Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Inter Miami II: Final Score 1-1 as OCB Draws Rivals and Claims a Second Point in Penalties
OCB responded from a 1-0 second-half deficit to draw Inter Miami II before taking an extra point in penalties.

Orlando City B (4-5-7, 23 points) ended its five-game homestand tonight with a 1-1 draw against Inter MiamI II (6-6-5, 23 points) at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. The visitors took the lead in the 70th minute through Shanyder Borgelin, but Wilfredo Rivera’s excellent strike in the 80th minute equalized for OCB. The Young Lions then won the penalty shootout 2-0 to claim the extra point.
OCB made three changes from the team that lost 2-1 to Carolina Core FC on July 7. Tahir Reid-Brown, Favian Loyola, and Jack Lynn entered the starting lineup, replacing Zakaria Taifi, Yeiler Valencia, and Rivera. The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado were Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Colin Guske and Imanol Almaguer were the defensive midfielders behind Jhon Solis, Shak Mohammed, and Loyola, with Lynn up top.
The first half had few chances for either team, with the notable moments being hard challenges and bookings. However, it opened up in the second half with end-to-end action. Inter Miami II had the better chances in the opening minutes, but the Young Lions worked their way into the game. It appeared as though the 70th-minute goal would see OCB lose for the second consecutive game, but an attacking substitution by OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg worked as Rivera scored the equalizer.
The Young Lions held the early possession, but it was Miami that created the first chance of the game. In the seventh minute, Borgelin’s cross was blocked out of play by Williams for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was headed towards the near post, falling to the feet of Leo Afonso open in front of goal. It appeared to go off the forward’s knee and over the crossbar, enabling OCB to avoid conceding early.
The Young Lions got their first chance in the 10th minute when Miami cleared the ball out of play. Almaguer took the corner kick, playing it short to Solis. However, referee Laura Rodriguez saw too much pushing and shoving in the box, calling on Almaguer to take it again. The second one went to the near post, where it found the head of Lynn, but the striker redirected the ball over the target.
Afonso had another good chance to give the visitors an early lead in the 16th minute when a ball into the box was headed down by Borgelin near the top of the six. Afonso was the first one to it and put the ball on target, but Mercado did well to block it with his leg.
Solis used a fancy pass to create an opportunity for OCB in the 24th minute, sending Loyola down the end line from the left. The attacker found Lynn right in front of the goal, but the ball got caught in his feet. As a result, Lynn couldn’t get much on the shot, enabling Cole Jensen to make the stop.
Some sloppy possession by Inter Miami II in the 26th minute enabled Loyola to take possession in the final third. He used his quick feet to create some room and shot from just outside of the box. Unfortunately, the low attempt was directly to Jensen and the goalkeeper made an easy save.
In the 32nd minute, Reid-Brown sent a cross into the box looking for Lynn at the near post. The pass was deflected by Nykolas Sessock and landed on the top of the net. The ensuing corner kick by Almaguer found the head of Kibunguchy, and he appeared to give OCB the lead, but the center back was called for a foul while going for the ball.
At the end of 45 minutes, Inter Miami II had more shots (8-3), but OCB put more on target (2-1). Miami had more crosses (4-2), OCB had better passing accuracy (87.9%-86.6%), and both teams had three corner kicks. Despite the lack of goals, it was an eventful first half with six yellow cards being issued, including to both head coaches.
The most surprising thing about the first half was that it ended scoreless. It’s the first time an OCB game has been scoreless at the break since May 25, 2023 (34 games ago), also against Inter Miami II. In that game, Lynn scored the game’s lone goal in the 57th minute as the Young Lions won 1-0.
Miami came out of halftime the more attacking team, creating multiple opportunities in the opening minutes of the second half. Shortly after the restart, Reid-Brown was called for a foul and booked, giving the visitors a free kick about 35 yards from goal. Dairon Reyes took the set piece and went for goal, sending it off target.
In the 49th minute, Noah Allen sent a dangerous ball into the box looking for Borgelin. However, his cross was too close to Mercado, who was able to jump on it. Three minutes later, Noah was looking for Borgelin again. This time the forward chested it down, but lost control and it went out of play. It wouldn’t have counted had he scored because the flag went up for offside.
OCB’s first second-half chance came in the 54th minute. Almaguer received the ball outside of the box and no defenders closed him down, so the captain went for goal. It wasn’t a bad strike, but it curled wide of the target.
In the 59th minute, Mohammed carried the ball across the field before being tripped by David Ruiz, earning the Miami midfielder a yellow card. Almaguer took the free kick and went for goal, but sent the attempt over the top.
Immediately after the shot, OCB made its first two changes of the game. Rivera and Yutaro Tsukada entered for Lynn and Loyola.
Miami had a great chance to score the opening goal in the 65th minute when Ruiz headed a ball down just before it crossed the end line. It was a perfectly-placed ball for Afonso near the six-yard box, but the attacker whiffed as he attempted to shoot.
A minute later, Afonso received the ball at the top of the box and went for goal. The shot was through the legs of Borgelin, but Mercado did well to keep his eye on the ball, enabling him to make a one-handed save. It went straight to Sessock for an open shot on goal, but the defender missed wide.
In the 69th minute, Freeman did well to bring a long ball down in the box. He chipped it for Rivera near the top of the six and the forward got his head to it, but sent it just over the goal.
OCB had another great chance in the 70th minute when Allen’s poor clearance attempt went to Mohammed. Since his back was to the goal, the attacker tried to backheel it, but it was blocked. The ball went straight to Tsukada for an open shot, but the second-half substitute missed the target.
The visitors quickly went the other way and took the lead. Reyes sent Ryan Carmichael forward and the second-half substitute shot, but it was blocked by Williams. The rebound went right to Sunderland, whose shot was off the post. With Mercado down, Borgelin and Freeman raced for the ball. The Miami attacker got to it first, knocking it in to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
The Young Lions went on the attack and nearly found an equalizer in the 75th minute. Freeman received the ball in the box on the right, chipping it in for Rivera making a run towards goal. The forward got his head to it, but sent the attempt just over the crossbar.
Shortly after the miss, OCB made two more changes. Justin Ellis and Jackson Platts came into the game for Mohammed and Reid-Brown. Ellis went into the forward position and Rivera moved into the midfield.
Rivera’s position further back proved to be beneficial in the 80th minute. Receiving the ball from Freeman, Guske played a pass forward for Rivera. The attacker took a touch inside to avoid Allen and found space for a shot before sending a rocket towards goal. Jensen got a hand to it, but the shot was too strong, evening the game at 1-1.
“I saw him (Guske) look at me and we made eye contact,” Rivera said about his goal. “And I looked behind me, and I had space and some time, and I got it, turned, took someone on, and then I tried to put it in the back of the net. It felt great because there were a lot of fans here, and it just felt great tying it up.”
OCB made its final substitution in the 82nd minute as Bernardo Goncalves came on for Guske.
The visitors had a good chance for a winner in the 84th minute when Freeman fouled Sunderland just outside the box, earning a yellow card for the challenge. Carmichael stepped up to take the set piece and went for goal, sending the attempt just over the crossbar.
The fourth official showed four minutes of stoppage time and it was OCB that appeared the most likely to find a winner. First, Rivera collected the ball at the top of the box and shot from near where he scored his goal. Unfortunately, his attempt was just over the top. Two minutes later, Tsukada shot from the top left corner of the box, but it was right to Jesnen.
Miami had a chance for a last-second winner when Alejandro Flores took a shot from outside the box in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Mercado got down to block it, but he only got it to the top of the six. Sunderland was charging in and it looked like he might get there, but Freeman was able to clear it first. Rodriguez blew the final whistle right after the clearance, ending the game at 1-1.
After 90 minutes, Inter Miami II had more shots (20-14), but OCB put more shots on target (5-4). While Miami had more crosses (9-6), OCB had more corner kicks (4-3) and better passing accuracy (87.5%-86.9%). The aggressive game ended with Miami committing more fouls (16-9) and OCB being booked more (8-6).
“It was a tight game. I think both teams did a good job,” Goldberg said about the performance. “The game was entertaining, there were chances for both sides, so pretty even match in general.”
“I thought we played pretty good. We gave everything we had,” Rivera added. “Obviously, they came out with the first goal and set us back a little bit, but I thought we were playing well and thankfully I was able to make a difference coming off the bench.”
Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, games that end in a draw result in both teams getting a point but go to penalties to see which team earns a second point. It was the seventh time OCB went to penalties after drawing this season.
The goalkeepers got off to a great start, saving nearly identical shots by Sunderland and Solis. Allen took the second attempt for Miami and it was beyond the reach of Mercado, but hit the post. After Freeman sent Jensen the wrong way to give OCB the lead, Mercado made his second stop, this time on Yuval Cohen. Jensen guessed correctly on Tsukada, but the midfielder slipped it underneath him. That meant Giovanni Ferraina had to convert, but the center back sent his attempt over the goal.
The poor shootout performance by Miami (0-4) meant OCB only had to be somewhat accurate to win the shootout. It’s not often that MLS NEXT Pro penalty shootouts end 2-0, but this one did, and the Young Lions took the extra point. They’re now 4-3 when going to penalties.
The draw keeps OCB in 10th place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference, but the extra point moves the Young Lions even on points with Inter Miami II for ninth. They’re still three points behind New York Red Bulls II and Crown Legacy FC for the final playoff spot but have a game in hand on Miami and New York.
OCB will return to action on July 21 as the team heads out on the road for the first time since June 13, facing New York Red Bulls II in New Jersey.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions Remain Undefeated
OCB continued its undefeated start to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season by edging Crown Legacy in North Carolina.

Orlando City B (2-0-1, 8 points) scored with their lone shot on target tonight in a 1-0 win over Crown Legacy FC (0-1-1, 1 points) at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthew, NC. Shak Mohammed’s 30th-minute goal was the difference as the Young Lions continue their hot start to the season.
OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made three changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Atlanta United 2 on March 16 and took the extra point 4-1 on penalties. Carlos Mercado returned to net for Javier Otero, Gustavo Caraballo replaced Colin Guske — who is on international duty — and Dyson Clapier replaced Justin Ellis.
The back line in front of Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Jackson Platts, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Dylan Judelson and Jhon Solis were in the defensive midfield behind Caraballo, Mohammed, and Clapier with Thalles up top.
The first chance for either team came in the seventh minute when Mohammed intercepted a poor pass in the Crown Legacy third of the field. He played it forward for Thalles, who was taken down by Baye Coulibaly.
Solis took the set piece, aiming for the near top corner. However, he was unable to get the ball to dip down enough, sending it off target.
Caraballo tried to make something happen in the 13th minute, dribbling into the Crown Legacy box. He took a shot on the run, but Jack Neeley got in front of the attempt, blocking it with his foot.
Crown Legacy got its first decent chance in the 16th minute when Nikola Petkovic received a pass near the top of the OCB box. He took a touch to get around Judelson and attempted to curl the ball into the far top corner, but it sailed off target.
The hosts nearly had another chance in the 28th minute when right back Yves Tcheuyap made a good run to the end line and sent a dangerous ball into the six-yard box for Jack Sarkos. However, Williams got in front to clear it out for a corner kick. Crown Legacy recycled the ball, forcing Williams to clear it away again. This time the Young Lions were able to clear the danger.
OCB took the lead in the 30th minute when Platts played the ball forward for Caraballo, who sent it further down the right for Taifi. The right back sent a dangerous ball into the box that was beyond the reach of Thalles and Clapier, but fell to Mohammed. The attacker didn’t make any mistakes, placing the ball past Isaac Walker to give the Young Lions a 1-0 lead.
OCB displayed some terrific breakout play in the first half. In the 32nd minute, a long ball by Mercado was flicked on by Mohammed for Clapier. The midfielder tipped the ball over Neeley and had a step on Coulibaly. The defender pushed Clapier over just before he entered the box, giving OCB a free kick in a dangerous spot.
Coulibaly was lucky to only get a yellow card for the play. Fortunately for him, another defender got back, so he wasn’t the last defender. Otherwise, it would’ve been a red card.
Taifi and Solis stood over the set piece with Solis taking the kick. The midfielder curled the ball towards the near post, just missing wide.
Crown Legacy created some danger in the 40th minute when Brian Romero sent a dangerous ball across the box. Coulibaly was making a run to the far post and the ball reached him, but the midfielder couldn’t get his foot on it.
Reid-Brown sent a good ball to the top of the six in the 44th minute. Williams was making a run between two defenders, but he wasn’t able to redirect the ball on target.
At halftime, OCB had more possession (64%-36%), shots (7-6), and shots on target (1-0). Meanwhile, Crown Legacy had more corner kicks (4-3) and crosses (6-3), with better passing accuracy (90.3%-88.4%).
Shortly after the restart, Rocket Ritarita lifted a ball near the penalty spot in the 50th minute that was chested down for Aron John. The attacker’s first touch was a shot on target that forced Mercado into a good save. The rebound ended up with Petkovic, who sent a second shot towards goal, but Platts slid in to block the attempt.
OCB nearly had a chance in the 53rd minute when Taifi made a long run down the right and sent a cross in for Thalles. The striker had position on his defender, but the cross was too strong for the striker to get his head on it.
A minute later Taiif made a similar run and took it himself. The right back fired from a tight angle, trying to lift it into the top of the net. However, Walker reacted well to block the attempt.
Crown Legacy had a golden chance to equalize in the 58th minute when a cross from the right went through the box and over the end line. Platts and Sarkos were tangling and referee Jeremy Scheer pointed to the spot.
John stepped up to take the penalty, sending it towards the left post. Mercado guessed correctly, diving to his right and making the save to keep the OCB lead and his shutout.
Goldberg made his first change of the night in the 62nd minute as Zinedine Rodriguez came into the game for Clapier.
The 70th minute brought a scary moment for OCB when Mikah Thomas sent a through ball into the OCB box for Ritarita. Mercado got to it first but couldn’t handle it. Ritarita continued his run, colliding with Mercado. The goalkeeper required some medical attention, but he was eventually able to continue.
OCB won a free kick in the 81st minute when Neeley pushed Mohammed down from behind just inside the Crown Legacy third of the field. Neeley was issued a yellow card for the challenge. Caraballo took the free kick, finding an unmarked Thalles making a run to the back post. The forward’s first touch was a redirection, but it went over the top.
Thalles won a 50-50 ball in the 83rd minute, tapping it forward for Mohammed to run onto. The attacker got behind the back line and was in goal as Walker came off his line. Mohammed tried to chip the goalkeeper, but his attempt bounced wide to the right.
Immediately after the miss, Goldberg made his second change of the game. Hayden Sargis made his professional debut, coming on for Caraballo.
Crown Legacy had a great chance in the 85th minute when Ferna Ferreira used a nice touch to lose Taifi and reach the endline. He sent a dangerous cross into the six with two teammates running in, but Judelson got back to clear it away.
In the 90th minute, Ritarita sent a cross into the box that Mercado should’ve handled easily. However, it bounced off his hands. A Crown Legacy attacker was making a back post run, but it went out of play.
During the stoppage, Goldberg made his final change of the night, replacing Thalles with Juan Quevedo.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Mohammed broke out near midfield. Neeley, who had been booked earlier, pulled him back. The professional foul required a yellow card, his second of the night.
The final attempt of the game came in the final seconds when Ferreira twisted and turned Quevedo to create space. It looked like the attacker would have a free shot on goal, but Judelson came flying in to block it. That was the final attempt as the Young Lions held on for the 1-0 win.
At full time, Crown Legacy had the advantage in shots (16-10), shots on target (3-1), corner kicks (11-3), crosses (21-6), and passing accuracy (90%-83.1%). However, the Young Lions took advantage of their one shot on target and held on for another three points.
The Young Lions continue their strong start to the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season. They’ve only dropped one point this year, acquiring eight points from three games. They sit atop the Eastern Conference, tied with New York City FC II.
OCB will now have an extended break, not taking the field again until April 5 when the team travels to take on Chattanooga FC in Tennessee.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 2-2 as Young Lions Claim Extra Point in Penalties
OCB led in the second half but conceded an equalizer before claiming the extra point in the penalty shootout.

Orlando City B (1-0-1, 5 points) played to a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United 2 (0-1-1, 1 point) tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Luke Brennan gave Atlanta the lead in the 30th minute before Justin Ellis equalized just before halftime. Shak Mohammed gave the Lions their first lead in the 56th minute and Ronan Wynne equalized for the visitors in the 78th minute. The Young Lions then took the extra point by winning the penalty shootout, 4-1.
OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes from the team that won 2-1 over Columbus Crew 2 last Sunday night. First-team backup goalkeeper Javier Otero got his first start of the season, replacing Carlos Mercado. Thalles got his first start for OCB, replacing Dyson Clapier.
The back line in front of Otero was Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Jackson Platts, and Zakaria Taifi. Dylan Judelson and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Mohammed, Ellis, and Jhon Solis. Thalles started alone up top.
Atlanta had the first attempt at goal in the sixth minute when former Lion Moises Tablante found Brennan near the top of the box. Reid-Brown was in front of him and the midfielder shot, but Judelson flew in to block the attempt out for a corner kick.
The ensuing set piece was knocked out for a second corner and the second attempt was caught by Otero, ending the threat.
It looked like OCB would have its first chance in the eighth minute when Taifi sent a dangerous low ball across the box. Three players in purple were making runs, with Solis closest to it. However, nobody could get to the end of the pass as it went all the way through.
The Young Lions’ first shot came in the 10th minute when Thalles knocked the ball off a defender, giving OCB its first corner kick. Solis’ set piece went through the box where it ended up with Taifi. The defender fired from outside the box, but the shot was right at Atlanta goalkeeper Jayden Hibbert.
Atlanta nearly had a chance in the 25th minute when Brennan sent a dangerous ball into the six for Rodrigo Neri. Williams was on the attacker, putting enough of his body on him to keep Neri from getting onto it.
A minute later, Mohammed was called for a foul on Brennan just outside the box and to the right of goal. The short set piece between Cooper Sanchez and Tablante resulted in a Brennan shot from distance, but Platts was in position to block it.
The visitors finally got their goal in the 30th minute after a pair of clearances. Ryan Carmichael sent a long cross to the back of the six-yard box where Salvatore Mazzaferro headed it towards goal. The ball went past Otero and Brennan ran onto it to knock it in, giving Atlanta a well-deserved 1-0 lead.
The Young Lions had their best first-half opportunity in the 40th minute when Taifi was sent long on the right behind the back line. The defender dribbled into the box as Hibbert came off his line, making a good save.
On the other end, a short corner kick resulted in Tablante sending a ball into the box. Mazzaferro got his head to the ball, flicking it towards the far post, but sent it wide.
The Young Lions got their equalizer in the 44th minute when Ellis received a throw-in and played a quick give-and-go with Solis to beat three defenders. The forward’s first touch after receiving the ball back from Solis was past Hibbert and off the far post to even the game at 1-1.
Atlanta was the better team in the first 45 minutes with the advantage in shots (10-4), crosses (7-0), corner kicks (6-1), and passing accuracy (87%-79.3%). However, OCB put three of its four shots on target while Atlanta only put one of 10 on frame.
Atlanta got off to an aggressive start to the second half and nearly scored in the 46th minute. While OCB attempted to clear an Atlanta corner kick, Solis got caught playing with the ball in his own box. Neri came in from behind and shoved Solis to the ground, taking possession. The attacker tried to beat Otero to his near post, but hit the outside of the net.
The Young Lions got their first second-half attempt in the 55th minute when Ellis found Reid-Brown near the top of the box. The left back cut inside to lose his defender and shot, but Wynne got in the way, blocking it out for a corner kick.
The ensuing set piece by Taifi sailed beyond the back post where Mohammed came flying in to volley the ball past Hibbert, giving his team a 2-1 lead.
“We’ve been training for me to make the run to the second post and I happened to be there. And unbelievable delivery by Taifi and I was there to meet it,” Mohammed said. “So it’s good. It’s a good connection and hopefully many more to come.”
“Very participative, very active, very aggressive with a lot of desire,” Goldberg said about the goal scorers. “And that’s what we want. Sometimes the ball will go in. Sometimes it won’t. But the more we try to do it, it’s going to be better.”
Tablante tried to find an equalizer against his old team in the 61st minute. He ran into a defender but kept possession. A touch inside allowed him to shoot between Reid-Brown and Judelson, but he sent his shot over the crossbar.
In the 64th minute, Dominik Chong-Qui fired from the corner of the box, forcing Otero to block the ball over the crossbar at his near post. Tablante took the ensuing corner kick, but Otero was there to catch it.
Goldberg made his first two changes of the game during the next stoppage. Gustavo Caraballo and Clapier came into the game for Thalles and Judelson.
Otero was called into action in the 72nd minute when Braden Dunham’s shot from outside the box was deflected. Otero had to adjust to block the attempt, sending it wide. However, Neri was following up. Otero quickly jumped up to block that attempt as well, sending it out of play.
“Outstanding,” Goldberg said about Otero’s performance in goal. “I’m really happy for him. That he could take the chance properly for the team and for himself. And he did an outstanding job.”
Caraballo tried to double the OCB lead in the 73rd minute. The first-team midfielder took the ball to the end line before cutting back, creating space from Mazzaferro and Dunham. He was aiming for the far post, but the shot traveled wide.
The visitors found their equalizer in the 78th minute through a set piece. Guske was unable to clear Nykolas Sessock’s free kick near the top corner of the box, enabling Neri to head it back into the middle of the six-yard box. Wynne and Williams were tussling as they approached the ball, but the Atlanta attacker beat the first-team center back, evening the game at 2-2.
Goldberg was forced into another substitution in the 84th minute when Ellis went down injured. The forward received some attention before eventually being replaced by Zinedine Rodriguez.
Atlanta substitute Adyn Torres tried to be the hero in the 87th minute when he received the ball about 25 yards from goal. The attacker took a touch before firing a shot from long distance. Otero felt it was close enough to jump, but the attempt continued rising and went over the crossbar.
Torres’ attempt was the final chance for either team, as the 90 minutes ended in a 2-2 draw. Atlanta controlled the game in nearly every statistical category. Despite being on the road, the visitors had the advantage in shots (19-9), shots on target (6-5), crosses (11-2), and corner kicks (10-3). They also had better passing accuracy (85.8%-76.1%).
“I agree it was tough. We didn’t find ourselves very comfortable in the first half, and that put us there a little uncomfortable in the game,” Goldberg said. “We scored a goal in a very good moment of the match. It was at the end of the first half. And in the second half we were a little bit better. We’ve got a lot of things to work on to get better. But the good news is at least we got those two points and that’s something to look on.”
“I think on the balance of the game, it was a fair point that we got. We got the two points at home and we’re still undefeated at home,” Mohammed added. “So that’s big. It’s good to start the season that way. Two games and undefeated. So it was good. There’s still a lot of ways for us to improve and we’re going to do that. It’s just the second game of the season. So we’re looking forward to the season and it’s good that we started this way.”
Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, the teams had to shoot penalties to see who would get the extra point.
The Young Lions were perfect in the shootout, with goals by Guske, Solis, Platts, and Clapier. Carmichael hit the post on the first Atlanta attempt and Otero saved Mazzaferro’s shot on the second. Neri scored the third to keep the game alive before Clapier ended it.
OCB ends the two-game season-opening homestand with five points. The Young Lions will have to wait 10 days before they take the field again, taking on Crown Legacy FC in North Carolina on March 26.
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.

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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