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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC: Final Score 2-2 as OCB Draws Lowly Core and Claims Extra Point on Penalties

OCB came back from a poor start to draw Carolina Core FC and take two points at home.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B/Mark Thor

Orlando City B (4-4-4, 18 points) returned to action tonight, drawing Carolina Core FC (1-6-3, 8 points) 2-2 at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. The Young Lions got off to a horrible start, conceding a penalty by Facundo Canete in the seventh minute and a Papa Ndoye goal 10 minutes later. But they dominated the second 45 minutes, with Alex Freeman converting a penalty in the 72nd minute and Imanol Almaguer equalizing in the 86th minute. They won the penalty shootout 6-5, claiming two points on the night.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Inter Miami II Sunday evening. Yutaro Tsukada was on the bench for this one and Wilfredo Rivera wasn’t in the team. They were replaced by Yeiler Valencia and Justin Ellis. The back line in front of goalkeeper Javier Otero remained the same, featuring Manuel Cocca, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Colin Guske and Almaguer were the defensive midfielders behind Jhon Solis, Shak Mohammed, and Valencia with Ellis as the lone striker.

Despite being one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, Carolina came out on the attack and put OCB on its heels. The hosts struggled to create anything offensively and didn’t even get a shot on target until the 35th minute. However, they played much better in the final 15 minutes of the first half and dominated the second 45 minutes. They were unlucky not to claim all three points and would’ve without a dreadful start to the game.

Carolina had the first attack inside the first minute when Jacob Evans played Joshua Rodriguez forward down the left. The attacker attempted a low cross into the box, but Williams was there to clear it out of play. The ensuing corner kick was towards the back post and met a Core head, but the attempt was over the crossbar.

The visitors felt as though they should’ve had a penalty in the third minute when Williams challenged Rodriguez as he entered the box. The Core attacker raised his arms, but referee Elvis Osmanovic didn’t agree.

The first chance for OCB came in the fourth minute when Valencia made a strong run along the end line and into the box. He was looking for a cross, but the ball was cleared out of play for a corner kick before he could get rid of it. The ensuing set piece by Almaguer found the head of Cocca, but the left back sent it wide of the far post.

It’s been a tough start to the season for Carolina Core, but the visitors took an unexpected lead in the seventh minute. Ndoye had the ball on the right and played it into the box for Rodriguez after Williams failed to follow his run. Otero came well off of his line, but Rodriguez got to the ball first. As a result, the OCB goalkeeper took down the attacker. Osmanovic immediately pointed to the spot and issued Otero a yellow card.

After Rodriguez was treated by the Carolina medical staff, Canete stepped up for the penalty. Otero dove to his right and Canete sent the ball the other way to give his team an early 1-0 lead.

Rodriguez continued to trouble the OCB back line in the 14th minute when he completed a nice turn to lose Kibunguchy. Dribbling towards goal, the attacker sent a low pass to the penalty spot. However, Williams was the only one there and cleared it away.

Carolina doubled its advantage in the 17th minute after Evans sent Canete down the left. Kibunguchy sprinted back to catch up with the midfielder, but Canete cut back as Kibunguchy slid past. The Argentinian played a perfect ball to the back post where Ndoye was making a run and the striker touched it in for a 2-0 Carolina lead.

The Young Lions had their second decent attack in the 20th minute when Evans fouled Guske on the Carolina side of the field. Almaguer sent the free kick into the box and Covi headed it out of play for a corner kick. The ensuing corner by Almaguer was to the top of the six-yard box where goalkeeper Alex Sutton, Cocca, and defender Christian Diaz collided. Carolina cleared but Diaz went down and required attention, resulting in a stoppage of play. In the meantime, Cocca and Covi began pushing before receiving a word from Osmanovic. No cards were given and play continued.

Mohammed looked to make something happen on his own in the 28th minute with a long run into the Carolina box. It looked as though he would get a strong shot off or set up a teammate in front of the goal, but sent a soft ball into the arms of Sutton instead.

In the 32nd minute, Solis tried to get OCB on the board with a run to the top of the box. He used a stepover to lose his defender and fired. Unfortunately, the shot was well high and wide of the target, ending the threat.

The first OCB shot on target came in the 35th minute when nobody stepped up to Valencia on the left. The midfielder decided to take a hard shot towards goal. It was a decent attempt, but was from a tough angle and distance, enabling Sutton to catch it.

OCB had another set piece attempt in the 40th minute when Solis out-muscled Derek Cuevas. The midfielder caught back up to Solis and pushed him down from behind in frustration, earning a yellow card for his trouble. Almaguer’s ensuing free kick met the head of Freeman, but the attempt was off target.

The Young Lions had another free kick in the Carolina third in the 43rd minute when Cocca made a strong run before being taken down by Canete. Almaguer sent the set piece towards the far post, but it was too strong and Sutton easily caught it.

In the third minute of first-half stoppage time, Freeman laid the ball off for Solis, who made a strong run into the box. The midfielder attempted a cross, but Sutton did well to get his foot to the ball, knocking it out of play. The ensuing corner kick was towards the back post, but nobody could get on the end of it.

The Young Lions had one last chance in the final seconds of the first half. Valencia made a run into the box from the left and sent a low cross to Freeman just outside of the six. The right back should’ve been able to redirect it on goal, but was leaning back and sent it over the target.

OCB had more shots (5-3) and corner kicks (3-2), and better passing accuracy (87.8%-81.2%) in the first half, but didn’t threaten Sutton, only putting one shot on target. Meanwhile, Carolina put two of its three shots on frame and scored twice to take a 2-0 lead at halftime.

The start of the second half was much better for the hosts, creating a chance inside the first minute. Receiving the ball from Mohammed, Cocca sent a curling cross towards the back post. The ball continued to drift as Sutton backpedaled. It looked as though it might actually get behind him and nestle inside the far top corner of the goal, but was just over the top.

The Young Lions had a second opportunity in the 49th minute when Cocca used some quick feet to beat Canete and was taken down, earning a free kick near the top of the Carolina box. The set piece by Cocca was off the wall and over the goal, but Osmanovic missed the deflection and gave the visitors a goal kick.

In the 51st minute, Cocca’s cross attempt was blocked out for a corner kick. The set piece was short, eventually ending at the feet of Almaguer. The OCB captain’s shot was between the legs of Canete, but right into the waiting arms of Sutton.

Valencia made a good run into the box in the 58th minute, beating Jathan Juarez, before Diaz knocked it out of play. Cocca got his head to the ensuing set piece, but the header was over the crossbar again.

The Young Lions created a pair of shots in the 61st minute as they continued to pressure the visitors. First, Mohammed turned Diaz and got a shot off, but sent it straight to Sutton. OCB quickly won back possession and set up a shot for Solis. Unfortunately, the midfielder’s curling attempt went just over the crossbar.

A long ball in the 62nd minute looking for Freeman was knocked out by Cuevas for an OCB corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Almaguer was volleyed by Williams just before it hit the ground. It was a good strike, but Sutton was up to the task, getting down to make the stop.

Three minutes later, Valencia took a shot from outside of the box. The midfielder touched the ball inside, setting up an attempt with his right foot. Canete got a slight deflection on it, enabling Sutton to collect it.

After not making any second-half substitutions against Miami, Goldberg made his first two against Carolina in the 67th minute. Zakaria Taifi and Majed Abdullah entered the game for Ellis and Valencia. While Abdullah for Valencia was a like-for-like change, Taifi came in at right back with Freeman moving forward into the midfield. Meanwhile, Mohammed shifted into the striker’s role with Ellis departing.

The constant attack by OCB paid off in the 72nd minute when a shot by Guske bounced off the arm of Evans. Osmanovic didn’t hesitate to point to the spot, giving the Young Lions a penalty. Freeman stepped up to take the spot kick, sending Sutton the wrong way and cutting the deficit in half.

The visitors spent most of the second half defending, but got a chance in the 74th minute through Canete. Receiving the ball on the right side of the box, nobody closed him down and the first-half goal scorer shot. However, it was right to Otero, who made an easy save.

OCB quickly went the other way and nearly equalized. Freeman made a long run into the Carolina box and shot, but it was blocked out for a corner kick. After the initial set piece was cleared away, Guske sent the ball to the top of the box. Kibunguchy headed the ball down and Williams got a touch to it, playing it forward for Freeman who was darting in from outside of the 18. Freeman stuck his foot out to send the ball towards goal, putting it just wide.

Carolina had a chance for a third in the 80th minute when Kibunguchy blocked Johnny Bazaes’ cross attempt for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Conete was over Otero and met the head of Kai Thomas. However, it was a little high for him too, resulting in his header going over the crossbar.

In the 83rd minute, Taifi made a long run out of the back, getting near the end line after a give-and-go with Freeman. He found Mohammed at the top of the box, but the forward didn’t get much on the ball. Fortunately, it went right to Abdullah near the back post. The substitute tried to backheel it in, but sent the attempt wide.

OCB finally found its equalizer in the 86th minute through its captain. Guske found Freeman just inside of the box and the defender-turned-midfielder quickly shot on goal. Sutton blocked the attempt, but the ball went straight to Almaguer. The midfielder didn’t waste any time, putting the ball in to even the game at 2-2.

“They really want to fight, right? We still need to fix some things to avoid suffering through some moments, but this made it clear that they wanted it and that’s really good,” Goldberg said about his team coming back from a two-goal deficit. “That’s really positive.”

“It tells that we don’t quit, man. We’re always determined to come out whatever the score is and just keep going and going and going,” Freeman said. “And it just tells that our team is full of spirit, good individuals that come and win any game we can.”

Carolina had a chance in the 89th minute when Bazaes sent a cross towards the back post. Cocca got to the ball first and tried to keep it in play, but the assistant determined it went over the line, giving Carolina a corner kick. The set piece by Canete found the head of Aryeh Miller on the far side, but his header was wide.

It appeared as though the Young Lions had found a winner two minutes into second-half stoppage time when Almaguer’s free kick went over the head of Sutton and was knocked in by Freeman. Osmanovic initially awarded a goal, but put his hand to his ear as he spoke with his assistant. It was eventually determined that Freeman handled the ball while controlling it, so a free kick was awarded to Carolina instead.

The Young Lions had one last chance seven minutes into second-half stoppage time when Almaguer sent a free kick into the box. Mohammed got the back of his head to it, sending it on goal, but Sutton blocked it out of play. The ensuing set piece was cleared and the final whistle blew.

OCB dominated the game statistically with the advantage in shots (25-7), shots on target (10-3), corner kicks (9-5), crosses (5-2), and passing accuracy (89.1%-80.4%). However, the poor start enabled Carolina to grab a point from the 90 minutes.

“It was a mixture of moments, right? We went through different ups and downs in the game. Started down, then going up,” Goldberg said about the performance. “But the good thing is that we showed good character. The points to improve are the early moments of the game in this case, right?”

“Obviously, the first half was a little slow for us. But I feel like throughout the second half we were able to get chances all game. And we were obviously able to just attack, attack, attack,” Freeman added. “Obviously, I feel like we got some wrong calls, but at the end of the day, we were still able to get the extra point in penalties. So I feel like our team overall did good to come back out.”

MLS NEXT Pro rules state that games tied after 90 minutes go to penalties to determine which team gets a second point. Before the shootout could start, Osmanovic issued a straight red card to Tsukada, who didn’t appear in the game, on the OCB bench. Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, Tsukada will miss the next meeting with Carolina on July 7.

The first three shooters scored before David Polanco stepped up. The Carolina substitute sent a poor penalty towards goal and Otero guessed right, blocking it away. Freeman had the next attempt, but Sutton was up to the task, making the stop with his left hand and keeping the visitors in the shootout.

Having already scored one penalty in the game, Canete stepped up to even it, but sent his attempt over the top of the goal. Once again, OCB had a chance to take a commanding advantage. This time it was Almaguer and he sent Sutton the wrong way, but his shot hit the crossbar.

The next eight penalty takers converted their kicks and Santiago Cambindo stepped up, looking to even it at 6-6 in the eighth round. However, the attempt wasn’t far enough towards the corner, enabling Otero to get his hand to the ball. As a result, OCB earned a second point from the game.

The two points puts OCB back in a playoff position, currently sitting in seventh. They’re tied with Columbus Crew 2 for sixth and one point behind NYCFC II for fifth.


The Young Lions will continue their three-game homestand Thursday night when they host Chattanooga FC at Osceola County Stadium.

Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 4-2 as OCB Falls Out of Playoffs on Decision Day

OCB tumbled out of the playoff places on the season’s final day, losing badly at home to rival Atlanta.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (11-10-7, 44 points) saw its season come to an end today with a 4-2 loss to Atlanta United 2 (14-9-5, 48 points) at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Atlanta’s four goals came from Arif Kovac, Ignacio Suarez-Couri, Dominik Chong Qui, and an own goal by Harvey Sarajian that goalkeeper Tristan Himes punched off the forward’s back. Issah Haruna and Justin Hylton were the goal scorers for the Young Lions.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wiliding deployed the same team that won 4-1 over Inter Miami II on Sept. 4 and 3-1 over Toronto FC II on Sept. 13. Himes started in goal behind a back line of Clovis Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Hylton and Ignacio Gomez were the defensive midfielders behind Sarajian, Gustavo Caraballo, and Haruna with Pedro Leao up top.

The Young Lions came into this game needing two points to ensure at least a spot in the play-in round. There were several scenarios that would have seen OCB make the postseason even with a loss, but those required help from the teams behind them. But it was a rough game from the start. The Young Lions conceded shortly after kickoff and, even with an equalizer, it felt like they were chasing the game throughout. Hylton’s goal in first-half stoppage time gave the them some hope, but they didn’t do much in the second half, limping to the season’s end.

It was the worst possible start for the Young Lions with Atlanta scoring less than three minutes after kickoff. Atlanta goalkeeper Jonathan Ransom cleared a long ball up the field that Miller headed out. However, Andrew Jardines beat Gomez to the ball before finding Cameron Dunbar on the left. Kovac got behind Okonski and Miller, tapping the low cross in to give his team the 1-0 lead.

The Young Lions had their first chance in the seventh minute when Sarajian, who played for the first team Saturday night in New England, took a free ball and split two defenders to get into the Atlanta third of the field. The attacker sent the ball centrally for Carballo, who tapped it on for Gomez. The defensive midfielder had space for a shot, but Mohamed Cisset blocked his attempt.

The visitors immediately went the other way, nearly scoring a second. Quick passing resulted in Enzo Dovlo receiving a pass down the right. Dovlo laid the ball back for Jardines, whose cross went through three players before landing at Kovac’s foot in the six-yard box. The striker turned to touch the ball past Himes, but the OCB goalkeeper blocked the attempt to keep the deficit at one.

The Young Lions found an equalizer in the 18th minute when Caraballo passed to Haruna on the right. The midfielder took on Chong Qui one-on-one and, with his defender backpedeling, shocked everyone with a hard shot that beat Ransom to even the game at 1-1.

An Archange giveaway in the 25th minute gave Atlanta a chance to retake the lead. Dovlo took the ball off the left back’s foot and sent a cross to the top of the six-yard box, where Kovac found space between Okonski and Amoo-Mensah. The striker got his head to the ball, sending it into Himes’s arms.

Haruna lost the ball to Chong Qui in the 29th minute, creating another chance for Atlanta. The attacker dribbled to the end line and sent a cross to the near post for Kovac, but Okonski got in front to block it over the end line.

Himes jumped over Miller to punch the ensuing set piece away. However, his punch was too low, hitting Sarajian in the back. It rebounded off Sarajian and into the net for an own goal, giving Atlanta a 2-1 lead.

OCB nearly equalized again off the restart when DD Sibrian tripped Caraballo in the Atlanta third of the field. Caraballo sent his free kick to the far post, where Miller collected it. The center back put his attempt on target, but he couldn’t get much on it, allowing Ransom to make a relatively easy save.

The visitors doubled their advantage in the 40th minute when Dunbar made a strong run to the end line before playing the ball between Amoo-Mensah and Okonski. Suarez-Couri was wide open, with multiple OCB defenders standing around. It was an easy tap-in by Suarez-Couri to give Atlanta a commanding 3-1 lead.

Matthew Senanou tripped Sarajian just beyond midfield in stoppage time, which resulted in a goal for the Young Lions. Caraballo’s free kick to Haruna on the right saw the midfielder dribble inside. He laid the ball off for Hylton before receiving it right back. Hylton made a run and Haruna found him, resulting in a shot from the right side of the box. Chong Qui got in front of the attempt, deflecting it over Ransom to cut the deficit to 3-2.

At halftime, Atlanta had more shots (7-6), shots on target (4-2), crosses (3-1), and corner kicks (3-0). OCB had better passing accuracy (84.5%-72.4%) and trailed by one heading into the final 45 minutes of the regular season.

The Young Lions had the first chance of the second half in the 52nd minute when Amoo-Mensah received a long pass on the right and laid it back for Hylton. The attacker’s second touch was a knuckling shot that Ransom could only block over the end line. Atlanta headed away the ensuing set piece, ending the threat.

Ransom sent a long ball up the left in the 63rd minute, which Amoo-Mensah had in his sights. However, Amoo-Mensah’s attempt to volley away the ball hit off his own arm and deflected behind him, where Chong Qui took control with a path to the OCB goal. Chong Qui took a touch to his left and cut inside to beat a sliding Okonski before nutmegging Himes to make it 4-2.

Atlanta nearly scored again in the 68th minute when Daniel Chica knocked a Santiago Pita corner kick back out to the substitute. On Pita’s second cross to the back post, Himes was off his line and Senanou’s header looked like it might dip just under the crossbar, but Himes got back just in time to tip it over the goal.

Wilding made his first two changes in the 71st minute, replacing Sarajian and Gomez with Matthew Belgodere and Nicolas Lasheras.

Leao received a long ball down the left in the 74th minute, sending the striker behind the back line. The Brazilian dribbled in on Senanou before finding Belgodere just outside the box. The second-half substitute’s shot deflected off of Senanou’s foot, nearly causing it to get past Ransom. But the Atlanta goalkeeper adjusted well to make a one-handed save.

Ransom sent a long ball down the field in the 77th minute, trying to get Kovac in on goal. The striker was behind the back line with Himes off his line and tried to chip the goalkeeper, but he hit the shot too softly, allowing Himes time to get back and make the easy catch.

Wilding made two more changes in the 81st minute as Nicolas Torres and Brady Kendall came on for Okonski and Leao.

Haruna made a strong run into the Atlanta third of the field in the 82nd minute before Chong Qui brought him down. Caraballo sent the ensuing free kick to the back post, where Miller was making a run. The center back got his head to the ball, putting it off the near post.

Wilding made his final change in the 90th minute, looking to keep his team’s season alive. Hector Aguirre entered the contest, replacing Haruna.

The referee showed five minutes of stoppage time with OCB needing two goals. In the second minute, Belgodere sent a ball into the box that Ransom punched away. Caraballo collected it at the top of the box and tried to dribble through multiple players, eventually losing possession.

A minute later, Caraballo dribbled through the defense more successfully, taking a shot from the top of the box. However, his attempt was right at Ransom, who made the easy catch.

The final chance came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Belgodere lifted a ball into the box and Joshua Kwon failed to clear it. It fell to Kendall, whose first-touch shot was too close to Ransom, allowing the Atlanta goalkeeper to fall on it.

At full time, OCB had more shots (14-10), but Atlanta put more on target (7-6). The hosts also had more crosses (9-4) and better passing accuracy (85.5%-71.6%), while the visitors won more corner kicks (5-4).

Even with a loss, the Young Lions could have made the postseason. But they would have needed Huntsville City FC and Philadelphia Union II to lose. Unfortunately, Huntsville scored twice in the second half to beat New York Red Bulls II, causing OCB to finish the season in 10th place.

After finishing in fifth in 2023 and 2024, OCB has now missed out on the postseason in back-to-back years. This season is even more disappointing. The Young Lions had a great chance to host a playoff game for the first time before slipping into a five-game losing streak. They bounced back by winning three straight and had a great chance to secure a playoff spot but failed at the final hurdle.


That concludes the 2026 OCB season. It will be remembered as a year of missed opportunities and, ultimately, a disappointing campaign. Although OCB continues to successfully develop players for the first team — its primary mission — it continues to lag behind other clubs in terms of team success.

The match also completed a miserable weekend for the club, as all three teams lost, and all three surrendered four times and lost by multiple goals.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Toronto FC II: Final Score 3-1 as OCB Takes Big Step Toward Playoffs

OCB earns its third straight win, ensuring the Young Lions control their own playoff destiny heading into Decision Day.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (11-9-7, 44 points) earned a huge three points with a 3-1 win over Toronto FC II (11-12-4, 39 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Ignacio Gomez and Gustavo Caraballo scored first-half goals before Harvey Sarajian made it 3-0 in the 58th minute. Elias Khodri converted a penalty late, but it wasn’t enough for the visitors.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding deployed the same starting lineup that cruised to a 4-1 win over Inter Miami II on Sept. 4. Tristan Himes was in goal, behind a back line of Clovis Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were the defensive midfielders, Caraballo, Sarajian, and Issah Haruna were the attacking midfielders, and Pedro Leao started up top.

The hosts were the better team from the opening whistle and fully deserved the win. They created more chances and better opportunities, taking a commanding lead just before the hour mark. They bunkered down in the final 10 minutes, allowing the visitors to control possession, and it took some good saves from Himes to avoid a nail-biting finish. But they come away with a huge result heading into the last game of the regular season.

The first chances came in the third minute when a poor pass by Amoo-Mensah for Himes went over the end line for a Toronto corner kick. While the visitors couldn’t create anything from the set piece, the eventual cross went just over Reid Fisher’s head. Richard Chukwu collected the ball, and Okonski headed away his cross.

Caraballo broke the other way with Sarajian and Leao. The attacker decided to play the ball to his left for Sarajian, who dribbled into the box and sent his shot just wide of the near post.

Toronto had another good chance in the seventh minute when Chukwu sent a dangerous ball to the back post where Damar Dixon was making a run. Fortunately, Archange reached the ball first, knocking it over the end line. The Young Lions cleared the ensuing corner kick, ending the attack.

Leao intercepted a bad ball out of the back by Toronto goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario. Rather than dribbling into the box, the striker sent an off-target pass toward Sarajian. Fortunately, it was also just beyond Gabriel Mikina’s reach. Caraballo took possession and sent a weak shot that didn’t cause any trouble for De Rosario.

The Young Lions opened the scoring in the 27th minute when Amoo-Mensah found Haruna with space, allowing him to enter the Toronto third of the field. While Leao was calling for a square ball, Haruna played a beautiful pass between a pair of defenders for Gomez’s well-timed run into the box. The midfielder’s second touch was a shot past De Rosario and inside the far post to give OCB the 1-0 lead.

Amoo-Mensah made a run to the end line in the 42nd minute before sending a cross to the back post. Leao had his back to the goal and attempted a bicycle kick, sending his attempt wide.

A minute later, the Young Lions doubled their lead. It started with an innocuous ball from Archange to Caraballo in the OCB half. The attacker dribbled into the Toronto third with no defender stepping up to challenge him. As he approached the top of the box, Caraballo took a touch inside and sent a gorgeous, curling shot past De Rosario and just inside the far post to make it 2-0.

Miller touched the ball off of Salaou’s foot in the third minute of stoppage time and Sarajian broke the other way. Caraballo sprinted down the field to provide support and Sarajian sent him into the Toronto box. The attacker opened up and attempted to curl the ball around De Rosario, but the goalkeeper got down to make a terrific save. However, Sarajian waited too long to make the final pass, causing Caraballo to be offside, so it wouldn’t have counted had it gone in.

It was a good first half by the hosts, who held the advantage in shots (7-2), shots on target (3-0), and passing accuracy (90.4%-90.1%). Toronto had more crosses (3-2) and corner kicks (4-1) in the first 45 minutes.

OCB had a great chance for a third in the 48th minute when Himes threw the ball long for Sarajian. The Young Lions had a two-on-one break with Leao to Sarajian’s right. However, as the defender closed him down, Sarajian tried to take it himself, lost possession, and ended up being called for a foul.

A minute later, Sarajian had the ball in the Toronto box with more defenders. This time, the attacker played it square for Caraballo, whose first touch sent it further right for Haruna. The midfielder settled and shot, but his attempt was deflected off target.

Toronto had a golden chance to get one back in the 54th minute when Marko Stojadinovic played Bryce Boneau in the OCB third of the field. Boneau’s first touch was a lovely pass for Jahmarie Nolan behind the back line. But, as the attacker prepared to open up for a shot, he tripped, softly touching the ball into Himes’ arms.

The Young Lions nearly scored a third in the 57th minute when Amoo-Mensah sent a fantastic cross beyond the far post. It was just over Dixon’s head where Okonski was waiting for it. The center back headed the ball toward the back post, forcing De Rosario to dive to his right to make a one-handed save.

Toronto quickly went the other way, losing the ball in the OCB third and allowing the Young Lions to build a counterattack. A give-and-go between Haruna and Gomez gave Haruna space to play the ball to Sarajian on the left. Stojadinovic was in a good defensive position, but Sarajian used his change of pace to create space for a shot, placing a left-footed shot from the left behind De Rosario and inside the right post to make it 3-0.

The goal seemed to spark Toronto as the Reds attempted to get back into the game to avoid being eliminated from playoff contention with one match remaining. In the 61st minute, Lucas Dawson dribbled through several OCB defenders before it was tapped off his foot. The ball went directly to Nolan at the top of the box, but his shot was over the target.

A minute later, Boneau winded through the OCB defense before playing the ball wide left for Fletcher Bank. Dixon came in from the right and tried to direct the ball on target but sent it over the crossbar. Bank created a chance for himself in the 65th minute, dribbling strongly down the left. The attacker had a step on Amoo-Mensah and found space for a shot, but he sent the attempt off target.

Wilding made his first substitution in the 66th minute, replacing Caraballo with Matthew Belgodere.

Stojadinovic received a pass from Boneau just inside the OCB half of the field in the 73rd minute and made a long run to the top of the box. The defender took a hard shot that Himes could only block wide. Toronto kept possession, eventually creating a cross for Dixon with nobody near him. The attacker’s first touch was a poor one, taking him inside and allowing Himes to close him down. By the time he was able to shoot, Himes was in an excellent position to make the save.

Wilding made two more changes during the 77th-minute hydration break. Brady Kendall and Nicolas Lasheras came on for Sarajian and Leao.

Kendall attempted to make his presence apparent in the 80th minute after receiving a pass from Haruna near the top of the Toronto box. The substitute took a touch before unleashing a right-footed shot that skipped wide of the target.

De Rosario tried to make something happen in the attack off the restart, sending a long ball into the OCB box. Dekwon Barrow had space and was behind the back line, but he couldn’t get enough on his header, allowing Himes to make the stop.

Toronto got a lifeline in the 83rd minute when Salaou found Fisher near the top of the OCB box. Belgodere challenged the center back, popping the ball up and towards the end line. It was a race bewteen Himes and Barrow to reach the ball with the Toronto attacker getting there first. As a result, Himes bundled him over from behind and referee Russell Miller pointed to the spot.

Khodri stepped up to take the spot kick. He sent Himes the wrong way, tucking the ball into the corner to make it 3-1.

In the 86th minute, a cross into the box went off Lasheras’ head, giving Toronto a great chance for a second. The deflection sent it over a group of players to Barrow and Khodri at the top of the six-yard box. Khodri was the one to get his head on the ball, sending his attempt over the crossbar.

Wilding made his two final changes in the 89th minute. Nicolas Torres and Caleb Trombino entered the contest, replacing Hylton and Haruna.

A poor touch by Kendall after receiving a pass from Archange in the 89th minute resulted in Stojadinovic taking possession. The defender carried the ball into the OCB third before firing from long distance right into Himes’ hands.

OCB put everyone behind the ball as the Young Lions tried to hold onto the two-goal lead. While Toronto controlled possession in the opposing half, the visitors couldn’t create any more shots, allowing the Young Lions to come away with the 3-1 win.

At full time, both teams had taken 14 shots and Toronto put one more on target (6-5). The visitors also attempted more crosses (12-5), won more corner kicks (6-3), and had better passing accuracy (88-7%-84.4%). But most of that was after OCB had a three-goal lead.

The Young Lions were struggling heading into the business end of the season. However, they responded from a five-game losing streak by winning their last three and putting themselves in a great spot to make the postseason.

The win puts OCB in eighth place on 44 points with every team having one game remaining. The Young Lions are only two points behind New England Revolution II for third and three points ahead of Huntsville City FC for 11th. As a result, they could finish anywhere from third to 11th, depending on what happens in the final game of the season.


That game will take place Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. when OCB hosts Atlanta United 2 at Oscoela County Stadium.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Inter Miami II: Final Score 4-1 as OCB Claims Three Huge Points in South Florida

OCB took a huge step towards qualifying for the playoffs with a road win over Inter Miami II.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (10-9-7, 41 points) controlled in-state rival Inter Miami II (3-18-5, 15 points) tonight, winning 4-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Issah Haruna, Harvey Sarajian, Gustavo Caraballo, and Ignacio Gomez were the OCB goal scorers, while Nash Dearmin scored the lone goal for the South Florida club.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made one change to the team that beat Crown Legacy FC 3-2 Sunday night. Sarajian entered the starting lineup in place of Matthew Belgodere, who started on the bench.

Goalkeeper Tristan Himes started behind a back line of Clovis Archange, Nolan Miller, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Justin Hylton and Gomez were in the defensive midfield behind Caraballo, Haruna, and Sarajian with Pedro Leao up top.

This was a much bigger game for OCB as the Young Lions fight for a playoff spot and Miami is already eliminated. That difference showed as the visitors were the more aggressive team and looked more determined to come away with three points. Miami created more shots than its opposition, but most of those attempts were from long range and well off target or blocked. Meanwhile, OCB had the better opportunities with a much higher percentage of shots on target.

The hosts created the first shot in the sixth minute when Nicholas Almeida intercepted a Sarajian pass and sent Idoh Zeltzer-Zubida forward. The attacker got behind the back line and it appeared as though he would be in on goal. But Okonski and Amoo-Mensah caught up. Amoo-Mensah deflected Zeltzer-Zubida’s shot from outside the box off target, and the Young Lions cleared the ensuing set piece.

OCB’s first chance came in the 10th minute and resulted in the game’s first goal. It started when Miller lifted the ball long on the right for Haruna. The attacker dribbled inside, used a spin to create space from his defender, and beat Matias Marin to his near post to give the Young Lions the early 1-0 lead.

It was Haruna’s third consecutive game with a goal after finding the net against Atlanta United 2 on Aug. 22 and Crown Legacy FC on Aug. 30.

Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for Miami to respond. In the 12th minute, Marin sent a long ball down the right for Theo Vorenkamp. The right back cut back to create space from Archange and lifted a cross into the box for Mateo Saja. The attacker chested the ball down, but it was too far in front of him and Okonski sent it away.

The ball landed Dearmin’s feet. He took a couple of dribbles toward the center of the field before beating Himes to his right post to even the game at 1-1.

The Herons thought they’d taken the lead in the 15th minute when Zeltzer-Zubida sent a nice ball behind the back line for Saja. The attacker dribbled into the box and chipped Himes. However, the assistant referee correctly ruled Saja offside.

Miami forced Himes into his first quality save in the 19th minute when Matteo De Paula played Diego Rey to the end line. Okonski had a chance to clear the cross, but the center back couldn’t get a piece of the ball. It landed at Dearmin’s feet, but Himes tipped his shot over the crossbar. OCB cleared the ensuing corner, ending the threat.

Okonski headed away a set piece in the 22nd minute and a poor touch by Sloan Morrison gave OCB a two-on-one. Haruna drove down the field with Caraballo to his right. As Vorenkamp closed Haruna down, the midfielder played Caraballo into the box. Unfortunately, Caraballo’s shot was too close to Marin, allowing the goalkeeper to push the ball wide.

Four minutes later, the Young Lions took their second lead of the game. Amoo-Mensah gave the ball away in his own half, but a bad touch by Vorenkamp allowed Archange to retake possession. The left back played a beautiful ball between two defenders for Sarajian, making a run into the Miami third of the field. The attacker placed the ball behind Marin and inside the far post to give OCB a 2-1 lead.

Miami nearly responded right away, just as it did earlier. Vorenkamp laid the ball off for Rey, approaching the top of the OCB box. The attacker’s first touch was a shot past Himes and off the far post. The rebound set Saja up perfectly with a completely empty goal, but he couldn’t get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.

Amoo-Mensah sent a long ball forward for Sarajian in the 32nd minute, giving the attacker a good opportunity for his second goal. Vorenkamp caught up, forcing Sarajian to use a nifty touch to create space for a shot. However, Marin had his near post covered and blocked the attempt over the end line.

The ensuing set piece by Amoo-Mensah found Gomez at the far post. The midfielder’s initial header was blocked, but it fell right back to him. Marin blocked his second shot to the near post and the goalkeeper fell on the ball, ending the attack.

The hosts looked to even the game again in the 36th minute when Joseph Convers played a give-and-go with De Paula, setting Convers up just outside the OCB box. However, his first touch from the return pass was a shot that went right at Himes. Seconds later, Rey took the ball off of Miller’s foot and dribbled down the end line. He had a teammate trying to find space, but Archange and Okonski filled in that space, forcing Rey to fire a shot wide of the near post.

Leao broke down the middle in the 43rd minute, playing the ball to his right for Caraballo. The midfielder was unable to create a shot, causing him to look for Gomez instead. His pass was deflected, going to Hylton, who immediately found Leao. The striker quickly took a shot that forced Marin to tip it wide.

Less than a minute later, the Young Lions extended their lead. It started with Archange’s throw-in to Sarajian down the left. The attacker’s long cross through the box was controlled nicely by Haruna, laying the ball back for Caraballo. Gomez turned his back in the box as Caraballo fired from distance. In a bit of luck, the ball bounced off Gomez, redirecting past Marin and in to give OCB the 3-1 lead.

In the dying seconds of the first half, Leao played Haruna behind the back line. It looked like the midfielder might have a free shot on goal, but Vorenkamp slid in to deflect the attempt over the crossbar at the last second. The referee called a foul on the ensuing corner kick, ending the attack and the half.

Both teams took 10 shots in the first half, but OCB put more on target (7-3). While the Young Lions won more corner kicks (4-3) in the first 45 minutes, Miami had better passing accuracy (82.4%-75.3%).

OCB started the second half on the attack, just as it had ended the first. The Young Lions created a shot less than a minute after the restart as Sarajian found Caraballo near the penalty spot. But the attacker’s first-touch shot was over the target.

Miami’s first chance of the half came in the 48th minute when Dearmin played a lovely ball behind the back line for Rey. Himes did well to react quickly, coming off his line and blocking Rey’s attempt to chip him.

While both teams scored early in the first half, most of the early second-half shots were from outside the box and blocked. Miami put a chance on frame in the 57th minute when Saja lifted the ball from the left to the back post. Rey got his head to the ball but put his attempt into Himes’s chest.

Wilding made his first change in the 66th minute, replacing Leao with Belgodere. The substitute took his place on the left side and Sarajian moved into the striker role.

Gomez intercepted and cleared a Jerremy Ortela cross in the 74th minute, but Caraballo immediately lost possession to De Paula. Rather than looking for a teammate, De Paula took a long-distance shot from outside the box, sending his attempt into Himes’s arms.

De Paula received a pass on the left in the 76th minute, lifting a cross to the back post. Vorenkamp was there to get his head on the ball, sending his attempt wide of the near post. It was fortunate for OCB, as Vorenkamp had more time than he realized.

Wilding made two more changes in the 77th minute. Caraballo and Archange exited the contest, replaced by Nicholas Lasheras and Titus Sandy, Jr.

Sarajian played the ball to Belgodere on the left in the 81st minute and the midifeilder dribbled inside before finding Hylton near the penalty spot. Hylton spun to beat Morrison, who stuck his leg in, causing Hylton to go to the ground. Referee Jack Joyce pointed to the spot without hesitation, giving the Young Lions a golden opportunity to score a fourth.

With regular penalty takers Leao and Caraballo having departed, Gomez stepped up to take the kick. The young attacker did well with his first penalty of the season, sending Marin the wrong way to give OCB a commanding 4-1 lead.

Wilding made his final two changes in the 84th minute as Brady Kendall and Caleb Trombino came on for Haruna and Hylton.

Shortly after the changes, Miller fouled Judeson Aldeclat just outside the OCB box, giving the hosts a chance to get a goal back. Alejandro Flores took the set piece, sending his attempt just wide of the near post.

With the result no longer in question, the final minutes were more of a formality. A long-distance attempt by Flores that caused Himes little concern was the only shot by either team as the game slowly approached the final whistle.

At full time, Miami had more shots (22-16), but both teams put eight attempts on target. Despite Miami also winning more corner kicks (8-5), attempting more crosses (11-3), and having better passing accuracy (84.8%-73.8%), OCB came away with a relatively stress-free win.

The three points put OCB in a much stronger position to qualify for the playoffs. The Young Lions currently occupy the eighth position, which would host the No. 9 team in a one-game play-in game. They’re one point behind Atlanta United 2 and two ahead of NYCFC II. While both have a game in hand on the Young Lions, OCB and Atlanta will end the season against each other at Osceola County Stadium.

But that’s not all. OCB is only two points behind New England Revolution II and Connecticut United FC for the fifth and sixth spots. As a result, one of several results  — combined with a pair of OCB wins — will see the Young Lions qualify for the postseason.


OCB will likely have to win both of its last two games to make the postseason. That starts on Sept. 13 when the Young Lions host Toronto FC II in their penultimate game of the regular season.

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