack in the 14th minute when Owen Presthus made a long run down the right. He sent a hard cross through the box looking for Tristan Brown, but it went all the way through.

It looked like OCB had a penalty in the 18th minute when Taifi did well to control a long pass and was taken down at the edge of the box. The referee initially pointed to the spot but ended up changing it to a free kick just outside of the 18, which was the correct decision.

Solis hit the free kick into the wall, and the ball bounced back to Taifi, who had been standing over it as well. His first touch was another shot, but it too was blocked.

A minute later, Solis found Taifi on the right and the defender sent a dangerous cross into the box. Clapier ran onto it and tried to turn it on goal with his first touch. However, he mishit the ball, ending the threat.

The visitors finally got their first shot of the game in the 27th minute when Austin Su  sent a hard, low shot towards goal. Fortunately, he sent it straight to Mercado, who had no trouble collecting it.

The Young Lions created a good buildup in the 37th minute when Ellis received the ball near midfield and sent it down the left for Reid-Brown. The left back found Clapier in the middle, who laid it back for Ellis making the trailing run. The striker’s first touch was a shot, but he didn’t hit it well, and it skipped wide.

It looked like Crew 2 might find an equalizer in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when Presthus sent Brent Adu-Gyamfi behind the back line and into the OCB box. His second touch was a shot, but Mercado did well to get down and block it, making a vital save.

After 45 minutes, OCB had more shots (5-4). However, Crew 2 had the advantage in attempts on target (2-1), corner kicks (2-0), crosses (5-2), and passing accuracy (89.2%-84.7%).

OCB made one change at halftime as Brazilian forward Thalles made his debut in purple, coming in for Clapier.

It didn’t take long for Thalles to get involved, as he nearly scored inside the first minute of the second half. The Brazilian was sent into the Crew 2 box and it looked like he had an open chance, but 15-year-old center back Gianmarco Di Noto came in from behind to knock it away.

The Young Lions went on another attack in the 48th minute, doubling their lead. Solis sent a long ball across the field to Taifi, who was making a run on the right. The right back chested the ball down and recontrolled it after the defender tried to tap it away. His third touch was a strong shot inside the near post, giving his team a 2-0 lead.

“I scored and I didn’t even see anything. All I did was point to my parents,” Taifi said. “My dad was working all day and he came from like two hours away to come. And I just wanted to give them all the thanks for the goal. And it feels amazing to win the game from that.”

“We talked a lot during the week about bringing out their individual best,” OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg said about Clapier’s and Taifi’s goals. “About everything. Technically, tactically. So this is the stuff we need. They have that ambition, that desire, and that helped them with the goals.”

Crew 2 nearly pulled one back in the 54th minute when Brown received the ball on the left side of the box. The midfielder tried to hit it into the roof of the net, but hit the woodwork.

Four minutes later, the Young Lions had trouble clearing the ball and Nicolas Rincon stuck his leg out to send the ball towards goal. Mercado did very well to dive to his left and make a one-handed save. The OCB starting goalkeeper was down briefly but was able to continue.

Solis tried to make it 3-0 in the 60th minute when Crew 2 goalkeeper Luke Pruter came well off his line. The ball was cleared before it reached the goal line, but only to Thalles not far away. The Brazilian attempted a bicycle kick, sending it wide.

Reid-Brown made a good run down the left in the 70th minute before cutting it back and finding Ellis at the top of the box. The striker took a touch inside before taking a hard right-footed shot. However, Su got in front of the attempt, blocking it wide.

As the ensuing corner kick was sent into the box, the referee called a foul on OCB. As a result, the Young Lions didn’t even get a chance from the set piece.

Goldberg made his second change in the 83rd minute as Clovis Archange came on for Reid-Brown.

A Taifi corner in the 85th minute found a head near the back post and was past Pruter, but cleared off the line. The follow-up attempt was right at Pruter, who made the save to end the threat.

The visitors finally got a goal back in the 88th minute when some quick passing sent Anthony Alaouieh down the left. The midfielder sent his pass back and diagonally through the box to a wide open Ferdinand, as the entire OCB defense had shifted to the other side. With nobody closing him down, it was an easy goal for the defender, sending the ball inside the far post.

The Young Lions immediately went the other way, looking to increase their lead back to two goals. Solis took a shot in the 89th minute from just outside the box that forced Pruter to dive and knock it wide.

The ensuing corner kick found Platts, who put his attempt on goal. But it was cleared off the line. The clearance went to Solis near the top of the box and the midfielder sent the follow-up attempt high and wide.

Crew 2 had another chance in the first minute of stoppage time when Guske was unable to clear a Columbus throw-in and Su took possession. The midfielder carried the ball to the end line and played it to the top of the six-yard box where Ferdinand was waiting. However, Mercado did well to get down to collect it.

Both teams attacked in the six minutes of second-half stoppage time, but the missed opportunity by Su was the final chance and OCB held on for the 2-1 win.

While Crew 2 had much more possession in the second half, it was OCB that created most of the chances. The Young Lions ended up with more shots (15-12), shots on target (7-5), and corner kicks (7-2). Meanwhile, the visitors had the advantage in crosses (8-3) and passing accuracy (89.6%-83%).

“Of course, first of all, very happy for the guys that we could get a win. It’s not easy to start off and starting off always like this is positive,” Goldberg said about the game. “The things we propose ourselves to do this match, we did. So we’re happy about that.”

“I feel like it was a great team performance. We really held it down,” Taifi said. “Had a little lapse of concentration at the end, but it doesn’t matter. We got the three points. So, it feels great to start with a win. Let’s go!”

The Young Lions continue their streak of season-opening wins, which dates back to the start of MLS NEXT Pro in 2022, making it four in a row. That matches the streak of four straight campaigns in which they opened the season with losses, dating back to the team’s inaugural season in 2016.


OCB will continue its season-opening homestand next Sunday night when the Young Lions host rival Atlanta United 2 at Osceola County Stadium.

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