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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 1-1 as Young Lions Claim Shootout Point Following Road Draw

The Young Lions are bringing five out of a possible six points home after a shootout win in Huntsville.

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12 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

For the second straight game, OCB fell behind but came back to get a result. The Young Lions watched Joel Sangwa open the scoring on a free header for Huntsville City FC (0-0-2, 2 points) in the first half, but battled back on a Justin Ellis goal, as OCB (1-0-1, 5 points) earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw on a rainy night at Joe W. Davis Stadium in Huntsville, AL. The Young Lions then won a wild penalty shootout to claim another point in the standings.

For the moment, that puts OCB atop the Eastern Conference on the early season, but with one more game played than most teams. The Young Lions earned five out of a possible six points in their two-game, season-opening road trip.

Head Coach Manuel Goldberg’s lineup featured Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Manuel Cocca, Nabi Kibunguchi, and Zakaria Taifi. Imanol Almaguer and Colin Guske made up the double pivot in central midfield behind an attacking midfield line of Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Thomas Bowe with Justin Ellis up top.

The Young Lions started the game as the protagonists, getting a couple of early half chances but wasting them badly with wild, off-target shots. One effort went so far wide in the opening minutes that it seems impossible that it wasn’t blocked. The second came from Cocca off a scramble in the box on a corner kick, but the defender sent a shot high into the night sky in the ninth minute.

After a good first 10 minutes for OCB, Huntsville started settling into the game, but the hosts were helped by poor touches and passes by the Young Lions. Orlando City B repeatedly tried to make quick, intricate passes in tight space in their own half or near midfield and could not make them precisely enough, allowing Huntsville to easily take the ball away time after time. It put the Young Lions on their heels for the middle part of the first half.

Jonathan Bolanos sent a hard, low shot from outside the box just inches of Mercado’s left post in the 24th minute. Bolanos gave Taifi some problems down OCB’s right flank, winning some set pieces and sending some dangerous crosses into the box.

Forster Ajago just mistimed his jump a minute after the Bolanos miss after OCB turned the ball over again. That led to a corner kick and the hosts made the set piece pay off. Sangwa went high over Ellis and put his free header past Mercado to open the scoring in the 26th minute.

Ajago had a chance to double the lead a minute later but committed a foul trying to push his way to a cross.

The Young Lions started to get some rhythm back around the half-hour mark. Solis got into the box and would have had a dangerous scoring chance, but a wayward spoiled the attack in the 31st minute. Seconds later, Tsukada tried an ambitious effort from outside the right corner of the box. The rookie’s shot didn’t bend and stayed well off target.

In the 34th minute, Tsukada sent a good ball through the box that Ellis couldn’t quite turn on target and OCB’s back post runner wasn’t close enough to tap it into the empty net. The Lions pulled level moments later anyway.

Sangwa took an unsteady touch on a back pass and Ellis pounced, knocking it toward the penalty area. The players arrived together and Ellis out-muscled the defender to win the ball, then calmly stepped to his left across the face of goal and slotted the equalizer home in the 36th minute for his first MLS NEXT Pro goal.

Reid-Brown came within inches of giving OCB the lead in the 40th minute. The Homegrown fullback sent in a shot from outside the area that crashed off the crossbar behind goalkeeper Ben Martino. The ball rebounded to Taifi, but the right back’s shot was deflected behind for a corner. A minute later, Almaguer went for goal from long range and hit his shot wildly off target. Guske fired a similarly wild shot in the 44th minute, but in fairness, the rain was falling and the ball was wet.

The last good chance of the half fell to Huntsville. A ball knocked away by the defense made it just outside the area on the right to Maximus Ekk, who smashed a volley toward goal that skipped just wide of the left post.

The stat sheet was indicative of the tie score at the break. OCB finished the half with the advantage in shots (8-4), while Huntsville passed more accurately (85.1%-78.2%) and held more possession (55%-45%). Each team put one shot on target (the two goals), and both sides won four corner kicks.

Orlando won an early corner after the restart but did nothing with it. Huntsville then seized control of the match and the hosts were rarely threatened from that point on. However, the OCB defense did well to handle almost everything Huntsville City threw at it, and when the ball got through, Mercado was there to catch the ball.

Adem Sipic fired the first shot on target in the 49th minute, sending a shot in from the left side that Mercado was able to catch cleanly despite the rain. Three minutes later, Ekk found himself all alone at the back post for a free header, but he couldn’t get any power behind his shot and Mercado fielded it on one hop.

Ekk then blasted a shot from well outside the area off a corner kick played short. Kibunguchy got his head to it to ensure that Mercado didn’t have to make a save on the strike. Solis cleared the ensuing corner but Huntsville won it back and Ekk freed himself for a shot from outside the area that Mercado saved.

The hosts continued their assault on goal with Kibunguchy blocking a shot inside the box, followed by Mercado catching a long-range effort from Bolanos in the 55th and 56th minutes, respectively.

One of OCB’s problems in the second half was wasting attacking opportunities. Both teams fell in love with the long shot attempt and neither side came particularly close to scoring with such efforts. Tsukada wasted an opportunity in the 57th minute with an impatient attempt that came nowhere near threatening the goal.

Ollie Wright sent a shot wide of goal from a good spot near the top of the area in the 59th minute and Huntsville teammate Scott Cheevers was booked for yapping at the referee for giving a goal kick. Two minutes later, Reid-Brown got away with a bad turnover in his own box, hustling to help win the ball back.

Tsukada made a fantastic run through the defense in the 63rd minute and did well to free himself for a shot fromt he left, but Sangwa came in to block it at the last second. OCB could not make the corner kick pay off. Another rare foray up the pitch nearly created something for the Young Lions, but a cross fizzed too quickly through the box for Ellis to get onto it.

Goldberg subbed in Majed Mohammed for Ellis in the 78th minute and OCB struggled to keep possession after the change. Mohammed got position well on long balls forward but could not bring balls down close enough to his body. The few times he did, he was muscled off the ball by the defense and Huntsville continued its attack.

There was a scary moment in the 82nd minute when a ball popped loose in the box. Mercado raced off his line and got to the ball just ahead of Ajago, who tumbled over the prone goalkeeper. Huntsville shouted for a penalty, but Mercado got a touch to the ball just before Ajago arrived, and although the keeper couldn’t maintain possession of the wet ball, the lack of a penalty call seemed the correct one.

OCB seemed content to play for the draw after that and nearly got a counterattack opportunity in the 90th minute, but Wright played a second ball on the pitch down the middle to break up the transition. He was booked for the interference.

The Young Lions wanted a penalty in the second minute of six added minutes. Abdullah did well to make his first decent attacking run and got into the box, going down with contact, but the referee deemed the challenge legal and played on.

Orlando survived a couple of late Huntsville attacks to earn the road draw at full time.

Huntsville sustained its second-half pressure and finished with the advantage in shots (14-12), shots on target (5-1), passing accuracy (85.4%-74.6%), and corners (9-6). But OCB defended well and Mercado didn’t have to make many big stops.

That would soon change.

Because the game ended in a draw, MLS NEXT Pro rules dictate that the game goes to penalties to determine which team earns a second point in the standings. It was Huntsville’s second shootout in as many games and OCB’s first of the season.

The hosts shot first from the spot, with Alexis Cerritos scoring to set the tone for Huntsville City. Cocca fired off the underside of the crossbar and in to level the shootout after one round.

Sangwa fired wide of the left post as Huntsville’s second shooter, giving OCB a chance to seize control. The Young Lions squandered that opportunity when Zakaria Taifi left his shot too close to Martino, who was able to get down in time to stop the shot.

Isaiah Johnston fired a shot just under the bar into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 Huntsville to open the third round. Tsukada used a Bruno Fernandes-like stuttery run-up and hop to force Martino to commit, then calmly slotted home to tie it at 2-2 after three rounds.

Cheevers restored the lead for the hosts with Huntsville’s fourth shot, but Guske answered with an inch-perfect shot inside the left post to make it 3-3.

Sipic sent a shot toward the right post as Huntsville’s fifth shooter, but Mercado had already guessed that way and made a good save near the post to keep the score tied. OCB had a chance to win, but Kibunguchy left his shot too close to the middle and Martino was not fooled by his sprint up to the ball, making a comfortable save and sending the shootout to sudden death.

Mercado came up with another stop on Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez to give OCB another chance to grab the extra point, and this time the Young Lions capitalized. Thomas Bowe coolly slotted home his spot kick past Martino to lift OCB to the 4-3 shootout win and the extra point in the MLS NEXT Pro standings.

The Young Lions will host Inter Miami in their home opener on Tuesday at 6 p.m., but the club has yet to announce the venue for the match.

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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.

Published

5 days ago

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March 9, 2025

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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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Orlando City B

Orlando City B Signs Two More Players Ahead of 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Season

OCB has signed teenage midfielder Noah Levis and Algerian center back Noham Abdellaoui to one-year deals.

Published

1 week ago

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March 5, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City B continues to build its 2025 MLS NEXT Pro roster, adding two more players to the squad. The club announced the signing of midfielder Noah Levis and defender Noham Abdellaoui to MLS NEXT Pro contracts this afternoon. Both deals are through the 2025 season with club options for 2026.

“Noah is an exciting young player that already brings a wealth of experience from Finland and Portugal,” Orlando City Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He brings a lot of energy to the group both on and off the pitch and brings a ton of upside for us in having so much experience at his young age and still being at a point where he can develop his game further here in Orlando with us. We’re excited to have him here and look forward to starting the 2025 season.”

The Boston native joins OCB after playing in Greece, Finland, and Portugal. He initially joined the academy of Portuguese first-division side G.D. Estoril Praia before moving to Greece. He played for the Olympiacos academy and joined the AEK Athens academy in January 2022.

The 18-year-old midfielder moved to Finland in February 2024, joining Finnish second division side Mikkelin Palloilijat. He made 25 appearances for the side last year, recording two assists. The teenager has also appeared for the Finnish youth national team, making two friendly appearances for the U-17 side.

There were rumors back in December that the Lions would sign Levis to an MLS NEXT Pro deal. This announcement makes it official that the dual national has joined the club.

Abdellaoui, a 20-year-old Algerian, joins OCB after spending time in the youth setups of several European clubs, including French side Saint-Etienne and Italian Serie A sides U.S. Lecce and Genoa CFC. The center back has made 50 appearances at the academy level, scoring three goals and adding an assist for those clubs. Additionally, he won the Italian Primavera Championship with Lecce Primavera in the 2022-2023 season.

“Noham comes to us from some great academies in Europe that have a proven track record of developing great players — Genoa and Saint-Étienne — and we’re happy to have him with us now,” Moreira said in the club’s press release. “We’re expecting him to bring both leadership and experience to the group, despite his young age, and he’ll also provide great depth for us at his position.”

Abdellaoui has represented Algeria at the U-18 level internationally, appearing twice in international friendlies.

What It Means for Orlando City B

Levis is a central midfielder with some time playing on the right. He probably won’t start in the middle because that’s Jhon Solis’ spot, who appeared for the first team during preseason.

Favian Loyola and Shak Mohammed played on the right for OCB last season and both are still with the club. So one of those will probably be in that position to start the 2025 campaign, although Loyola has dealt with a thigh injury that has kept him on the availability report the first two weeks of the MLS season. However, Yutaro Tsukada was on the left last year and is out for the season with a knee injury. So there are opportunities for players to get into the team.

It’s still unknown what the full OCB roster will look like when the Young Lions take the field Sunday night at Osceola County Stadium. But Levis will probably be available off the bench for the Young Lions. Regardless, there will be chances for him to play this season and see if he’s a possibility for the first team in the future.

As for Abdellaoui, he has more of an opportunity to slide into the starting lineup. The primary center back pairing for OCB last season was Nabi Kibunguchy and Thomas Williams. While Williams remains with the club as a Homegrown, Kibunguchy’s contract ended following the 2024 season.

If Abdellaoui wants to start for the Young Lions this season, he’ll likely be competing with another Homegrown in Tahir Reid-Brown. While the 18-year-old didn’t get as much playing time as Williams last year, it’s expected he’ll see more this season.

An injury has kept Orlando City captain Robin Jansson out of the first two MLS games, forcing Williams to join the bench. With the Lions playing Saturday night in New York and the younger version at home Sunday night, Abdellaoui could make his debut if Williams stays with the senior team.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B Signs Two Players Ahead of 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Season

OCB adds Brazilian forward Thalles on loan and signs 2024 SuperDraft selection Riyon Tori.

Published

2 weeks ago

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February 27, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B had a busy Thursday, signing two players ahead of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season. The Young Lions acquired Brazilian forward Thalles on loan from Serie B side Botafogo-SP and signed Japanese midfielder Riyon Tori, a 2024 OCSC SuperDraft selection out of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte.

OCB has an option to buy Thalles from Botafogo at the conclusion of the player’s loan.

“Thalles is a young player that we were able to see play live in several U-20 tournaments in Brazil last year, and he made an impression on us as a goal scorer during his opportunities,” Orlando City Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “He’s very energetic as a player and is a versatile striker that can play over as a winger and create movement across the front of the attack. We’re excited to have him with us this year competing in Orlando.”

The 19-year-old Thalles is a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has scored nine goals and added an assist in 20 combined appearances with Botafogo’s first team and U-20 squad. The youngster should add firepower to an OCB attack that may be without Shak Mohammed at least until Duncan McGuire returns to the game day squad.

Tori, 23, was selected with the No. 83 overall selection in the third round of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft. The Lions took midfielders Jeorgio Kocevski and Yutaro Tsukada in that same draft — both of whom have gotten first-team minutes — as well as Pittsburgh midfielder Filip Mirkovic, who was never signed. Tori’s deal with OCB runs through the 2025 season.

“Riyon is a dynamic midfielder that we selected in the draft as an underclassman following our detailed scouting and analytics process and then brought into training with the group last summer,” Moreira said in a club press release. “His play style provides both bite and energy in the midfield, and he proved in his training stint last year that he has a good competitive drive and is ready to take that next step.”

Tori began his collegiate career at St. John’s University, playing sparingly over two seasons with the Red Storm. He only made eight appearances and five starts for a total of 505 minutes. He didn’t score any goals or record any assists, but took four shots in those two seasons. However, all four attempts were off target.

The Osaka, Japan native transferred to Charlotte for more playing time, playing the 2023 season in the American Athletic Conference. In his final collegiate season, Tori played and started 18 games, recording 1,328 minutes. The junior scored one goal and added two assists for four points and put one of his two shots on target.

The only Charlotte player to start all 18 games for the team that season, Tori was named United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-East Region and first-team all-conference. The possession-minded midfielder played at least 60 minutes in each game, helping his team to a conference championship.

Tori returned to college rather than sign a professional contract after being drafted as an underclassmen. Having sustained an injury training with Orlando City, he missed the first eight matches of the 49ers’ 2024 season, appearing in 10 games (seven starts). In his 536 minutes, he did not provide a goal contribution, attempting just one shot. Still, he was a First-Team All-AAC selection and a Second-Team All-East Region selection.

Prior to arriving in the United States, Tori captained Cerezo Osaka’s U-18 team and played for the club’s U-23 J. League team. Considered one of the top U-18 players in Japan, he toured England in 2019 with the Nike Next Hero project.

Along with OCB’s acquisition of winger Dyson Clapier on Tuesday, and the previous signings of Justin Ellis and Bernardo Rhein to MLS NEXT Pro contracts two weeks ago, it’s been a good month of roster building for the Young Lions as they solidify their squad ahead of the 2025 season as they bid for a third straight playoff appearance.

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