Orlando City B vs. Chicago Fire FC II: Final Score 3-0 as Young Lions Clinch Playoff Spot with Home Win

Orlando City B (11-7-9, 46 points) clinched a playoff spot tonight with a 3-0 win over Chicago Fire FC II (9-8-9, 41 points) at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. After a scoreless first half, Jack Lynn, Yutaro Tsukada, and Favian Loyola netted second-half goals to push OCB into the MLS NEXT Pro postseason for the second straight season.

OCB made two changes from the team that won 2-0 over New England Revolution II on Sept. 15. Colin Guske and Yeiler Valencia entered the lineup for Jeorgio Kocevski and Tsukada. The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Guske were in the defensive midfield behind Valencia, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed with Lynn up top.

The first half was about as even as it could be, with both teams creating the same number of chances and shots on target. Either side could’ve gone into the break with an advantage, but neither were able to convert. The Young Lions dominated the second 45 minutes, keeping Chicago on its back foot. The two key moments in the game were Lynn’s goal in the 61st minute and the inclusion of Tsukada in the 66th minute. It always looked like the first team to score would come out on top, and Tsukada created several problems for Chicago after he came on. His goal in the 71st minute put the game away.

The first shot of the game came in the fourth minute when Mohammed received a pass in the middle of the field, Despite being 25 yards from the goal, the attacker took a chance, sending the ball well over the top.

In the sixth minute, Javier Casas fouled Solis near the top left corner of the Chicago box. Almaguer’s free kick found the head of Freeman, but the right back couldn’t redirect the ball on target. However, the poor clearance attempt went to Mohammed, whose shot was blocked.

OCB retained possession, with Guske trying to play it forward for Petrasso. The left back couldn’t control the pass, enabling Casas to send Omari Glasgow forward. Fire II had a two-on-one with only Guske back, and Glasgow played the ball square to David Poreba when he reached the OCB box. Rather than taking a first-touch shot, Poreba tried to control the ball, enabling Valencia to get back and block the shot out for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece was cleared by Kibunguchy, and Solis sent Valencia forward. Lynn and Mohammed were making runs down the middle of the field, and Valencia could’ve put one of them free on goal, but the midfielder shot from outside the box instead. Unfortunately, his shot was over the target.

Glasgow put the game’s first attempt on goal in the 16th minute when the attacker turned Petrasso inside and outside to create space for a shot. The chance was from a tight angle, so Mercado was able to knock the ball wide.

The Young Lions struggled to clear and Poreba won it back from Freeman. His pass into the box was to Solis, but the OCB midfielder’s poor touch gave the ball to Jean Diouf. The right back took a touch before sending a shot on target, but Mercado was there to make another stop.

Poreba took his second shot of the game in the 18th minute when he found some space at the top of the box. The attacker had to turn to shoot, so he wasn’t able to get much on the shot and Mercado made an easy save.

Kibunguchy dribbled into the Chicago half of the field in the 22nd minute and sent the ball wide for Valencia. The midfielder dribbled inside before taking a strong, long-distance shot. The attempt was on target, but Fire II goalkeeper Patrick Los pushed it wide for an OCB corner kick.

Almaguer’s set piece was to the back post, where Kibunguchy got his head to the ball. It appeared to be at a good height for the center back, but he sent the header wide of the opposite post.

Kibunguchy had another chance in the 26th minute when Mohammed was fouled by Casas near the top left corner of the Chicago box, resulting in the game’s first booking. Almaguer’s free kick found the head of Kibunguchy at the top of the six, but his header was over the top.

The Young Lions had another good chance in the 33rd minute when Mohammed sent Freeman down the right. The right back used his body well to shield Lamonth Rochester and got to the end line. Lynn was making a run into the six-yard box and Freeman sent a knee-high cross for him. Unfortunately, the striker couldn’t get on the end of the ball and it went harmlessly through.

Solis beat two Chicago defenders to the end line in the 38th minute and sent a dangerous ball across the box. Lynn was able to get his foot on this one, but he couldn’t get enough of the ball to redirect it on target. Eventually, Valencia had possession outside of the box and turned to shoot. However, the attempt didn’t cause any trouble for Los.

A minute later, a Freeman throw-in to Lynn was tapped on for Solis. The midfielder dribbled to the center of the field, where he shot from just outside the box. It was a good effort but was too close to Los.

The OCB defense failed to close down Glasgow in the 41st minute as the attacker stood with the ball near the top of the box. Glasgow accepted the invitation to shoot, sending the ball right to Mercado. The OCB goalkeeper was visibly upset with his teammates for not closing down Glasgow and allowing him to put another shot on target.

Christopher Koffi got his first shot of the game in the 42nd minute when he received a ball out of the back. Again, nobody in purple closed down the attacker, so Koffi took a shot. He was aiming for the near post but hit the outside of the net.

The final chance of the half came in the first minute of stoppage time when Valencia tried to send the ball long for Lynn. It was a poor effort but nearly came down behind Los and the Chicago goalkeeper had to push it over the top to avoid conceding the opening goal. OCB couldn’t get anything from the ensuing corner kick and the game went into halftime scoreless.

It was an even first half, with both teams registering 10 shots and putting three on target. OCB had the advantage in other statistical categories with more crosses (5-1) and corner kicks (4-3) and better passing accuracy (90.2%-86.4%) in the first 45 minutes.

The first chance of the second half came in the 53rd minute when Solis laid the ball off for Mohammed. Los wasn’t convinced the shot was off target, diving to his left.  However, the attempt rolled wide of the goal.

The visitors had their first chance of the second half in the 56th minute when Glasgow sent Luka Prpa forward. The midfielder turned to shoot, but Williams was there to block it. The ball went to Glasgow, who took a shot of his own, but Williams got up quickly and challenged the shot. While he didn’t get a piece of this one, Kibunguchy was there to head it away.

OCB failed to clear the ball and Guske gave away possession near the top of the box. It ended up with Koffi, who took a long-distance shot that missed wide of the near post.

The Young Lions took the lead in the 61st minute when Petrasso sent a cross too far across the box. Fortunately, it went to Freeman, who headed it back to the center where Lynn was waiting. The striker put a second header into the corner of the goal, giving OCB a 1-0 lead.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made his first two changes in the 66th minute, replacing Mohammed and Valencia with Wilfredo Rivera and Tsukada.

Tsukada tried to make an immediate impact in the 67th minute, finding Lynn in the box. The striker took a first-touch shot, but Diego Konincks got in front to block the attempt out for a corner kick. Lynn got his head to Almaguer’s ensuing set piece, sending it over the goal and ending the attack.

On the other end, Chicago had a chance to equalize in the 69th minute. Receiving a long ball on the right from Poreba, Glasgow found Sergio Oregel in the box. The midfielder redirected the ball on target, but it was a weak shot and Mercado made an easy save.

Two minutes later, OCB doubled its lead. Lynn received a throw-in by Freeman near midfield and immediately sent the ball forward for Tsukada. The midfielder was alone with two defenders near, but Rivera and Solis soon joined him. Despite having two teammates making runs, Tsukada took the shot himself, putting it into the corner and giving the Young Lions a 2-0 lead.

Goldberg made two more changes in the 76th minute as Loyola and Tahir Reid-Brown came into the game for Lynn and Petrasso.

Chicago should’ve got one back in the 79th minute when second-half substitute Vitaliy Hlyut sent a low cross to the back post that found Glasgow, who got behind Reid-Brown. The attacker redirected it on target with his first touch, but the attempt went right into the legs of Mercado. The ball got caught between the OCB goalkeeper’s legs, keeping the clean sheet alive.

The Young Lions nearly had a third goal in the 80th minute when Freeman spotted Tsukada making a run into the six-yard box. He sent his cross over for the substitute, but Christopher Cupps got to it first, clearing it out of play.

Goldberg used the stoppage to make his fifth and final substitution, replacing Solis with Manuel Cocca.

Tsukada again tried to score his second of the night in the 85th minute when he received a long pass from Rivera. He was able to beat Cupps and avoid Glasgow before his shot was blocked by Jaylen Shannon.

As the clock wound down, Chicago was running out of ideas. In the 87th minute, Oregel took a long shot with little chance of beating Mercado and the ball sailed well over the target.

The Young Lions had a secure 2-0 lead, but they put the game away with a third in the 89th minute. Freeman laid the ball off for Loyola, and the first-team forward took a shot from well outside the box. It was a terrific strike that Los had little chance of stopping, giving OCB a commanding 3-0 lead.

Cocca sent a long ball across the field for Rivera in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The substitute dribbled towards the Chicago box and, with nobody closing him down, took a long-distance shot. It took a diving tip by Los to keep the ball out of the net.

The final chance of the game came in the sixth minute of added time. Poreba sent a dangerous ball into the box that Jason Shokalook tried to tap into the goal. However, he couldn’t get enough on it and the ball went wide of the far post. The final whistle blew seconds later and OCB came away with a 3-0 win.

At full time, OCB led in the most important statistical categories, including shots (20-17), shots on target (7-5), crosses (9-5), corner kicks (7-6), and passing accuracy (89%-86.8%).

“It was a very tough game, as we knew. They press really high. The first half was tough and we tried to push the next 15 minutes of the second half to try to find that early goal,” Goldberg said about the game. “We knew that in those moments we could find it and that opened the game.”

“It was a good game,” Lynn added. “Good to put the ball in the back of the net and see three goals go in. And, obviously, to keep a clean sheet as well.”

With other results this weekend going their way, the Young Lions knew three points would be enough to secure a playoff spot. The win sees OCB qualify for the postseason for the second consecutive year and the third time in team history.

“Of course, it feels really good. We’re really happy,” Goldberg said about clinching a playoff spot. “We wanted the team to do it again and again and again and continue to pull this club high and that’s the idea.”

While they’ve secured their spot in the postseason, the Young Lions still have more to play for. They currently sit in third in the Eastern Conference, four points ahead of Inter Miami II, New York City FC II, Columbus Crew 2, and Crown Legacy FC. A top-four spot would see the Young Lions host a playoff game for the first time. However, the teams behind have a game in hand and Miami has two.

With the regular season home schedule complete, OCB will have a nearly two-week break before ending the regular season on Oct. 6 away against FC Cincinnati 2.