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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC: Final Score 2-1 as OCB Ends Eight-Game Winless Streak

OCB ended its eight-game winless streak with a road win over Carolina Core FC despite being down a man for a long stretch.

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1 month ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (5-6-8, 27 points) took a two-goal lead in the first half and played down a man for much of the second half, but the Young Lions still managed to beat Carolina Core FC (5-9-4, 22 points) 2-1 in High Point, NC. Both of OCB’s first-half goals, scored by Jackson Platts and Shak Mohammed, came from counterattacks. Substitute David Polanco got one back for the hosts in the 78th minute, but it wasn’t enough as the Young Lions took all three points.

The win ends an eight-game winless streak (0-3-5) that dates back to OCB’s 5-0 win over Huntsville City FC on May 26 in Kissimmee. It also prevented the Young Lions from equaling their all-time longest winless streak of nine games, set in 2019 when they played in USL League One.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made four changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Chattanooga FC on July 27. Platts, Tahir Reid-Brown, Favian Loyola, and Mohammed started after coming off the bench last game, replacingAlex Freeman, Colin Guske, Yutaro Tsukada, and Jack Lynn. None of the four being replaced were in the team tonight.

The back four in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado were Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Platts. Imanol Almaguer and Wilfredo Rivera were in the defensive midfield behind Luca Petrasso, Jhon Solis, and Loyola with Mohammed up top.

Carolina dominated this game territorially from the outset as OCB sat back and absorbed the pressure. The Young Lions hit the hosts on counterattacks, resulting in both of their goals. OCB found it relatively easy to control the opposition, but the task was made more challenging just before halftime when a poor decision by Loyola got him sent off. Despite being down a man, OCB held on strong and withstood attack after attack. A second yellow card to Derek Cuevas made the numbers even again and seeing out the win a little easier as OCB ended its eight-game winless streak.

The first shot of the game came in the fifth minute when Core captain Jacob Evans received the ball in the box. He played it to his left for Jathan Juarez, getting it right back when Juarez was covered. Taking a couple of touches to his right, Evans shot. Williams did well to get down to block the attempt, enabling OCB to clear.

The first chance to shoot for the Young Lions came in the 11th minute when Rivera received the ball well outside the box. Only two defenders were near the midfielder, so Rivera had space to create a shot from distance. He has scored from there before, but Juarez got in front to block the attempt out for a throw-in.

OCB had a good chance in the 15th minute when Rivera played the ball wide for Petrasso. Mohammed was making a near-post run, so Petrasso played the ball into the six. Mohammed had a step on his defender, but Core goalkeeper Alex Sutton came out strong. While Mohammed went down from the challenge, Sutton got to the ball first.

The hosts quickly went to the other end, looking to build up an attack. However, Facundo Canete unwisely decided to shoot from long distance, sending the ball well over the goal and into the stands.

OCB took the lead in the 22nd minute when a great long ball by Rivera found Petrasso sprinting down the left wing. The defenders and Sutton closed down Petrasso, who had space to enter the box, so he played the ball square, where Platts was making a run to the back post. It was an easy tap-in for the rookie for his first professional goal.

Santiago Cambindo surprised everyone in the 27th minute when he received the ball 35 yards away from the goal. Despite the distance, the midfielder sent a scorching shot on target, forcing Mercado to punch the ball away because of its pace. The ball was sent back into the box, but Mercado was there to grab it and end the attack.

The 40th minute saw a flurry of activity, starting with an attack by the hosts. Jonathan Bazaes sent a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, but Platts cleared it away. OCB quickly went the other way with Loyola receiving the ball in the Carolina box. The attacker dribbled to his left while looking for space to shoot, eventually doing so. However, it was deflected into the arms of Sutton.

The hosts created their own counterattack from the catch. Evans appeared to initially be looking to send the ball into the box, but he shot from long distance instead. Fortunately, his shot was well over the goal.

Reid-Brown knocked the ball out of play in the 43rd minute, giving Carolina a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was headed towards the back post by Kai Thomas, and two Carolina players were there to redirect it on goal. However, Mercado did well to come out strong and punch the ball away.

The Young Lions doubled their lead in the 45th minute with an impressive counterattack. Rivera won possession just outside the OCB box and sent it forward for Loyola. After a few touches, Loyola played Mohammed behind the Carolina back line. The forward, who was injured in the 25th minute but ultimately stayed in the game, struck the ball with his first touch over the left shoulder of Sutton to make it 2-0.

The first half was going well for the visitors, but a confrontation made things much more difficult in first-half stoppage time. Loyola slid in to win the ball from Cambindo and the Carolina midfielder stomped on Loyola’s leg while he was down. The OCB attacker didn’t appreciate the move, getting up angry. Loyola immediately approached Canete, who was behind him, and headbutted the Carolina midfielder. Canete went down and referee Stearne Briem immediately pulled out the red card, sending Loyola off and limiting the Young Lions to 10 men.

Mercado punched away the ensuing free kick by Evans, and the halftime whistle blew with OCB leading 2-0.

After 45 minutes of action, Carolina had more shots (8-4), shots on target (4-3), and crosses (7-1) and better passing accuracy (88.8%-83.3%). Both teams won two corner kicks. The difference in the game was the counterattacking of the Young Lions that resulted in both goals.

Carolina took advantage of its manpower advantage and got the second half off to an attacking start, creating the first chance in the 48th minute. It started when Platts blocked a cross out of play for a corner kick. The short corner to Evans was sent into the box where Williams headed it out. Unfortunately, it didn’t travel far, landing at the feet of Cuevas in the box. The halftime substitute struggled to control it, laying it back for Angel Aguas. The defender’s second touch was a shot right at Mercado, who made the easy catch.

In the 53rd minute, Carolina played a throw-in in OCB’s third across the field, resulting in a long cross for Cuevas, who headed the ball down for Canete. The midfielder made a nice turn to create space and attempted to curl the ball inside the far post, but he didn’t get around it enough, sending the ball out of play.

In the 64th minute, Cuevas sent a dangerous ball into the OCB box for Canete, who made a diagonal run. The Carolina midfielder was first to the ball and attempted to flick it past Mercado, but he couldn’t get much on it, enabling Mercado to collect it.

Goldberg made OCB’s first change of the game in the 65th minute, replacing Reid-Brown with Justin Ellis. Replacing a defender with a forward forced Petrasso to move back into a more defensive role.

The Young Lions nearly got a third goal in the 69th minute when Drake Hadeed, shortly after coming on, turned the ball over to Solis. Mohammed picked up the ball and played Ellis behind the Carolina back line. Despite nobody in front of him other than the goalkeeper, Ellis’ shot was too close to Sutton.

Seconds later, OCB won possession back and Ellis controlled it at the top of the box. The attacker tried to curl it around Sutton, but sent it right to the goalkeeper.

Carolina had a great opportunity to get a goal back in the 70th minute when a long shot by Hadeed forced Mercado to dive to his left and push the ball away. Polanco collected the ball and laid it back for a second shot. The attempt was wide and Mercado dove, requiring treatment to his shoulder for the second time in the game.

OCB had a great chance to score a third in the 77th minute when Mohammed found Ellis just outside the six-yard box. Ellis’ shot was deflected and Mohammed let it go out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Almaguer found the head of an open Petrasso. The Canadian attempted to find the corner of the goal, but sent the attempt just wide.

Carolina went the other way and finally found a goal in the 78th minute from a Luis Lugo cross. Polanco and Williams tangled as they entered the six, but it was Polanco who got his head to the ball. The flick was enough to send it past Mercado and into the corner to cut the OCB lead in half.

Carolina went on a counterattack in the 82nd minute, so Almaguer pulled the shirt of Joshua Rodriguez, earning a yellow card. Before the game could restart, Solis and Cuevas began shoving, with both players being booked. While it was the first booking of the game for Solis, Cuevas had received an earlier caution in the 54th minute for committing a foul on Solis. As a result, he was sent off and both teams were down to 10 men.

Rodriguez sent a low cross into the six-yard box in the 85th minute, looking for Cristian Gregoire. The substitute was well defended and unable to turn on the ball, enabling the Young Lions to clear.

Shortly after the chance, OCB made its second change of the game as Solis made way for Bernardo Goncalves.

Carolina continued to have the majority of the possession and kept sending crosses into the box, but they were either too long or out of play. The goal, fracases between the teams, and OCB players taking their time to restart play resulted in six minutes being added to the second half.

In the second minute of injury time, Platts went down with an apparent cramp in the OCB box that required stretching by the trainer. Goldberg made his final change during the stoppage to avoid going down to nine men since field players must leave play for two minutes after receiving treatment. Platts left the game and was replaced by Juan Quevedo.

In the final minute of stoppage time, Polanco tried to find an equalizer with a pair of long-distance shots. He tried to turn and shoot on the first but was unable to get around the ball, sending it wide.

The final attempt of the game was an even longer shot and was closer to the goal. Mercado dove to his right to ensure the ball was going wide, avoiding touching it so Briem would award a goal kick. That was the final touch of the game as the final whistle blew, securing OCB’s 2-1 win.

Carolina ended the game with more shots (22-7), shots on target (9-4), corner kicks (4-3), and crosses (13-3) and better passing accuracy (87.8%-76.3%). But the hosts were unable to find a second goal while up a man, enabling the Young Lions to hold on for the three points.

The win puts OCB in 10th place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference with 27 points. The Young Lions are only one point back of New York Red Bulls II and two back of Inter Miami II and Crown Legacy FC for the final playoff spot with eight games remaining.

Having wrapped up the three-game road trip, the Young Lions will return home on Aug. 11 when they’ll welcome Crown Legacy FC to Kissimmee.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 4-1 as OCB Wins Crucial Game Away from Home

OCB nets four goals in 4-1 win over Crown Legacy FC.

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14 hours ago

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September 8, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (9-7-9, 40 points) took three points on the road with a 4-1 win over Crown Legacy FC (10-8-6, 40 points) this afternoon in Matthews, NC. Alex Freeman had a first half brace and Jack Lynn made it 3-0 shortly after halftime. A goal by Nikola Petkovic in the 75th minute made it 3-1 and the hosts had a penalty in the 80th minute, but Joao Pedro missed. Shak Mohammed put the game away in the 84th minute with a fourth goal for the Young Lions.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was suspended for this game, though he was present in the stadium. Julian Vergara took over as coach and the staff made two changes from the team that beat Huntsville City FC 2-1 on Sept. 1. First-team regulars Jeorgio Kocevski and Lynn entered the lineup for Colin Guske and Wilfredo Rivera.

The back line in front of Carlos Mercado was Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Kocevski were the defensive midfielders behind Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Mohammed with Lynn up top.

OCB dominated the first half in every way, creating several chances and scoring twice while keeping Crown Legacy from keeping possession. The hosts were much better in the second half, creating chances early and often. However, the Young Lions defended well for most of the second 45 minutes. Crown Legacy did get a goal back and had a penalty that would’ve made it a one-goal game, but the misses ended their chance of a monumental comeback.

The first chance of the game came in the third minute when Solis laid the ball off for Tsukada at the top of the Crown Legacy box. The midfielder’s first touch was a shot on goal, but it was right at Crown Legacy goalkeeper George Marks.

The hosts nearly had their first chance in the sixth minute when Jaylin Lindsey played Nicholas Scardina down the right. The midfielder sent a dangerous ball into the box with a teammate making a run, but Kibunguchy got there first and cleared it away.

In the 12th minute, Tsukada received the ball in a seemingly innocuous position. The midfielder took a touch inside before unleashing a hard shot towards the near post. Marks dove to his right to ensure the ball didn’t sneak in, but it skipped wide.

The Young Lions continued to threaten in the 15th minute when Mohammed sent a low cross to the top of the six-yard box for Freeman. Marks did well to come out and tip the ball before the OCB right back could reach it. It looked for a moment like Tsukada would put the rebound in, but the defender got to it first.

Seconds later, Petrasso found Almaguer in the box and the OCB captain fired on goal. Marks could only tip the strong shot over the crossbar.

OCB took the lead in the 18th minute when Kocevski played a long ball for Freeman behind the back line and Marks came out in an attempt to challenge the right back. Freeman was able to tap the ball around the goalkeeper, leaving him with an empty net. Despite a somewhat tight angle, Freeman played the ball in nicely to give the Young Lions an early 1-0 lead.

Crown Legacy felt that Freeman was offside and interim Head Coach Kevin Sawchak let the fourth official know, earning a yellow card for dissent. However, MLS NEXT Pro doesn’t have VAR, so the decision stood.

Crown Legacy nearly had a chance in the 27th minute through an excellent individual effort by Jamie Paterson. The newly-signed Charlotte FC midfielder megged Kocevski before playing a give-and-go with Tyger Smalls. He got behind the OCB back line, but Mercado reached the ball before the attacker.

OCB had a chance to double their advantage in the 36th minute when Williams pushed forward from his center back position. The defender played the ball around Lindsey and the right back tripped him, earning the Young Lions a free kick.

The set piece by Tsukada was towards the far post where Marks pushed it away. Almaguer received the ball outside of the box and attempted an ambitious shot that went wide of the target.

The fourth official displayed four minutes of first-half stoppage time and that was enough for the Young Lions to double their advantage. In the second minute of added time, Solis sent Petrasso long down the left sideline. The left back played a beautiful ball beyond the reach of three defenders to Freeman, making a run to the far post. The right back did well with his first touch to guide the ball past Marks for his second goal of the game.

The Young Lions had one more first-half chance in the fifth minute of stoppage time. A poor clearance attempt by Crown Legacy enabled Mohammed to take possession. The attacker tried to beat Marks, but the goalkeeper made the stop and OCB took a 2-0 lead into the break.

At halftime, Crown Legacy had more corner kicks (4-2) and crosses (11-2) but were unable to create anything from them. Meanwhile, OCB had more shots (7-1), shots on target (5-0), and better passing accuracy (92.9%-90.5%).

Crown Legacy were the aggressors early in the second half. In the 48th minute, Scardina entered the box and went down after some contact. The Crown Legacy players, coaching staff, and crowd appealed for a penalty, but it wasn’t given.

A minute later, the hosts earned the first corner kick of the second half. The Young Lions got a pair of heads to the ball but were unable to clear. It eventually fell to Cam Duke who fired on goal. Mercado wasn’t in position to stop the shot, but it deflected off a defender and out of play. The second set piece was cleared and OCB maintained their two-goal lead.

The Young Lions extended their lead in the 51st minute from a set piece. Almaguer sent a long ball from his own half of the field behind the back line. Freeman couldn’t reach it, but the ball bounced to Lynn right next to him. The first-team forward took his time, placing his shot around Marks to give OCB a 3-0 lead.

Crown Legacy had a golden chance to get one back in the 56th minute when Smalls found Nimfasha Berchimas wide open in the box. Mercado came off his line to close down the striker’s angle and the forward shot right at the OCB goalkeeper.

The hosts won a corner kick from the attack and Smalls’ cross was blocked out by Kibunguchy. The second attempt fell in the six-yard box before Williams cleared it away. Crown Legacy’s third successive corner kick was headed over the crossbar, enabling the Young Lions to clear without conceding.

OCB nearly scored a fourth in the 69th minute when Petrasso played Lynn behind the Crown Legacy back line. This time Marks did well to get down and block Lynn’s shot wide of the near post.

Tsukada’s ensuing corner kick was played short for Petrasso, who sent a cross to the back post. Freeman was making a run, but Marks caught the attempt before it reached the OCB right back.

Crown Legacy quickly went the other way, playing second-half substitute Brian Romero behind the back line. The attacker tried to chip Mecado and got the ball over the goalkeeper, but it sailed high and wide of the goal.

Three minutes later, Aron John played a wonderful switch to Romero, setting up another attempt for the attacker. It was a strong shot but right at Mercado, who knocked it down and collected the rebound.

A goal was coming for Crown Legacy and they finally converted in the 75th minute. Petkovic touched the ball inside to create space from Kocevski and sent a shot that hit the near post. The rebound went right to Jonathan Nyandjo, who tapped it in to cut the OCB lead to 3-1.

Immediately after the goal, the Young Lions made their first two changes. Yeiler Valencia and Tahir Reid-Brown came into the game for Tsukada and Petrasso.

Crown Legacy almost scored a second in the 78th minute when Duke found Scardina in the box. The midfielder was aiming for the near post and beat Mercado but missed just wide.

Two minutes later, Crown Legacy had an even better opportunity when Mohammed gave the ball away in the OCB third of the field. Petkovic took possession and entered the box, drawing contact from Kibunguchy. The referee took some time to consider the situation before pointing to the spot and awarding a penalty.

Before the penalty was taken, OCB made a third change as Favian Loyola came in for Lynn.

Pedro stepped to the spot with a chance to make it a one-goal game. Mercado dove to his left and it should’ve been an easy finish, but Pedro sent the attempt over the crossbar.

The Young Lions made the hosts pay for the miss by netting a fourth in the 84th minute. Solis played a great ball forward, sending Mohammed behind the back line. With nobody near him, the attacker took his time to send the ball by Marks and in to give OCB a 4-1 lead.

OCB made their final two changes in the 89th minute as Gustavo Caraballo and Jackson Platts came on for Freeman and Solis.

Valencia got his first chance at goal in the first minute of stoppage time. He was looking to send his shot just inside the near post but hit the outside of the net.

Mohammed had one last chance in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a shot from the right. The midfielder was looking to beat Marks to his far post, but the ball skipped just wide. That was the last chance for either team as OCB won 4-1.

At full time, OCB had more shots (14-13) and shots on target (8-4). Crown Legacy had more corner kicks (8-3), crosses (17-4), and better passing accuracy (90%-89.3%). The better shooting efficiency by OCB was a major factor as the Young Lions won by three goals.

The three points moves OCB up to sixth in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference, even on points with Crown Legacy for fifth place with three games left. However, OCB has played more games than the teams around them.

After this brief road trip, the Young Lions will return home for a pair of games at Osceola County Stadium — their final two of the regular season —  before finishing the season in Cincinnati. The first of those home games is on Sept. 15 against New England Revolution II.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 2-1 as Young Lions Hold Off Rally to Win at Home

OCB scored twice and then held on for dear life to beat Huntsville City FC at home.

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1 week ago

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September 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B scored a goal in each half and held off a furious rally attempt by Huntsville City FC to pick up a 2-1 win at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Imanol Almaguer and Alex Freeman provided the offense for OCB (8-7-9, 37 points), which conceded a late goal but ultimately held off Huntsville (6-12-5, 23 points) to pick up three vital points in the MLS NEXT Pro playoff chase.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak and four-game unbeaten run for Huntsville, which got its goal from Julian Gaines late fashioned several good opportunities in the dying minutes to draw level.

The starting lineup in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado included a back line of Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Almaguer and Colin Guske started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed, with Wilfredo Rivera up top.

OCB spent the first 10 minutes of the match mostly in its own end, either trying to break Huntsville’s high line of pressure or preventing the visitors from working the ball into shooting positions. Huntsville seemed more threatening but OCB defended well.

After that 10-minute stalemate, each team created a chance. The first fell Orlando City B’s way on the left, as Tuskada worked his way past the defense and fired from a tight angle. Huntsville goalkeeper Bryan Dowd saved the attempt in the 11th minute.

At the other end, Woobens Pacios got in behind the right side of OCB’s defense but his curling effort toward the back post skipped wide in the 12th minute. Huntsville came right back toward OCB’s goal with a good cross in from the right. The Young Lions failed to deal with the aerial ball and had to bundle it out for a corner in a scramble play in front, conceding a corner. The visitors weren’t able to pay off the set piece.

Orlando nearly fashioned a goal out of nothing in the 18th minute. Mohammed attempted a shot from just outside the area but a sliding defender blocked it into the air. Freeman was the first to reach the loose ball and attempted a volley shot that sailed just over the bar.

Another ball in from the left a minute later was just a bit too close to Dowd as Tsukada was trying to pick out Rivera making a near-post run. OCB created another good chance in the 23rd minute when Freeman found Rivera in the box. The forward sent a hard, low shot toward the right post but Dowd got down to make the save.

The Young Lions found a breakthrough in the 30th minute on a great sequence of one-touch passes that started on the right side of the box with Freeman and Solis. Orlando worked it eventually to the top of the area with Almaguer serving as the architect, combining with mutliple teammates. He picked out Rivera, who then sent Tsukada down the left. The winger sent a quick pass across the top of the six for a charging Almaguer to tap home, making it 1-0. It was Almaguer’s third consecutive match with a goal.

After a couple of minutes of treatment to Mercado, who landed awkwardly on his shoulder after going high to catch a cross into the area, Huntsville got back on the front foot. Jonathan Bolanos sent a shot from the top of the area just wide of the right post in the 37th minute.

Solis drew a couple of quick yellow cards on Huntsville in the final moments of the first half on fouls by Dominic Gasso and Bolanos. The latter gave OCB a set piece from distance that nearly paid off. The service was played low into the crowd of players toward the left side of goal. Freeman got to it first and fired just wide of the left post in the 43rd minute.

The game unexpectedly opened up in stoppage time, with each team getting sight of goal. Rivera tried his luck from outside the area in the second minute of added time, but he did not stay over the ball and got under it, lifting it high over the bar. Seconds later, Oliver Wright discarded Petrasso with a quick move from left to right and fired a shot just wide of the right post.

That was the final chance of the opening period, and the Young Lions took their slim lead into the locker room.

OCB had the halftime edge in shots (7-5) and shots on target (3-0), while Huntsville passed more accurately (94%-90.3%). Each team earned one corner in the first half.

Huntsville came out of the break with a lot of energy and aggression, taking the game to OCB. The Young Lions struggled to get out of their own end for the first 15 minutes of the second period and conceded the first two shtos on target of the game in that spell. Mercado made a pair of good saves to deny Wright in the 53rd and 54th minutes.

After the hour mark, the Young Lions finally relieved the pressure and held the ball for a bit, regaining their rhythm but without creating much until the 64th minute after clearing a scramble play in front of their own goal. OCB broke down the field and Freeman got into the box on the right. He shielded the ball well and went down under a challenge from Jordan Knight. Referee Alex Billeter pointed to the spot immediately and booked Knight for the foul from behind.

Freeman took the spot kick himself and blasted it into the upper right side to make it 2-0 in the 66th minute.

https://twitter.com/MLSNEXTPRO/status/1830403489350009064

OCB had a couple of good opportunities after that to find a third, and the first of those came in the 72nd minute. Rivera had the ball on the right in transition but Huntsville had numbers back. The forward cut inside on his left and let a powerful shot go toward goal, but Dowd did well to make the save to keept it at 2-0.

Huntsville started pouring numbers forward and OCB could not stay organized or compact, allowing several low crosses to get into the box from the visitors’ attacking left side. However, it was the other side that allowed Huntsville to pull a goal back.

Gaines cut inside from the right to break free of Tsukada and sent a low, left-footed shot just inside the left post. Mercado looked as if he’d get over to make the save, but it was just out of reach. Huntsville pulled within 2-1 in the 81st minute.

https://twitter.com/MLSNEXTPRO/status/1830407137777910139

OCB was fortunate not to allow the equalizer just seconds later. A poor back pass from Almaguer popped into the air and Williams couldn’t handle it. Bolanos got to it and fired past Mercado, but the ball had hit the Huntsville attacker on the arm before it fell to his feet and the infraction nullified what would have been a tying strike.

Mercado made a huge save in the 84th minute off a Huntsville corner and in the scramble to pounce on the loose ball, he was fouled, taking the pressure off momentarily.

Second-half sub Yeiler Valencia led a transition that could have put the game away in the 88th minute. Taking a long outlet pass, he streaked down the right and drew the defense toward him. Valencia sent a cross in front for fellow substitute Tahir Reid-Brown at the back post, but the fullback couldn’t make clean contact with the bouncing ball and sent the effort wide.

Mercado stayed busy throughout four minutes of stoppage time that ballooned to seven. He had to make a vital save in the 91st minute when Pacias got in behind the defense. Mercado blocked it from point-blank range but took the shot in a sensitive area and needed some time to continue, which added to the injury time.

OCB survived several nervy moments in its own box before finally clearing one last time and hearing the final whistle.

The visitors finished with the advantage in shots (13-10), passing accuracy (91.5%-85.9%), corners (6-2), and crosses (13-3). OCB put more shots on frame (5-4) and ultimately did just enough to see out a nervy win in the end.

Orlando City B has won three of its last four matches and is 4-1-1 in its last six games. The win momentarily allowed the Young Lions to jump above the playoff line, but multiple teams were either still in action or have a game in hand. Still, the team is alive for a potential playoff berth with four matches remaining.

The Young Lions are back in action a week from tonight at Crown Legacy.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. New York City FC II: Final Score 5-2 as OCB Suffers First Loss to NYCFC II

The Young Lions trailed from early on and could never quite get back on level terms, conceding two late goals in an ultimately lopsided loss.

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2 weeks ago

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August 28, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (7-7-9, 34 points) played from behind for most of the match before falling 5-2 to New York City FC II (10-5-6, 39 points) at Belson Stadium in New York City this evening. Camil Azzam Ruiz gave the hosts the lead in the eighth minute and Andrew Baiera’s 31st-minute goal made it 2-0 at halftime. It was a back-and-forth second half with OCB goals by Imanol Almaguer and Alex Freeman being answered by Nicholas Kapanadze and Taylor Calheira. Baiera’s second goal in stoppage time put a cap on the game.

OCB deployed the same lineup that destroyed Atlanta United 2 Friday night 4-1. The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Almaguer and Colin Guske were the defensive midfielders behind Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed with Wilfredo Rivera up top.

This game was originally scheduled for June 19 but was postponed until today. Despite being on a Wednesday, kickoff took place at 4:30 p.m. This was a game of two halves for the Young Lions. NYCFC II dominated the first 45 minutes and took a deserved two-goal lead into the break. But OCB came out a different team in the second half, putting the hosts under pressure. It looked at times as though the Young Lions would come back to equalize or take the lead but couldn’t find the last touch. That allowed NYCFC II to respond and come away with the win.

The hosts took the lead in the eighth minute from poor defending and an excellent run by Ronald Arevalo. Receiving a ball forward from Stevo Bednarsky, Arevalo kept possession after a push from Tsukada and avoided challenges by Petrasso and Almaguer. As Williams closed down on the attacker, blocking his ability to shoot, Arevalo laid it off for Azzam Ruiz, who beat Kibunguchy to the ball and slipped it past Mercado to make it 1-0.

The best first-half chance for OCB came a few minutes later when Petrasso was sent behind the back line with an aerial ball by Solis. The left back was free on goal and it didn’t appear as though any defenders would catch up with him, but Matthew Leong did well to get back. The defender slid in to block the shot, which also took a touch by NYCFC goalkeeper Will Meyer before leaving the box.

NYCFC II doubled its advantage in the 31st minute. It was another excellent individual effort, this time by Maximo Carrizo. After dribbling to the top of the box, Carrizo sent a hard pass to his right. He appeared to be looking for Arevalo, but Baiera took it instead. The defender split Freeman and Petrasso, putting it past Mercado to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

OCB tried to respond in the 36th minute when Guske took possession of the ball. He dribbled through a defender and created enough space to get a shot off. Unfortunately, it was over the crossbar.

The Young Lions nearly had a great chance to get one back in the 41st minute when Mohammed sent a cross into the box from the end line. Solis was making a run into the six, but Samuel Owusu slid in and knocked the ball out of play before it could reach Solis.

The final first-half chance for OCB came in the second minute of stoppage time when Mohammed played the ball to Freeman on his right. Tsukada and Petrasso were making runs into the box and Freeman sent the ball in, but it was too close to Meyer, who caught the attempt.

It looked as though the hosts would make it 3-0 in the final minute of first-half stoppage time when Arevalo dribbled into the OCB third of the field. He played Azzam Ruiz forward and it appeared as though the attacker would net his second of the game. But Kibunguchy came flying in and blocked the attempt, ensuring Azzam Ruiz wouldn’t be able to put the ball into the corner of the goal.

After 45 minutes, NYCFC had more shots (9-4) and shots on target (4-2) and better passing accuracy (91.6%-85.7%). OCB had more corner kicks (3-1) and all of the crosses (4-0) since the hosts created their attacks by dribbling down the middle of the field.

Both teams created a chance inside the first five minutes of the second half. In the 48th minute, Kibunguchy made a surprising run down the right. The center back played the ball into the box for Rivera, who went down after some contact. However, no foul was called and the ball went through the box untouched.

NYCFC II had a chance in the 50th minute when Azzam Ruiz was sent behind the back line by Stevo Bednarsky. The defenders appeared to think Azzam Ruiz was offside, allowing him to get free on goal. Williams sprinted back to put some pressure on the attacker and he sent the attempt off target.

The Young Lions got a goal back in the 52nd minute when Almaguer and Solis combined. Receiving the ball from Mohammed, who had made a run down the right to the end line, Almaguer played a give-and-go with Solis. The return pass was a chip that was volleyed in by Almaguer to cut the deficit in half.

NYCFC II nearly had a golden opportunity to extend its lead in the 58th minute when Jonathan Shore found himself at the top of the six with nobody marking him. The pass found him, but Kibunguchy came flying in to knock the ball off of his foot. It was the second time the center back had saved an almost certain goal.

However, the hosts reclaimed their two-goal lead in the 69th minute from a terrible mistake by Kibunguchy. The center back received the ball in his own third and took his time looking for an outlet. In the meantime, Kapanadze came up behind him and took the ball right off his foot. Nobody was close to being able to close down the second-half substitute, enabling him to slip it past Mercado and giving NYCFC II a 3-1 lead.

The Young Lions nearly got one back off of the kickoff when Rivera’s ball was blocked out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece found Almaguer at the top of the box and the OCB captain laid it off for Guske. It was an ambitious attempt by the academy product, but the shot was on target and forced Meyer to tip it over the top of the goal. Unfortunately, the Young Lions couldn’t create a shot from the second corner kick, enabling the hosts to clear.

OCB nearly found an incredible goal in the 76th minute when Solis sent a pass to Mohammed, who was making a diagonal run on the right. The attacker’s first touch appeared to be a cross, but it curled towards goal. The ball went over the outstretched arm of Meyer and hit the crossbar.

That was the last action before the second-half hydration break. During the stoppage, OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made his first two changes. Justin Ellis and Favian Loyola came in for Rivera and Mohammed.

Immediately after the break, NYCFC II created a chance for a fourth goal. Jonny Lopez played Baiera into the right side of the box and the defender’s second touch was a shot on goal. Due to the pace on the ball, Mercado could only block it wide for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was met by Calheira at the near post, but he sent the redirection wide.

The Young Lions kept the comeback alive in the 83rd minute when they cut the deficit back to one. It started when Solis played the ball across the field for Tsukada near the top of the box. Petrasso was overlapping the midfielder and Tsukada played him forward. Petrasso’s low cross went through Ellis, Owusu, and Meyer, ending up on the foot of Freeman right in front of the goal. Freeman had Christopher Tiao on his back, making it difficult to put the ball in. As a result, it sat on the goal line until the right back could get a final touch on it. Fortunately he did, making it a 3-2 game.

Goldberg made three more changes in the final five minutes as the Young Lions looked for an equalizer. Jackson Platts and Tahir Reid-Brown came on for Freeman and Petrasso in the 85th minute before Gustavo Caraballo replaced Almaguer in the 90th minute.

Unfortunately, OCB was unable to find the equalizer and the hosts put the game out of reach. Platts pulled back Tiao in the second minute of stoppage time, giving the hosts a free kick. Tiao laid on the ground for a while before getting up and play resumed. Despite the rule stating players must receive treatment after 15 seconds and exit for two minutes, the referee allowed him to continue.

Tiao’s set piece was headed by Platts to Guske in the middle of the field. However, the defensive midfielder was beaten to it by Kapanadze near the top of the box. Calheira received the header and nobody closed him down, enabling the substitute to shoot on goal. It was a low but accurate shot that left Mercado frozen, going into the corner and giving the hosts a 4-2 lead.

The fourth goal effectively put the game away, but NYCFC II scored a fifth for good measure. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, Julien Lacher sprinted down the right. As Lopez made a run to the top of the six, Baiera made a trailing run into the box. Three defenders converged on Lacher, forcing Kibungnuchy to track Lopez. As a result, Baiera was wide open near the penalty spot.

Mercado came back across his goal to close down Baiera, but the defender kept his composure. A simple touch to his right saw Mercado go down and it was an easy finish for his second goal of the game.

That was the final action of the contest as OCB fell 5-2 to NYCFC II. At full time, NYCFC II had more shots (16-11) and shots on target (8-5) and better passing accuracy (88.4%-87.7%). The Young Lions had more corner kicks (6-2) and crosses (9-0).

This is the first time OCB has lost to NYCFC II since the two teams first met in 2022. Before today, the Young Lions were 3-0-3 in six games against the MLS NEXT Pro Pigeons.

NYCFC II moves up to fourth in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference with the three points. Meanwhile, OCB remains in ninth, one spot below the last playoff position. It’s a difficult loss, but the Young Lions are only one point behind Chattanooga FC, two points behind Chicago Fire II and Inter Miami II, and three points behind Crown Legacy for fifth.

It’s a short break for OCB as the Young Lions return home Sunday night to face Huntsville City FC at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.

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