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Orlando City B vs. Chattanooga FC: Final Score 1-0 as Young Lions’ Winless Skid Reaches Eight Games

It was another rough night for the OCB attack as the Young Lions fell on the road in Tennessee.

Published

6 months ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B was second-best all night against a Chattanooga FC side that entered tonight’s match on a four-game losing streak. OCB (4-6-8, 24 points) rarely threatened goal and at times struggled to even gain possession in a 1-0 loss to Chattanooga FC (7-6-6, 31 points) at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, TN. Alex McGrath scored the game’s only goal for the hosts in the second half, as OCB played a good defensive game but simply offered nothing going forward.

OCB has now gone eight games since its last win (0-3-5) as the Young Lions see their playoff chances — though still alive — starting to dwindle.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg started Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Colin Guske started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Wilfredo Rivera, with Jack Lynn up top.

The game began with a hard foul just seconds into the game when Andres Jimenez took out Almaguer on a challenge that likely would have drawn a yellow card had the game been more than a few seconds old. Luis Garcia Sosa then shoved Guske down from behind moments later. That set the tone for a half that saw 14 total fouls — nine from the hosts — while OCB ended up with more yellow cards (2-1) in the opening half.

Chattanooga winger Taylor Gray took the first shot of the match in the third minute, cutting in from the left and firing from distance, but Mercado wasn’t troubled with it and made an easy save. A minute later, the hosts should have taken the lead. Left back Joseph Perez lost Freeman and sent in a good cross through the six to McGrath at the back post. McGrath made a sliding lunge at the ball and made contact with it, but he somehow got under it and popped it over the net from point-blank range.

Freeman won a free kick on the right in the sixth minute, leading to OCB’s first attempt. Almaguer picked out Kibunguchy with his service, but the big center back got under it and popped it high over the net. Orlando City B quickly won another free kick straight out from goal, but Tsukada’s shot attempt refused to dip and sailed over the crossbar in the eighth minute.

Lynn and Perez were both booked in the 10th minute after some pushing and shoving that came from Perez pushing Lynn down from behind away from the ball. Lynn took exception, grabbing Perez and spinning him around. Both players were cautioned as Chattanooga continued trying to get under the Young Lions’ skin.

Gray tried his luck from the left again in the 14th minute from about the same spot and this time Mercado parried the shot wide to the left.

OCB’s best chance of the half came in the 17th minute when Solis played Freeman into the area. The fullback fired a shot but Farid Sar-Sar stuck out a leg and blocked it. OCB could do nothing with the ensuing corner.

Lynn nearly set himself up moments later, stealing the ball in the attacking third, but the ball got a bit too far away from the striker and goalkeeper Jean Antoine just beat him to the loose ball in the box.

Freeman broke in on goal in the 25th minute but as he approached goal, he was bumped hard by Duvan Viafara, and as a result he sent his shot into the outside netting.

Viafara then sent a weak header right to Mercado on a set piece in the 32nd minute. Mehdi Ouamri tried his luck from 30 yards out moments later, but it sailed over Mercado’s goal.

Freeman again got sent down the right in the 36th minute, but he just missed picking out the top left corner of the net, sending it just wide. After the restart, Rivera stole the ball and tried a shot from near the top of the area but he sent it well over the crossbar in the 37th minute.

Gray’s third effort from the left skipped through the box, narrowly missing Kibunguchy’s foot, and skipped just wide of the right post in the 43rd minute. Mercado then made a late save in stoppage time on a free kick Petrasso conceded near the corner of the box and the first half came to an end.

At the end of the first half, Chattanooga had a big advantage in possession, but I can’t tell you how big because MLS NEXT Pro doesn’t post it in their in-game stats. At one point, the broadcast showed OCB having only 36% of the ball and it didn’t change much from that point to halftime. The hosts also had the edge in shots (10-6), shots on target (4-0), and passing accuracy (90.9%-87.9%). OCB won the only corner of the first period.

Chattanooga kept on the pressure after the second-half kickoff, with long spells of attacking pressure, although the hosts didn’t generate many chances from having the ball. The first chance for Chattanooga came off a turnover by Solis in his own defensive half in the 49th minute. Jude Arthur took the ball away and quickly tried a shot from distance to try to catch Mercado napping, but the shot was off target.

Five minutes later, Mercado made a good save to deny McGrath, who beat Petrasso on a diagonal run from the right toward the middle of the box. Garcia-Sosa delivered an excellent through ball for the winger, who fired toward the net, but he couldn’t beat Mercado.

The OCB goalkeeper then punched away the ensuing corner kick cross but Almaguer failed to clear it further and Chattanooga regained possession, with McGrath firing again, only this time he send the shot wide.

The breakthrough came in the 57th minute as McGrath again beat Petrasso while cutting inside. This time he had the ball on his feet and fired a shot that was able to sneak in between Mercado’s outstretched arm and the right post to make it 1-0.

OCB players and coaches will feel hard done by for a no-call in the 63rd minute. Solis made a nice play to backheel a pass to Petrasso in the attacking penalty area. The left back changed direction and went down under heavy contact by the defense, as it appeared he’d had his ankle caught by a defender’s foot. Referee John Matto awarded no penalty, and the hosts cleared the danger. A yellow card was shown to the OCB bench as the team protested the decision.

The Young Lions pressed more numbers into the attack and won several corner kicks but could do nothing with them. Second-half sub Shak Mohammed sent a weak bouncer from a severe angle on the right at the goalkeeper, recording OCB’s first official shot on target of the night in the 71st minute.

Freeman had an opportunity on a corner kick in the 75th minute. The ball went through the box from left to right and Kibunguchy tracked it down and sent a cross to the back post. Freeman headed it toward the net and it was heading just wide of the left post but Antoine could take no chances and got a hand to it, conceding another corner. The ball was sent to Freeman at the near post on the ensuing set piece, but the fullback’s header was off target.

Minjae Kwak had two opportunities to put the game away for Chattanooga. The first came in the 83rd minute, with substitute Tahir Reid-Brown blocking it out for a corner kick. The hosts played the corner short and Kwak darted into the box and sent a shot toward the far post from the right. Mercado got a leg out just in time to make the save.

As time ran down, Orlando struggled to find a way through Chattanooga’s low block. Almaguer decided to take a shot from outside the area in the 87th minute, but his setup was so obvious the defense was easily able to step in front and block the effort. In the 89th minute, Favian Loyola made a magnificent darting run through four defenders in the box but could only send a weak shot at Antoine when he cleared the last man.

A weak header right to Antoine late in stoppage time was the last gasp as OCB dropped all three points.

Chattanooga finished with the advantage in shots (17-12), shots on target (8-2), and passing accuracy (88.1%-87.3%), while OCB ended the game with more corners (7-3). Even without the final stats in possession, it was clear that the hosts had much more of the ball, especially in the opening 15 minutes of the decisive second half.

OCB will continue its road swing next Saturday at Carolina Core FC in High Point, NC, at 7:30 p.m.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City Signs Goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a New Contract

Carlos Mercado signs a new contract to remain Orlando City’s third-choice goalkeeper.

Published

6 days ago

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January 30, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City announced this morning that the club has signed goalkeeper Carlos Mercado to a new contract. The deal is through the 2025 season with club options for 2026 and 2027.

“Carlos did a great job for us last year with Orlando City B and continued to provide a positive work ethic and atmosphere every day in training up with the first team and showed his skill and ability to compete every chance he got,” Orlando City Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi said in a club press release. “He’s part of a strong goalkeeping unit here at the club and we feel confident in the future of that entire position group moving forward.”

Mercado originally joined Orlando City prior to the 2024 season to back up Javier Otero. However, when Mason Stajduhar broke his tibia and fibula in a June 28 game against New York City FC, Otero became the primary backup to Pedro Gallese and Mercado was the starter for the Young Lions.

In his debut season in purple, Mercado started 20 games — including a playoff game in Chicago — playing 1,830 minutes. He conceded 30 goals for a goals-against average of 1.48 and saved 81 of 111 shots faced for a save percentage of 73%. He kept three clean sheets and compiled a record of 9-5-6 (W-L-D) while saving two of the four penalties he faced in regular play.

The 25-year-old signed a short-term deal following Stajduhar’s injury with his lone game on the team sheet being on the bench for a July 3 game against Toronto FC. He went on to sign a first-team contract on Sept. 20 through the 2024 season with options for 2025, 2026, and 2027. However, his 2025 option was declined following the season.

Mercado played for the FC Dallas academy in his youth, earning call-ups to the United States U-16 National Team and Mexico U-18 National Team. He played collegiately at the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio, TX, before joining San Antonio FC of the USL Championship.

The goalkeeper made his professional debut in 2021, coming on for the final 29 minutes in a 3-0 win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. He stayed with San Antonio FC through the 2023 season before joining OCB.

What It Means for Orlando City

As previously mentioned, Mercado’s option for 2025 was declined following the 2024 MLS season since the club already had three other goalkeepers. However, signing another goalkeeper became necessary when Orlando City traded Stajduhar to Real Salt Lake on Jan. 15, leaving the club with two under contract.

Mercado will likely continue to be the club’s third goalkeeper and is the presumed starter for Orlando City B when the MLS NEXT Pro season starts in March. He’ll have to join the first team if Gallese goes away on international duty with Peru and Otero enters the starting lineup. Barring unavailability of Gallese and Otero, it’s unlikely he’ll see any MLS action.

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Orlando City B Announces Schedule for 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Season

Find out where, when, and who the Young Lions of OCB will play in 2025.

Published

1 week ago

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January 27, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

The 2025 MLS NEXT Pro schedule was released this afternoon, telling us where, when, and who Orlando City B will play in the team’s fourth year in the league. The league will again feature 29 teams in 2025, with three teams set to enter the league next year. There are 27 MLS affiliated clubs in the league and two independents — Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC.

The schedule remains at 28 games, with Orlando City B playing 14 at home, 13 away, and one at a neutral site at IMG Academy in Bradenton. OCB home games will take place at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee again this season.

OCB will start the 2024 season with a two-game home stand, opening the season on Sunday, March 9 against Columbus Crew 2 at 7 p.m. A week later, Atlanta United 2 will visit Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions will then hit the road for the team’s first two away games starting Wednesday, March 26 at Crown Legacy FC and following with a match at Chattanooga FC on Saturday, April 5.

In addition to opening the season at home, OCB will close the regular season by hosting FC Cincinnati 2 at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5. Last year, the Young Lions opened and closed the season on the road. All Decision Day games in the Eastern Conference will start at 1 p.m. and all Western Conference matches will kick off at 4 p.m. (ET).

OCB will compete in the 15-team Eastern Conference as part of the Southeast Division. The other teams in the division are Atlanta, Carolina Core, Chattanooga, Crown Legacy, Huntsville City, and rival Inter Miami II. The reserve version of the Tropic Thunder rivalry will play out over three meetings in 2025. The Young Lions will travel IMG Academy to face the Baby Herons on April 15, with the home match in Kissimmee coming May 17. The teams will meet again in Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 14.

MLS NEXT Pro teams will again only play opponents from their own conference, limiting travel. The Young Lions will play each team in the Southeast Division three times, including Atlanta United 2, and Chattanooga twice at home and once away, and Carolina Core, Crown Legacy, and Huntsville City once each at home and twice away. OCB will play the teams from the Northeast Division once, except Columbus and New England, which the Young Lions will face both at home and away. Orlando City B will face FC Cincinnati 2, New York City FC II, New York Red Bulls II, and Toronto FC II only at home in the regular season, while facing Chicago Fire II and Philadelphia Union II only on the road.

The busiest months for OCB this season will be June and August, when the Young Lions will play five matches. They’ll play four times in April and July, three times in March, May, and September, and once in October. The most common day the Young Lions will play is on Sunday (13 games). Additionally, they have five games on Saturday, four games each on Wednesday and Friday, and one game each on Monday and Tuesday. The most common kickoff time is 7 p.m.. The Young Lions will play 18 games with that start time, three times each at 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m., and once at 1 p.m. (Decision Day).

Once again, the postseason will include 15 games this year, concluding with the MLS NEXT Pro Cup. The higher playoff seeds will again select their opponents for the matchups in the first two rounds.

The majority of regular season games and all playoff games will again air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The remaining games will be streamed live on mlsnextpro.com.

As far as viewing conflicts go for Orlando City and Pride fans, there are a few overlaps in 2025. OCB plays at 7 p.m. on April 5 at Chattanooga with the MLS Lions playing at 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia that night. On May 23, OCB plays at Atlanta United 2 at 7:30 p.m. and the Pride and Royals kick off in Utah at 9:30 p.m. just as that game is concluding. On June 25, OCB plays at home at 7 p.m. against Toronto FC II, with Orlando City at St. Louis City at 8:30 p.m. OCB’s game July 25 at Huntsville City will kick off 30 minutes after the senior side begins playing at Columbus. The Young Lions start at home on Aug. 3 against NYCFCII an hour after the Pride and Utah Royals kick off at Inter&Co Stadium. OCB and the Pride are both home on Aug. 9 as well, with the Young Lions and Chattanooga getting underway at 7 p.m. at Osceola County Stadium, just 30 minutes before the Pride and Racing Louisville battle at Inter&Co Stadium. On Aug. 23, OCB will play at 7 p.m. at home against Atlanta United 2, with the senior Lions and Nashville SC kicking off at 8:30 p.m.

Orlando City B’s 2025 Schedule

  • Sunday, March 9 — vs. Columbus Crew 2, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 16 — vs. Atlanta United 2, 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, March 26 — at Crown Legacy FC, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 5 — at Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, April 9 — vs. New England Revolution II, 7 p.m.
  • Tuesday, April 15 — vs. Inter Miami II (at IMG Academy in Bradenton), 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 27 — vs. New York Red Bulls II, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, May 2 — at Chicago Fire FC II, 8 p.m.
  • Saturday, May 17 — vs. Inter Miami II, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, May 23 — at Atlanta United 2, 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, June 1 — vs. Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, June 6 — at Huntsville City FC, 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, June 11 — at Carolina Core FC, 7:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, June 25 — vs. Toronto FC, 7 p.m.
  • Monday, June 30 — at Philadelphia Union II, 3 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 6 — at Crown Legacy FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 13 — vs. Carolina Core FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, July 20 — at New England Revolution II, 3 p.m.
  • Friday, July 25 — at Huntsville City FC, 8 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 3 — vs. New York City FC II, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 9 — vs. Chattanooga FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 17 — at Columbus Crew 2, 3 p.m.
  • Saturday, Aug. 23 — vs. Atlanta United 2, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Aug. 31 — vs. Crown Legacy FC, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Sept. 14 — at Inter Miami II, 7 p.m.
  • Sunday, Sept. 21 — vs. Huntsville City FC, 7 p.m.
  • Saturday, Sept. 27 — at Carolina Core FC, 7:30 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 5 — vs. FC Cincinnati 2, 1 p.m.
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Orlando City B

Orlando City B Signs Goalkeeper Tristan Himes

The 24-year-old former academy goalkeeper returns to the club after a four-year collegiate career.

Published

4 weeks ago

on

January 8, 2025

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City announced this afternoon that the club has signed former academy goalkeeper Tristan Himes to an MLS NEXT Pro contract to play with the club’s reserve side, Orlando City B. The 24-year-old returns to the club following the conclusion of his collegiate career.

“This is an exciting first step for us this year on the path to achieving our goals for 2025 and beyond,” Orlando City Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “Tristan is a player that is homegrown, that we’ve seen develop in our academy here in Orlando, and a bright young player. He’s someone whose path took him to play and get more experience in college and now we’re excited to bring him back home to Central Florida.”

The DeBary native attended the University of South Carolina after his time in the Orlando City Academy, making seven appearances in two seasons. He conceded 13 goals in 546 minutes while making 22 saves. He stopped 62.9% of his shots faced for the Gamecocks, recording one shutout and an assist. The goalkeeper played 543 minutes during his freshman season but only three minutes during his sophomore campaign, coming off the bench on Oct. 1, 2022, against West Virginia.

Himes transferred to Coastal Carolina University for his junior season but was forced to sit out all of 2023 due to injury. He returned for his senior campaign, making 10 appearances and playing 855 minutes while conceding 20 goals and making 35 saves. He finished his time with the Chanticleers completing two shutouts while recording a 2.11 goals-against average and stopping 63.6% of his 122 shots faced.

Despite coming through the Orlando City Academy, the goalkeeper was eligible for the 2025 MLS SuperDraft but wasn’t selected. The signing is the first in a string of expected deals as the club looks to rebuild its MLS NEXT Pro roster. Following the 2024 season, the contracts of six of the 10 players on MLS NEXT Pro deals expired.

Himes’ signing could see him replace Carlos Mercado, who started the majority of OCB’s games in 2024. The goalkeeper eventually signed a first-team deal late in the season, but his option was declined by the club. Depending on the recovery of first-team backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar, Himes could start for the Young Lions or will play behind Homegrown product Javier Otero.

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