Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 0-0 as 10-Man OCB Falls in Penalties after Scoreless Draw
OCB played to a scoreless draw with Crown Legacy FC before falling in penalties.
Orlando City B (5-6-9, 28 points) played to a scoreless draw with Crown Legacy FC (8-7-5, 33 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium before falling 3-1 on penalties. Neither team was very dangerous in this game, as the two clubs combined for just four shots on target. However, the Young Lions came the closest to scoring, hitting the woodwork twice.
OCB made three changes to the team that beat Carolina Core FC 2-1 on Aug. 3. Alex Freeman, Colin Guske, and Yutaro Tsukada returned to the team after being with the first team, replacing Jackson Platts, Favian Loyola, and Luca Petrasso. Platts was the only one of the three to be on the bench. Wilfredo Rivera started in the defensive midfield in North Carolina, but returned to his usual forward position for this game.
The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado consisted of Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Guske were in the midfield behind Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed with Rivera up top.
The two halves were very similar, with the visitors controlling the opening minutes before the Young Lions played their way into the game. Discipline was an issue again with this team, as Rivera could’ve been sent off after a pair of challenges from behind in the first half. However, referee Emmy Nonso decided it was too early to make a significant impact on the game. Williams got his marching orders in the second half after a second yellow card, forcing OCB to play with 10 for the final 16 minutes.
Crown Legacy had the better of the first 13 minutes of the game. The visitors built primarily on the right side with Jean-Aniel Assi sending Jonathan Nyandjo forward for crosses. However, they weren’t able to create anything dangerous in the box or cause any problems for Mercado.
OCB finally got its first chance in the 15th minute when Mohammed sent Rivera into the Crown Legacy box. Goalkeeper Chituru Odunze came off of his line to cut down the angle and Jack Neeley was there to defend. Rivera attempted some stepovers to create space for a shot, but Neeley stayed in front and blocked the eventual attempt.
Two minutes later, Tsukada attempted a cross that was blocked out of play by Assi. The ensuing set piece ended up on the far side with Guske. The defensive midfielder sent a cross towards the far post that found the head of Freeman. Unfortunately, the right back couldn’t get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.
In the 21st minute, Guske got in front of a shot from the top of the box, blocking the attempt. It went right to Julian Bravo, who took a shot of his own from outside the 18. The left back was aiming just inside the near post and Mercado dove towards it, but the ball rolled just wide.
OCB had another chance to take the lead in the 25th minute when Solis was fouled near the left side of the Crown Legacy box. Almaguer took the set piece, sending it to the top of the six. Kibunguchy got his head to the ball, but sent it over the top.
In the 31st minute, Dylan Sing attempted a shot from the top of the box that was blocked. Solis took possession and began a counterattack the other way. Rivera had gotten behind the back line and Solis sent him into the Crown Legacy half. However, Odunze came way out of his box, beating Rivera to the ball and clearing it back down the field.
Guske got by Cam Duke in the 44th minute and was taken down, resulting in Duke receiving a yellow card. The quick free kick by Almaguer was short to Rivera, who lifted the ball forward for Solis. The midfielder sent a cross into the box for Kibungchy and the center back got on the end of it inside the six behind Odunze. Kibunguchy attempted a shot, but Neeley slid in to block the attempt, keeping the game scoreless.
The fourth official showed two minutes of stoppage time and OCB had a flurry of chances in the final seconds of the first half. It started when Freeman sent a cross to the top of the six that touched the head of a defender. Solis ended up with the ball and shot, but Odunze blocked the attempt. It went right to Kibunguchy and his shot bounced off of Tsukada. The final shot of the sequence came from near the top of the box, going just wide.
At halftime, OCB had more shots (8-3) but neither team recorded a shot on target. Meanwhile, the Young Lions had better passing accuracy (85.7%-82.2%). Additionally, both teams had two corner kicks and three crosses in the first 45 minutes.
The second half started similar to the start of the first half with Crown Legacy controlling play. Nyandjo’s cross in the 51st minute was blocked out of play by Williams for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Filip Mirkovic was short to Duke. The attacker dribbled to the end line but was well defended by Solis, who won the ball back. Duke responded by pulling Solis’ jersey, giving OCB a free kick.
A minute later, Aron John lifted a long ball for Duke making a run behind the OCB back line. He brought the ball down with his chest in the box and it looked like he would get a shot off, but Williams put his body on the attacker, winning possession.
Almaguer found Mohammed in the box in the 57th minute and the attacker’s low cross was cleared out of play by Neeley. The ensuing corner kick was cleared, eventually ending up with Guske outside the box. The defensive midfielder played it wide for Reid-Brown, who found Kibunguchy making a run forward. The center back stuck his foot out to reach the ball before the defender, redirecting it on target. It was right to Odunze, who made the easy save, but it was the first shot on frame by either team.
The Young Lions had another chance on target in the 61st minute when Solis entered the box to the left of goal and laid the ball off for Tsukada. The midfielder took a touch before shooting for the far post. However, Odunze did well to get down and save it with his left hand. Since nobody in purple was making a run, the Crown Legacy goalkeeper was able to collect the ball.
Freeman received the ball on the right in the 63rd minute and quickly sent a dangerous ball through the six-yard box. Tsukada was making a run to the back post with a defender on his hip. Unfortunately, the cross was just out of his reach, going all the way through.
A lazy pass in the back by Crown Legacy was intercepted by Solis in the 68th minute, creating a counterattack by OCB. Solis sprinted the other way, giving the ball to Rivera at the top of the Crown Legacy box. The forward tried to give it back to Solis, but the pass was behind the midfielder.
A minute later, Mohammed played Freeman down the right. Rivera was making a long run to the back post, so Freeman sent the ball to that spot. Rivera dove for the cross, but it was a little too far in front of him.
In the 71st minute, Mohammed took possession of a bad pass in the back by Crown Legacy. Controlling it in the opposing box, his second touch was a shot that hit the near post. It was the closest either team had come to scoring.
The Young Lions were starting to control the game, but that became more difficult in the 74th minute. Williams got caught too far up field, enabling Duke to get behind him. While trying to get back into position, the center back tripped Duke from behind. Nonso immediately issued Williams his second yellow card and limited OCB to 10 players for the second consecutive game.
“It’s the first two red cards we’ve received, last game and this one,” OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg said after the match. “Of course, now we’re in a moment where everything is on the limit, so we will just try to correct that and we will.”
Despite being down a man, OCB continued to be the aggressors. The Young Lions nearly found the first goal in the 77th minute when Freeman sent a dangerous cross into the six-yard box. Tsukada was sprinting to the goal and slid in, just missing connecting with the pass.
Crown Legacy finally got its first shot on target in the 79th minute, though it didn’t cause any concern for OCB. Dribbling towards the top of the box, Duke took a shot just before entering. It was a weak attempt that didn’t cause any trouble for Mercado, who made an easy save.
Mercado went down after collecting the ball, requiring attention from the OCB trainers. Goldberg used the opportunity to make the team’s first change of the game, replacing Rivera with Platts.
Goldberg made his second change in the 87th minute, bringing Bernardo Goncalves on for Tsukada.
Crown Legacy had a good chance for a late winner in the 87th minute when Mirkovic sent a cross to the top of the six-yard box. Sing outjumped Kibunguchy to get his head on the ball but didn’t get much on it. As a result, Mercado made the easy catch.
A minute into stoppage time, Freeman received the ball in the middle of the field and dribbled to his right. Chandler Young went in with a clumsy challenge, taking Freeman down from behind. The substitute was booked for the foul and Freeman went down injured after falling onto his left shoulder. After being down for a few minutes, Freeman was able to continue. However, since it wasn’t a head injury, OCB was down to nine players.
The ensuing free kick by Almaguer found the head of Mohammed, who flicked it towards goal. The redirection was past Odunze and off the crossbar. Platts took possession to the left of the goal and sent it back across, but Crown Legacy was able to clear.
Shortly after the miss, Almaguer went down near midfield. Freeman came back on, so the Young Lions remained at nine men. Goldberg made his final substitution during the next stoppage of play, replacing Almaguer with Thomas Bowe.
Crown Legacy tried to create one final chance with the man advantage but was unable to challenge Mercado and the game ended scoreless. It was OCB’s first scoreless draw since April 24, 2022.
At full time, OCB had more shots (12-6) and corner kicks (5-3) and better passing accuracy (85.3%-84.1%). Both teams put two shots on target and had eight crosses. The scoreless draw was a fair result as they struggled to hit the target. However, OCB was the closest, hitting the woodwork twice.
“Again, maybe at the beginning of the game we weren’t as clear, but at the end of the first half and then a lot of the second half, even after the red card, we had (many chances),” Goldberg said about the game. “But unfortunately we weren’t able to finish them.”
“I think overall it was a great match for us. We put a lot of chances towards the goal and just didn’t fall our way. That’s soccer sometimes,” Kibunguchy added. “So we just have to keep going for the games left.”
Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, games that end in a draw result in each team receiving a point and go to penalties to see who gets an extra point. It was the eighth time this season that OCB went to penalties to decide who got the additional point.
Crown Legacy took a 3-0 lead in the shootout when Solis sent his attempt over the crossbar and Odunze saved Guske’s penalty. Mohammed converted with a panenka in the third round to keep OCB alive and Mercado stopped Young’s attempt, giving the Young Lions a chance to get back within one. However, Odunze made his second save of the shootout against Bowe, ending the contest.
While it was a disappointing offensive performance, the Young Lions earned their third clean sheet of the season and their first since the 5-0 win over Huntsville City FC on May 26.
“Coach definitely harped on being in a good defensive shape, especially the last three, four games,” Kibunguchy said about the clean sheet. “And if we defend well, chances are we’ll get a goal. Obviously the goal didn’t come today, but defense first. We’ve been doing very well and it’s good to get a shutout.”
OCB remains in 10th place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference with 28 points. The Young Lions are four points behind Inter Miami II for the final playoff spot with seven games remaining in the regular season.
The Young Lions will remain home as they host New York City FC II next Sunday night at Osceola County Stadium.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 2-2 (4-5) as OCB Erases Late Two-Goal Deficit
OCB came back from a 2-0 deficit against Crown Legacy FC to draw for the third consecutive match, but the visitors claimed the shootout point.
Orlando City B (2-2-4, 13 points) came back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Crown Legacy FC (6-0-3, 23 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium. Hugo Mbongue and a Landon Okonski own goal gave the visitors a 2-0 lead before Issah Haruna and Harvey Sarajian converted in the final 10 minutes to secure a point. The visitors then won the penalty shootout 5-4 to take the extra point.
OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made three changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Chicago Fire FC II on April 26. Bernardo Rhein, Matthew Belgodere, and Sarajian entered the lineup for Titus Sandy, Jr., Haruna, and Yutaro Tsukada.
Tristan Himes started in goal behind a back line of Rhein, Jaylen Yearwood, Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Dylan Judelson and Gustavo Caraballo were the defensive midfielders behind Matthew Belgodere, Ignacio Gomez, and Harvey Sarajian with Pedro Leao up top.
This was a game of missed chances for OCB. The Young Lions took 17 shots in the 90 minutes, outshooting the opposition by eight. However, they only put four of those attempts on target. Adding to the frustration were defensive errors, allowing Mbongue to score the first goal and Okonski putting the ball into his own net for the second. However, the Cardiac Cats struck again, erasing a 2-0 deficit for the third time this season to claim something from the game.
The visitors nearly took the lead in the third minute when Baye Coulibaly played an excellent ball on the ground between Yearwood and Rhein, where Mbongue was making a run. He was in on goal, but Himes came off his line strong. Mbongue tried to play the ball past the OCB goalkeeper, but Himes got down to block it wide.
The Young Lions had a golden opportunity of their own in the eighth minute when Leao sent Sarajian down the right. The attacker was behind the back line as he dribbled into the box. Jake Mecham came out to cut down the angle, so Sarajian played the ball back to Leao at the penalty spot. But the forward missed the target.
Mecham went down injured at the top of his box in the 10th minute. After being examined by the medical staff, the Crown Legacy goalkeeper had to be replaced by backup Lazar Kalicanin.
It was the third time this season an OCB opposing goalkeeper had to leave the game. The situation occurred twice on March 22 against Inter Miami II at Inter&Co Stadium, resulting in a defender going into goal.
The visitors broke through for the first goal in the 18th minute when Nimfasha Berchimas found Andrej Subotic near the top of the OCB box. The midfielder immediately played the ball to Mbongue, splitting Judelson and Okonski, who stepped up and left space behind him. This time, Mbongue slipped the ball past Himes and in to give Crown Legacy the 1-0 lead.
The visitors won a corner kick in the 22nd minute when Yearwood headed Ashton Kamdem’s ball into the box over the end line. The ensuing set piece was headed wide to Subotic, who sent his header right to Himes.
Crown Legacy nearly made it 2-0 in the 27th minute when Mbongue found Subotic just inside the 18. The attacker looked like he would pass it outside, but cut inside to create space from Okonski. With a wide-open opportunity, Subotic fired on goal, sending his shot off the post.
Seconds later, Kamdem pulled back Caraballo, earning the game’s first yellow card. Caraballo’s ensuing set piece delivery into the Crown Legacy box was headed out by Jamie Smith for a corner kick.
Caraballo jogged over to take another set piece, sending it toward the top of the six-yard box. Gomez was making a run from the far side and volleyed the outswinging cross but put his attempt over the crossbar.
OCB players felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 33rd minute when Caraballo sent Sarajian into the Crown Legacy box. The attacker raced Kalicanin to the ball and referee Stefan Perri felt Kalicanin got a piece of the ball before contacting Sarajian, awarding OCB a corner kick instead.
The Young Lions weren’t able to create anything from the set piece and a Caraballo foul eventually ended the attack.
OCB nearly got a fortunate bounce in the 41st minute when a short clearance gave Judelson a shot from outside the box. Coulibaly blocked Judelson’s attempt, which deflected straight to Sarajian. After settling the ball, Sarajian shot. The ball deflected off Coulibaly and Leao, forcing Kalicanin to tip it wide.
The Young Lions were given a great opportunity in the first minute of stoppage time when Crown Legacy tried to play it out from the back. After receiving a short pass from Kalicanin, Jack Neeley played a terrible pass that Caraballo intercepted. The attacker had Leao and Sarajian making runs, opting to play it to the open Sarajian on the left side. Sarajian passed the ball behind Kalicanin, aiming for the far post, but he sent it wide.
It was a pretty even first half, with OCB creating more shots (7-4) but Crown Legacy put more on target (3-1). The Young Lions also finished with more crosses (5-4) and better passing accuracy (88.9%-86.8%), while both teams won three corner kicks.
Leao tried to score the goal of the week in the 48th minute, when Sarajian collected the ball and played it forward. The striker saw Kalicanin off his line and lifted the ball towards goal from his own half. He sent the attempt over Kalicanin’s head but well wide of the target.
Rhein and Gomez combined to send Leao behind the Crown Legacy back line in the 50th minute. The forward sent the ball toward the penalty spot for Sarajian, but Coulibaly got in front, deflecting it out for a corner kick. Rhein received the short corner and laid it off for Amoo-Mensah, whose shot was deflected out for another corner kick. This one was volleyed by Sarajian off the crossbar. The Young Lions thought it hit a hand, but the referee decided it didn’t.
Emmanuel Uchegbu dribbled into the OCB box from the right in the 55th minute before Yearwood knocked it out of play for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece was sent to the far post where Subotic was making a run, but his volley was into the outside of the net. Uchegbu had another attempt in the 58th minute when he cut inside and tried to curl the ball inside the far post. However, his attempt sailed high and wide of the target.
In the 59th minute, Caraballo played Amoo-Mensah toward the corner on the right and the right back’s cross was blocked out of play for another corner kick. Caraballo sent his set piece to the back post and found Sarajian’s head, but the attacker’s attempt was just over the crossbar.
On the other end, Crown Legacy doubled its advantage in the 61st minute. Adrian Mendoza received a pass from Uchegbu as he reached the top of the OCB box. The midfielder dribbled to the end line before sending a low cross into the six. He was looking for Mbongue, but Himes got a hand to it first. Unfortunately, the ball bounced off Okonski and in for an own goal, extending Crown Legacy’s lead to 2-0.
Berhimas was sent down the left and over the top in the 67th minute before Amoo-Mensah took him down — a foul that earned the left back a yellow card. Wilding used the stoppage to make his first change of the game, replacing Gomez with Haruna.
Just seconds after entering the game, Haruna had a chance at goal from the top of the box. Judelson played a low pass to Leao in the box and the striker laid it off for Haruna. It looked like the substitute would shoot with his first touch, but he cut inside to lose his defender first. He sent the left-footed attempt past a diving Kalicanin but just wide of the far post.
Wilding made a second change in the 73rd minute, replacing Leao with Dominik Baczewski.
In the 80th minute, Rhein played the ball back for Caraballo well outside the box. The midfielder took a shot that deflected off Erik Pena’s head and out for a corner kick.
Caraballo sent his set piece delivery beyond everyone and Rhein collected it on the other side. Again, he laid the ball off — this time for Haruna. The second-half substitute sent a rocket past Kalicanin and into the top left corner to cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 80th minute.
Shortly after the game restarted, Wilding made three more changes. Nicolas Lasheras, Caleb Trombino, and Toryn Penders came on for Okonski, Judelson, and Belgodere.
In the 86th minute, Smith went down with a head injury, having to be replaced by Wyatt Holt. The concussion substitution gave the Young Lions a sixth change, which Wilding used in the 88th minute. Amoo-Mensah left the game and was replaced by Clovis Archange.
It looked like Sarajian was in on goal right after the restart when Caraballo made a good run through the midfield and sent Sarajian behind the back line. The midfielder opened up to curl the ball around Kalicanin, but he sent it well wide. The offside flag went up anyway, so it wouldn’t have counted had he converted.
The fourth official showed five minutes of stoppage time and it was just enough for OCB to find an equalizer. In the fourth minute, Baczewski flicked a long ball down the middle on to Archange. The substitute got the ball caught up in his feet, but he was able to get it to Baczewski. Receiving a pass back, Haruna played it to his right for Sarajian making a run into the box.
Sarajian had multiple golden opportunities to score earlier in the game, but he didn’t let this one slip by. The attacker sent the ball past Kalicanin and into the far corner to even the game at 2-2.
The Young Lions had a burst of energy after the equalizing goal. They created a corner in the dying moments before the whistle blew ending the 90 minutes.
At full time, OCB had the advantage in shots (17-9), shots on target (4-3), corner kicks (12-5), and passing accuracy (89.6%-83.7%). While the Young Lions created more chances, the number of shots on target was a significant factor in the result.
In addition to being the third game and second straight in which OCB came back from a 2-0 deficit, it’s the team’s third consecutive 2-2 draw.
Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, the two teams earned a point and the game went to penalties to see which would get a second.
Caraballo, Mbongue, Rhein, and Pena converted to begin the shootout, making it 2-2 after two rounds. The key moment came in the first attempt of the third round when Kalicanin got a foot on Sarajian’s attempt down the middle, keeping it out. Neeley then converted his attempt to give the visitors the advantage.
Himes needed to make a save to keep his team in the shootout but, while Penders and Trombino both converted, so did Nathan Richmond and Daniel Longo. As a result, Crown Legacy took the extra point by winning the shootout 5-4. It was the first shootout this season the Young Lions haven’t won.
The point sees the Young Lions settle in sixth place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference, 10 points behind Crown Legacy, who lead the conference.
OCB will take the field again on May 10 when it will face Atlanta United 2 in Athens, GA.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Chicago Fire FC II: Final Score 2-2 (4-2) as Young Lions Storm Back to Draw, Win Shootout
The Young Lions came from two goals down to tie the game and earn two of the three available points in Chicago.
Orlando City B (2-2-3, 12 points) pulled off a last-second result today at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL, drawing 2-2 with Chicago Fire FC II (1-2-4, 10 points). The hosts took a 2-0 halftime lead through Dean Boltz and Darris Hyte before the Young Lions came storming back. An own goal by Chicago goalkeeper Owen Pratt and a header in the dying seconds by Nicolas Lasheras saw OCB get something from the contest.
The Young Lions then took a second point by winning the ensuing penalty shootout 4-2.
OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made three changes to the team that drew Carolina Core FC 2-2 on April 19. Titus Sandy, Jr., Yutaro Tsukada, and Ignacio Gomez entered the lineup, replacing Bernardo Rhein, Dominik Baczewski, and Matthew Belgodere.
The back line in front of goalkeeper Tristan Himes was Jaylen Yearwood, Sandy, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Gomez and Dylan Judelson were the defensive midfielders behind Tsukada, Issah Haruna, and Gustavo Caraballo, with Pedro Leao up top.
OCB was the better team throughout the 90 minutes, but poor finishing and mistakes in the back cost them. A Boltz penalty and Hyte goal just before halftime gave the hosts a 2-0 lead at the break. But the Young Lions came out strong in the second half, dominating the 45 minutes. They outshot Chicago 7-1 in the final 45 minutes as the Fire desperately tried to hold onto the advantage. It looked like they would before a corner kick during the final attack was headed in by Lasheras, avoiding a tough loss.
The first significant moment in the game came in the fourth minute when Judelson fouled Hyte near the end line on the left side of the OCB box. The ensuing set piece was cleared out by Amoo-Mensah for the game’s first corner kick.
The set piece to the near post resulted in a collision between Jack Sandmeyer and Sandy. Both players went down and required medical attention. Neither player was able to continue with Sandmeyer being replaced by Emir Herrera and Sandy by Albright Chikamso.
OCB’s first chance of the game came in the 17th minute when Damian Nigg tripped Tsukada in the Chicago third of the field. The left wing took the set piece himself after earning it, curling it into the Chicago box. However, it was too close to Pratt, who had no trouble catching the ball.
Tsukada created another chance in the 21st minute and it should’ve been the game’s first goal. The midfielder made a strong run to the end line, creating enough space for a low cross to the near post where Gomez was making a run. The Argentine got his foot to the ball but was unable to redirect it on target, sending it wide of the left post.
Chicago’s first real chance of the game came in the 24th minute when Nigg sent a quality ball down the right for Damyan Villanueva. The attacker cut inside before shooting between Chikamso and Judelson. Villanueva curled the ball around Himes, aiming for the far post, but he sent the attempt wide.
OCB created a pair of chances in the 27th minute, starting with Tsukada’s curling ball into the box that Pratt beat Leao to. The hosts tried to play the ball out of the back, but a poor pass allowed the Young Lions to retake possession. Tsukada ended up with the ball again on the left and fired through Nigg. However, this attempt was right to Pratt.
The Fire got their first shot on target in the 30th minute when Hyte sent a cross into the box that was headed out by Okonski. Robert Turdean took possession inside the OCB box, finding striker Boltz. He used a nice touch to beat his defender and forced Himes into a quality save.
The ensuing corner kick was headed out, but only to Herrera, still in the box. The substitute’s first touch was a shot that sailed over the crossbar.
The Young Lions tried to play the ball out of the back, but Leao gave up possession just outside the box. OCB briefly won it back, but Okonski lost it again and Boltz was in on goal as Himes came out. The striker went down after contact with Himes and the referee pointed to the spot, awarding the hosts a penalty.
Boltz stepped up to the spot to take the penalty himself. He sent Himes the wrong way, calmly playing it in to give Chicago the 1-0 lead.
The Young Lions created an attempt in the 37th minute when Yearwood laid it off for Gomez 25 yards from goal. The young attacker shot from distance but his attempt curled high and wide of the target.
A minute later, Judelson sent a ball forward that Josue Pfrommer appeared to have covered. However, the left back played a weak ball for Pratt, allowing Caraballo to take possession. Pratt came off his line as Caraballo tried to chip him. The goalkeeper got a piece of the ball, sending it to Gomez, who put it on target. But Chris Cupps was in position to clear it away.
Again, Chicago failed to clear the ball, giving it back to OCB in the hosts’ own third of the field. Caraballo received it near the top of the box before Oscar Pineda fouled him. The Homegrown midfielder took the set piece, sending it wide of the near post.
The Fire went the other way, with Villanueva playing Hyte into the box. The midfielder cut his way to the end line before playing a cross that was blocked out by Okonski for a corner kick.
The ensuing set piece was sent to the near post, just over Boltz’s head. Unfortunately, Hyte got his foot to the ball, putting it past Himes and into the roof of the net, giving Chicago a commanding 2-0 lead.
Chicago had a chance to make it three in the 45th minute when Haruna took Turdean down in the OCB half of the field. The set piece into the box found Cupps’ head, but the center back sent the ball over the crossbar.
Boltz had a great chance to score his second of the game in the third minute of stoppage time when Turdean made a run to the top of the OCB box. The midfielder played Hyte to the top of the six, but Okonski got there first. Unfortunately, his short clearance went right to Boltz, whose first touch was a shot over the crossbar.
That was the last chance of the half by either team as OCB went into the locker room trailing 2-0. After 45 minutes, both teams had seven shots, with OCB putting one more on target (4-3). Chicago had more corner kicks (4-1) — with one resulting in a goal — while the Young Lions had more crosses (3-1) and better passing accuracy (87.1%-82.5%).
Wilding made one halftime change, replacing Gomez with Baczewski.
OCB had the first chance of the second half in the 48th minute when Judelson intercepted a Pfrommer pass out of the back. The defensive midfielder played it through Caraballo to Baczewski, who found Tsukada on the left. The midfielder cut inside to create space from Nigg before firing high and wide of the target.
The Young Lions got a goal back in the 51st minute after Boltz headed Tsukada’s free kick into the box over the end line. Tsukada sent his ensuing corner kick to the near post on the goal line. Pratt got his hands to it but knocked it into his own goal, cutting the deficit to 2-1.
Tsukada had a great chance to equalize in the 59th minute when Okonski sent him behind the back line. The midfielder was in on goal, but Pratt did well to come off his line, getting a hand to the chip. It went right back to Tsukada, who tried to put it on goal, but Omar Gonzalez cleared it out of play.
The ensuing corner kick was onto the top of the net, ending the attack.
Tsukada conceded possession in the 77th minute but was fouled as he chased after Chicago’s attacker. The set piece into the box was headed to the top of the 18, where Amoo-Mensah fired, but the shot was blocked out of play.
The ensuing corner kick landed on top of the net, allowing Wilding to make two more substitutions. Lasheras and Belgodere came on for Leao and Tsukada
Wilding made his final change of the game in the 90th minute, replacing Okonski with Brady Kendall.
OCB had one last chance in the dying seconds and the Young Lions took advantage. Amoo-Mensah received a pass into the box before sending a low cross in front of the goal. While nobody was making a run to the top of the six, Charles Nagle could only send the ball out of play for a corner kick.
Everybody was in the Chicago box for the last-second chance to equalize as Caraballo lifted the ball in. Lasheras got his head to it near the back post, putting his attempt in untouched to even the game at 2-2.
At full-time, OCB had the advantage in shots (14-8), shots on target (7-3), crosses (5-1), corner kicks (6-5), and passing accuracy (89.4%-84.4%). But it took a last-second desperation goal to get anything from the contest.
Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, each team earned a point form the game and they went to penalties to see who would get the extra point.
Conversions by Caraballo, Boltz, and Judelson led to the first significant moment of the shootout when Pineda hit the crossbar. Unfortunately, Baczewski was unable to give OCB the advantage, as his poor penalty was easily saved by Pratt.
Nigg and Kendall then converted on their attempts before Jhoiner Montiel shot a similar penalty to Bacewski’s, allowing Himes to make the stop. That gave Amoo-Mensah a chance to end the game and he did. The right back sent a hard shot past Pratt, ending the shootout and giving the Young Lions a second point.
While a loss would’ve had OCB out of the playoff places, the two points places the Young Lions sixth in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference. They’re a point behind Atlanta United 2 for fifth and two points behind Philadelphia Union II and Columbus Crew 2 for third.
The Young Lions will return home a week from tonight as they host Crown Legacy FC at Osceola County Stadium.
Orlando City B
Orlando City B vs. Carolina Core FC: Final Score 2-2 (6-5) as Young Lions Squander Two-Goal Lead
OCB coughed up a two-goal, second-half lead to draw Carolina Core but earned a second point in the penalty shootout.
Orlando City B (2-2-2, 10 points) returned home tonight, drawing 2-2 with Carolina Core FC (0-3-3, 3 points) at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Gustavo Caraballo converted from the spot and Pedro Leao scored an excellent goal to give the Young Lions a 2-0 lead at the break. But a beautiful shot by David Diaz and a mistake by Tristan Himes that allowed Nolan Evers to score saw the game end in a 2-2 draw.
While the Young Lions should have earned all three points, they won the penalty shootout 6-5 to claim two points from the contest.
OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made two changes from the team that lost 3-1 to Chattanooga FC on April 11. Titus Sandy, Jr. and Leao entered the starting lineup for Jaylen Yearwood and Harvey Sarajian.
The back line in front of Himes in goal was Bernardo Rhein, Sandy, Landon Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Issah Haruna and Dylan Judelson were in the defensive midfield behind Matthew Balgodere, Dominik Baczewski, and Caraballo, with Leao up top.
OCB was the better team in the first half and nearly had a three-goal lead at the break if not for a quality save by Carolina goalkeeper Nick Holliday. But a poor three-minute period in the second half allowed the visitors to score twice, evening the game. The Young Lions were unable to convert on a late breakaway without getting a shot off, and the game ended in a draw.
The first attack came in the third minute when Thomas Raimbault sent a dangerous cross into the OCB box that found Arnaud Tattevin’s head. The header popped into the air with an attacker charging in, but Himes did well to come out and claim it. A minute later, Jesus Ibarra and Tattevin combined to send Jair Caiza behind Okonski on the left. The left back had space for a shot, but hit the outside of the net.
OCB had its first chance in the sixth minute when Caraballo made a good move to get behind Caiza and into the Carolina box. Caiza slid in with a desperate attempt to win the ball, making contact with Caraballo, who went down. Referee Abou Diaye pointed to the spot, awarding the Young Lions a penalty.
Caraballo stepped up to take the spot kick himself. As Holliday dove to his left, Caraballo sent the ball the opposite direction to give OCB the early 1-0 lead.
In the 13th minute, Caiza sent a cross towards the OCB box that Caraballo deflected out for a corner kick. The first attempt was cleared out of play by Amoo-Mensah, giving Carolina a second chance. This one was headed towards the penalty spot, where Tattevin attempted a volley that went wide of the far post.
The Young Lions took their second shot in the 24th minute when Sandy played the ball squarely to Rhein about 30 yards from the goal. Rather than sending a cross into the box, Rhein fired from long distance, sending his attempt well high and wide of the target.
In the 32nd minute, Caraballo lifted a ball into the box that the defense headed away. It looked like the attack was over, but Judelson slid in with an excellent tackle on Ibarra to win it back. Sandy quickly played it to Amoo-Mensah, who tapped it forward for Baczewski. The midfielder’s pass was through Ricardo Montenegro for Leao, who spun to beat Santiago Yepes before sending his shot past Holliday, giving the Young Lions a 2-0 lead.
The visitors almost got one back in the 39th minute when Tattevin played Raimbault behind the OCB back line. The attacker was free on goal, but Himes did well to come off his line and block the attempt. The ball bounced out off Tattevin for a goal kick, ending the threat.
OCB nearly had a third in the 43rd minute when Belgodere reached the end line and sent a great cross to the top of the six-yard box where Leao was making a run. The striker got his header on target, but he hit the shot too central, where Holliday still had to make a good reaction save — which he did — to keep it 2-0.
The ensuing corner kick found Baczewski’s head as the midfielder made a near post run, but his attempt was wide.
Carolina led most of the statistical categories in the first half, including corner kicks (3-1), crosses (4-2), and passing accuracy (87.2%-86.2%). However, while both teams attempted six shots, OCB put more on target (3-2) and converted on two of those chances to take a 2-0 halftime lead.
The Young Lions created the first chance of the second half in the 56th minute when Caraballo played the ball through Sandy to Belgodere on the left side. Holliday blocked the midfielder’s shot to the near post. It fell right to Judelson just outside the six-yard box, but Evers blocked the defensive midfielder’s attempt, allowing Holliday to collect it.
Holliday tried to halt his throw out of the back, sending it towards the end line instead. Caiza ran it down and cleared the ball, but OCB retained possession. Leao received it near the top of the Carolina box and fired from 25 yards out, but it was right to Holliday.
In the 66th minute, Caiza dribbled into the box and shot, but Okonski blocked it. Carolina kept possession, resulting in a cross that found Tattevin’s head. However, the header attempt went wide of the right post.
Diaz made a run forward in the 70th minute, weaving through multiple defenders. He briefly lost possession before getting it right back and was able to get a shot off, but Himes did well to come out and block the attempt.
The Young Lions made their first two changes in the 71st minute, replacing Judelson and Leao with Caleb Trombino and Brady Kendall.
Carolina continued on the attack and it paid off as the visitors scored two quick goals. The first came in the 72nd minute from a seemingly innocuous throw-in. Diaz received a short pass before dribbling past Trombino and sending a curling shot beyond the reach of Himes and inside the far post to cut OCB’s lead in half.
In the 75th minute, Raimbault sent a free kick into the box that Himes tipped out of play. The goalkeeper looked to have secured the ensuing corner kick, but he spilled it in his own six-yard box. Evers quickly knocked it in to even the game at 2-2.
Wilding made two more changes in the 80th minute, replacing Amoo-Mensah and Caraballo with Yearwood and Nicolas Bobea Torres.
Belgodere tried to find a winner in the 87th minute when he lost his defender on the left and fired towards the near post. But Holliday had it covered and made the easy save.
OCB’s final change came in the 88th minute when Toryn Penders made his professional debut, replacing Baczewski.
Himes’ long throw out of the back in the first minute of second-half stoppage time nearly resulted in the winning goal. It was too far ahead of Rhein, but he sped past Nelson Martinez to win the ball. The left back was in on goal and had space to shoot on either side of Holliday, but the defender crossed it into traffic to his right instead. That allowed the retreating defenders to clear the ball, ending a golden opportunity for a late winner without so much as a shot.
The clearance stayed in the Carolina third and was controlled by Trombino. The second-half substitute found Bobea Torres near the top of the box, but his shot was blocked.
The Young Lions kept possession and worked the ball to the right, where Penders took possession. The young attacker dribbled into the box and fired for the near post, hitting the outside of the net.
That was the final chance for either team as the game ended in a 2-2 draw. At full time, OCB had more shots (15-12), with both teams putting six on target. OCB also had better passing accuracy (86.1%-84.8%) while Carolina ended the game with more crosses (9-3) and corner kicks (6-3).
Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, each team earned a point and the game went to penalties to see which side would get a second.
The shootout featured some excellent penalties, as the first five shooters for each team converted, sending the shootout into extras. OCB’s first five shooters were all second-half substitutes, with Penders, Yearwood, Trombino, Kendall, and Bobea Torres scoring, only to see Carolina Core level each time through Tim Zeegers, Yepes, Caiza, Anthony Sumo Jr., and Mohamed Diakite.
After OCB’s sixth shooter, Sandy, put the ball under Holliday’s arm to make it 6-5, Dyllan John hit the right post. As a result, the Young Lions took two points from the game.
A win would have seen OCB jump into a tie with Atlanta United 2 for fourth in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Young Lions sit in eighth, tied for sixth in points with Chattanooga and New England Revolution II. OCB has a game in hand on four of the teams ahead in the conference standings.
The Young Lions will look to regroup and get Wilding his first victory as they head out on the road, facing Chicago Fire FC II a week from today.
-
Orlando City1 week agoOrlando City vs. New England Revolution, 2026 U.S. Open Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando Pride1 week agoOrlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City7 days agoOrlando City vs. Inter Miami: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks agoOrlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City5 days agoOrlando City vs. Inter Miami: Player Grades and Man of the Match
-
Orlando Pride2 weeks agoOrlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville FC: Final Score 3-2 as Pride Fall On The Road
-
Orlando City1 week agoOrlando City vs. New England Revolution, 2026 U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 4-3 as Lions Advance to Quarterfinals
-
Orlando City2 weeks agoOrlando City vs. D.C. United: Five Takeaways

