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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 2-2 as OCB Pulls Out Draw with Last-Second Equalizer

OCB drew 2-2 with Atlanta United 2 after a last-second equalizer, then won the penalty shootout.

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9 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (4-4-6, 21 points) drew Atlanta United 2 (3-6-3, 13 points) 2-2 tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee and took a second point on penalties. The Young Lions took the lead in the 11th minute through Wilfredo Rivera, but second-half goals by Nick Firmino and Karim Tmimi gave the visitors a late lead. It took a last-second strike by substitute Favian Loyola to save a point for the hosts. The Young Lions then won the penalty shootout 5-3 to claim the extra point.

There were three changes to the OCB starting lineup from the team’s 2-2 draw with Chattanooga FC on June 13. In goal, Carlos Mercado replaced Javier Otero, who is with the senior team, Zakaria Taifi started at left back in place of Manuel Cocca, and Rivera returned from the first team, replacing Justin Ellis in the attack. The back line in front of Mercado was Taifi, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Yeiler Valencia, Shak Mohammed, and Jhon Solis with Rivera alone up top.

There was about a 45-minute delay to the start of the game due to severe weather in the area, so the game didn’t get underway until 7:49 p.m. OCB dominated the chances for much of the night and should’ve had a multi-goal lead at halftime. However, the Young Lions struggled to hit the target and it looked like that would doom them as they gave up an equalizer and eventually trailed 2-1 in second-half stoppage time. Fortunately, a terrific individual effort by Loyola helped OCB get a result.

The visitors kicked off to start the game and quickly attacked. The first chance came just over a minute into the game when Firmino laid the ball off for Javier Armas, who took a long-distance shot that sailed just over the goal.

It looked like OCB would get its first chance in the fifth minute when a long ball out of the back found Solis on the right. The midfielder took a touch towards the end line and attempted a cross, but it was too close to Atlanta goalkeeper Josh Cohen.

Atlanta had most of the early possession, but the Young Lions took the lead in the 11th minute. After receiving the ball from Kibunguchy, Solis sent it down the right for Freeman. Cohen came out of his goal, leaving it wide open with Rivera entering the box. Freeman played it to the forward near the penalty spot, and Rivera passed it into the empty net to give OCB the early 1-0 advantage.

The visitors tried to get on the board themselves shortly after the goal through their leading goal scorer. Firmino had an overlap option to his left, but decided to dribble inside instead. Solis was unsure whether to take the overlap or Firmino, providing the forward with space for a shot from distance. However, his attempt was well wide of the target.

OCB should’ve had a second goal in the 18th minute when Solis sent Mohammed into the box. The attacker reached the ball and played it back to Freeman before it went out of play. Unfortunately, the right back didn’t hit the ball first-time and then couldn’t get over it, sending it over the top.

In the 21st minute, Atlanta had a good chance when Firmino played Armas into the six-yard box to beat Freeman. The midfielder’s first touch was a shot, but he hit it into the outside of the net. Mercado had come out to challenge Armas and was down briefly before getting up.

The Young Lions quickly went the other way and created an opportunity when Freeman laid the ball off for Solis. Mohammed made a run into the box and Solis found him, but the attacker’s shot was off target.

Two minutes later, Rivera played a ball for Almaguer, who was sprinting into the Atlanta box and behind the back line. The OCB captain’s first touch was a shot towards goal, but it again sailed over the top.

Mohammed had two chances in quick succession in the 27th minute. First, Solis beat Jacob Williams on the end line and played the ball to the top of the six for Mohammed. His shot would’ve been on target, but Matthew Edwards slid in to block it. The Young Lions kept possession, enabling Freeman to play Mohammed behind the back line, but his second shot was wide of the far post.

Atlanta players felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 32nd minute after a shot from outside of the box was blocked by Almaguer. Matias Gallardo took possession and attempted to dribble around Taifi. The two collided and went down with Atlanta appealing for a penalty. However, referee Alejo Calume determined it was a clean challenge.

The visitors nearly found an equalizer in the 37th minute when Valencia blocked Erik Centeno’s cross attempt out of play for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece found Ethan Dudley at the back post, who outjumped Taifi. The center back got his head to the ball but sent it just wide.

As the first half continued, Atlanta found more possession in the final third, but OCB was able to keep the visitors at a distance. In the 42nd minute, Williams played the ball to Noble Okello, who fired from well outside of the box. He wasn’t able to get over it and sent the shot well over the target.

On the other end, a fancy backheel by Almaguer ended up with Valencia on the far side, and the midfielder’s shot was deflected out of play for a corner kick. The set piece by Almaguer was sent to the back side of the box for Rivera, who sent a dangerous cross that went over the head of Freeman. Almaguer collected it and shot, but it was blocked.

The Young Lions had one last chance in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time when Solis’ cross was blocked out of play. Atlanta cleared the corner kick and the halftime whistle blew, sending OCB into the break up 1-0.

While OCB had more first-half shots (12-7) and corner kicks (3-2), Atlanta had more crosses (8-1) and better passing accuracy (94.6%-90.8%). The Young Lions should’ve had a multi-goal lead at the break, but inaccurate shooting kept the visitors in the game, as they put only one of their 12 attempts on target.

OCB had the first second-half chance in the 47th minute when Valencia collected the ball at the top left corner of the box. The midfielder’s shot from outside of the 18 was directly to Cohen and caught by the goalkeeper.

In the 51st minute, a nice give-and-go between Mohammed and Solis from the left side of the box sent Mohammed behind the back line. The attacker shot from a tight angle, but sent it straight into the waiting arms of Cohen.

Atlanta had a golden chance in the 53rd minute when Centeno’s cross bounced off of Williams and landed at the feet of Firmino right in front of the goal. Fortunately, Kibunguchy was in a good position to block the shot.

The visitors had another good chance in the 56th minute when Williams’ cross found Centeno at the back post. The right back attempted to make his first touch a shot, but the ball got caught in his feet, enabling Taifi to clear.

The Young Lions immediately went the other way with Taifi leading the charge. While the defender didn’t have anyone making a run into the box, he won a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Almaguer found Kibunguchy at the top of the six-yard box. The header attempt by the center back was on target, but Cohen was there to make the stop.

In the 63rd minute, Guske found Freeman with space in the attacking third. The right back dribbled forward and took a shot from the top of the box but sent it over the top.

It appeared as though Valencia had an excellent chance to double the OCB lead in the 66th minute when he was sent behind the Atlanta defense with a beautiful ball from Solis. He opened up to shoot for the far corner, but Cohen did well to stop it with one hand. It wouldn’t have counted anyway as the flag went up for offside.

The Young Lions had a great chance in the 69th minute when Rivera laid the ball off for Freeman making a run into the right side of the box. Freeman got a cross off just before the ball crossed the end line and it was met by the head of Mohammed. Unfortunately, the attempt at goal was just wide of the far post.

Atlanta went to the other end and found the equalizer. Centeno played Alan Carleton forward and the second-half substitute sent a cross towards the back post. Firmino was there with nobody on him, heading the ball off Mercado’s hand and in to even the game at 1-1.

Two minutes after the goal, Kibunguchy fouled Tmimi, giving Atlanta a free kick near the top of the OCB box. Armas stepped up to take the set piece but sent it over the top of the goal.

In the 80th minute, Mercado went down with an apparent injury, causing a delay, during which the players went to the sidelines. While still experiencing some discomfort, Mercado was able to continue. During the stoppage, OCB made its first substitution as Loyola replaced Freeman.

Edwards made a long run with the ball into the OCB box in the 83rd minute, beating Taifi in the process. The Atlanta captain got a shot off towards the far post, but Kibunguchy slid in and blocked the attempt out of play.

After clearing the corner kick, the Young Lions went the other way and created a chance of their own. Loyola received the ball on the right sideline and spotted Taifi making a run into the box from the far side. The defender got his head to the cross, but sent it wide.

Looking to send a teammate through in the 88th minute, Rivera sent a bad pass straight to Carleton. The substitute quickly darted the other way, dribbling all the way into the OCB third of the field. He found Tmimi to his right and the forward shot the ball between the legs of Williams and Mercado to give Atlanta a late 2-1 lead.

OCB had a good chance in the second minute of stoppage time when Solis was taken down by Carleton just outside of the box. The free kick by Solis was to Mohammed with his back to goal. The attacker attempted to backheel the ball past Cohen, but sent it just wide of the near post.

It looked like OCB would fall short, but the Young Lions got an equalizer with the final kick of the game. In the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, Loyola received the ball from Rivera and used a nice cut to beat Okello. The forward shot from the top of the box, beating Cohen to his near post to even the game at 2-2.

“It’s an amazing moment. Especially coming back from the (Chile U-20) national team,” Loyola said about his goal. “It shows I have a lot of confidence coming into this match and especially the rest of the year.”

“He just came from the national team, he did a great job there, he’s in a great moment,” OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg said about Loyola. “So we’re really happy for him.”

Immediately after the goal, Calume blew his whistle and OCB got its third consecutive home draw.

At full time, OCB had more shots (22-16) and shots on target (5-4) than the visitors. Meanwhile, Atlanta had the edge in corner kicks (6-4), crosses (11-3), and passing accuracy (90.8%-88%). Despite creating more chances, it took a last-second goal to get points.

“Difficult match,” Loyola said about the game. “Obviously we could’ve executed a lot better. 1-0, 2-1, we went down and it just came to me to score the last goal.”

Due to MLS NEXT Pro rules, each team gained a point in the standings, but they went to penalties to see who got the extra point.

OCB was perfect in the shootout with quality penalties by  Solis, Rivera, Guske, Loyola, and Mohammed. After Armas and Okello put theirs away, Mercado stopped Carleton’s attempt. That was the decider, as Firmino scored, but Mohammed’s conversion gave OCB the shootout win, 5-3.

“Of course, we are happy we were able to turn it around and win the penalties. But again, we get stuck in these ups and downs we are trying to get rid of,” Goldberg said about the performance. “So we’re going to keep working on that.”

The second point is crucial for the Young Lions as they sit on 21 points, one ahead of Crown Legacy FC for the eighth and final playoff spot . They’re tied with Columbus Crew 2, one point behind NYCFC II, and two points behind New York Red Bulls II in a crowded Eastern Conference.

OCB will now have an extended break before taking the field July 14 at Osceola County Stadium against another rival, Inter Miami II.

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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

11 hours 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.

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5 days 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

on

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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