Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 4-1 as Young Lions Blast Atlanta

Four different Young Lions scored as Orlando City B routed Atlanta United 2 by a 4-1 final score at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, GA. OCB (7-6-9, 34 points) won its second straight game and now has scored seven goals in its last two matches with the win in Atlanta (6-10-5, 26 points).

Yutaro Tsukada picked up where he left off last weekend with another goal and an assist to go with the one of each he had against New York City FC II last weekend. Imanol Almaguer, Luca Petrasso, and Shak Mohammed also scored for OCB before Noble Okello spoiled the shutout in the second half.

Manuel Goldberg’s starting lineup included Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Almaguer and Colin Guske started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Mohammed, with Wilfredo Rivera up top.

Solis produced the game’s first scoring chance by slipping a ball into the box for Tsukada’s run. The winger faked a shot with his right, faked a move left, and then fired a right-footed shot toward the left side. However, it hit the post and stayed out in the fourth minute.

The next good chance came in the 11th minute and it again involved Solis and Tsukada. Solis took a pass down the left channel from Tsukada and picked out Rivera in the box. The forward tried a first-time chip shot toward the back post but it landed on top of the net.

The Young Lions broke through four minutes later. A good ball in from Petrasso on the left was flicked on goal by Tsukada. Jayden Hibbert made the initial save but the ball came right back to Tsukada, who sent his shot into the roof of the net to make it 1-0 in the 15th minute.

Atlanta had its first dangerous attacking spell after OCB’s goal, swarming forward with intense pressure and counterpressure. Rodrigo Neri fired a shot at the top of the area but Williams was there to block it. OCB survived a couple of corner kicks and finally broke the pressure.

Tsukada made a brilliant move in the 20th minute to send Petrasso down the left. The fullback sprinted down the flank and spotted Mohammed breaking free on the right but his cross was just a foot or two beyond his reach.

Javier Armas tried a shot from about 30 yards out in the 22nd minute but it was well off target. A minute later, OCB had a chance on an even longer shot.

Rivera stole the ball at midfield and spotted Hibbert off his line. The forward unleashed a shot from extreme range that would have beaten Hibbert but it sliced just wide to the right.

Both teams nearly scored in the 30th minute, with Solis taking the ball away in the penalty area but before he could gather it and fire on goal with Hibbert out of position, he was bundled over from behind by Efrain Morales. Despite his shouts for a penalty, none was given.

Atlanta went the other way and Nick Firmino was dispossessed at the top of the OCB area, but three Young Lions failed to clear and the ball was picked up there by Armas, who dribbled deftly through all of them and fired just wide of the left post.

It was a costly miss, because the Young Lions doubled their lead eight minutes later. Freeman had the ball on the left and found Almaguer at the top of the area just left of the middle. The midfielder blasted a shot into the upper right corner to make it 2-0 in the 38th minute.

Dominic Chong-Qui lost Freeman at the other end in the 43rd minute and broke in on the left side, but he shot his attempt into the outside netting of Mercado’s goal. Seconds later, the Young Lions struck again.

Solis did well to slip the ball behind the Atlanta back line to a streaking Petrasso. With one defender back and Mohammed on his right, Petrasso took the shot himself with his left foot, slotting it home to make it 3-0 in the 43rd minute.

Atlanta closed the half with a flurry of shots in stoppage time. Guske made a mistake and let up when he thought the ball was over the sideline. Chong-Qui never stopped and got in down the left again but his shot was wide once again. Moments later, Alan Carleton got to the top of the area and fired but Kibunguchy got just enough of a block to send it just wide of the left post.

After the ensuing corner kick was partially cleared, a late attempt by Armas was a weak effort that Mercado was able to scoop up, ending the half.

Atlanta had much more of the first-half possession, although the MLS NEXT Pro website doesn’t list possession numbers in its stats. The hosts also attempted more shots (9-8), won more corners (4-1), and passed more accurately (89.5%-85.1%), but OCB put more shots on target (5-1) and made most of those count.

Atlanta nearly scored just after the second-half kickoff. Matias Gallardo was left all alone and put in a good cross to Neri, who was also left all alone. The header was on goal but Mercado made a terrific diving save to keep the hosts off the board. Atlanta couldn’t pay off a pair of corner kicks in the wake of Neri’s chance.

Okello tried a shot from about 30 yards out in the 51st minute. It was a good, hard shot but Mercado was able to get down to make the save.

Mohammed took a pass from Freeman and scored a minute later but he was offside on the play. That led to a quick goal kick and Williams gambled and lost going for a pass, allowing Neri to get in behind. It appeared Neri would have a breakaway but Kibunguchy was able to get over and bail Williams out with a good defensive play.

Rivera sent a shot just inches over the crossbar in the 54th minute as the back-and-forth second half continued. No matter, as the Young Lions put a fourth on the board three minutes later, anyway.

Rivera unlocked the defense with a pass that sent Tsukada down the left. With one defender back, Tsukada faked a move and unselfishly found Mohammed, who fired in OCB’s fourth goal of the match in the 57th minute. It was Mohammed’s 10th goal of the season.

Almaguer did well in the 66th minute to hold his ground and block a shot by Gallardo. The hosts pulled a goal back moments later, however. Second-half sub Stephen Hurlock freed himself up and fired a shot that the defense deflected wide. Okello got his head to the ensuing corner kick and put it in the bottom left corner to make it 4-1 in the 69th minute.

Solis turned the ball over trying to switch play in the 75th minute, igniting the Atlanta break. At the end of the counterattack, Gallardo sent his shot high over the bar.

Solis freed himself up in the 78th minute and went for goal, but Hibbert was able to dive to his left to catch it.

Stll in the 78th minute, Atlanta came right back down with a pair of shots but Armas’ effort was blocked and Guske blocked Firmino’s attempt seconds later.

Gallardo hit the left post in the 82nd minute after being left at the top of the box with too much space. Two minutes later, a good ball found Jacob Williams alone in front of goal. The Atlanta attacker sent his header off target but based on the spot of the restart, the flag must have come up anyway.

OCB finally created a good chance in the 85th minute with Freeman slipping second-half sub Justin Ellis in but Hibbert came out to close down the shot and made a vital save. Favian Loyola, another second-half sub, did well to set up fellow substitute Bernardo Goncalves in the 90th minute but Hibbert again made a strong save.

The Young Lions saw out the five minutes of stoppage time, and then some, with Mercado finishing the game with a point-blank save.

The hosts finished with the advantage in possession, shots (21-14), corners (8-2), and passing accuracy (89.6%-87.3%), but Orlando City B got more shots on target (10-5) and was far more clinical with its opportunities.

The win, at least temporarily, pushes OCB into the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference, pending other results this weekend. OCB is tied on points with seventh-place Crown Legacy but the North Carolina-based club holds the tiebreaker on wins.

The Young Lions will be back on the road Wednesday when they visit New York City FC II Wednesday at 5 p.m.