Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Young Lions Humiliated in 4-0 Road Defeat

Orlando City B (7-9-3, 26 points) was completely outplayed tonight in a 4-0 loss to Huntsville City FC (8-4-5, 32 points) at Wicks Family Field in Huntsville, AL. Jordan Knight scored a first-half brace to give his team a two-goal halftime lead. A Tristan Himes own goal and a tap-in by Alan Carleton in the second half finished the scoring for the hosts.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made three changes to the team that lost 3-0 to New England Revolution II on Sunday. Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo were with the first team, so Hayden Sargis and Thalles got the start. The surprise change was goalkeeper Himes making his professional debut in place of Carlos Mercado, who started on the bench.

The back line in front of Himes was Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Sargis, and Jackson Platts. Riyon Tori and Dylan Judelson were in the defensive midfield behind Bernardo Rhein, Justin Ellis, and Shak Mohammed with Thalles up top.

Huntsville’s high press caused problems for the Young Lions for most of the night. The visitors had issues getting the ball out of their own end, defending for the majority of the 90 minutes. It took Huntsville just over half an hour to score the first goal, though the hosts could have scored multiple before that point. Overall, it was a disappointing performance by an OCB side that’s struggling mightily right now.

The hosts nearly struck inside the first minute of the game when Alioune Ka was sent down the left. The forward’s second touch was a cross into the box with Knight running on. However, the ball was just a bit too far away from the midfielder.

Williams nearly made a costly mistake in the eighth minute to give the hosts the lead. Receiving a short goal kick from Himes, the center back played a weak pass toward the top of the box that was intercepted. Christian Koffi was played into the six-yard box and had a chance, but he hit it over the top.

OCB had its first decent attack in the 12th minute when Rhein won a foul near the top of the Huntsville penalty area. He took the free kick himself, sending a curling ball into the box, but it was headed up by a defender and caught by Huntsville goalkeeper Erik Lauta.

In the 14th minute, a long ball down the right seemed like it would be no problem for OCB. Williams was shielding the smaller Ka, but the center back got pushed off the ball. Taking possession, Ka found Knight, who shot from outside the box. Fortunately, the attempt was right at Himes, who made his first professional save.

The Young Lions finally recorded their first shot in the 22nd minute when Platts made a nice turn and sent the ball forward for Ellis. The Homegrown attacker had a step on the back line, but he tripped over the ball. Rhein ended up with it coming in from behind. The midfielder fired from long distance, sending his attempt well over the crossbar.

Huntsville dominated the first 30 minutes before finally taking the lead. And, unsurprisingly, it was a defensive mistake. Ka received the ball at the top of the box and tried to turn on goal. However, it was knocked off his foot. Judelson tried to clear, but he sent it straight to an unmarked Knight. The midfielder’s shot was through Himes and in to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead.

Huntsville continued pressing, doubling the advantage in the 43rd minute. Ka sent a dangerous ball that got past Himes to the center of the six-yard box, where Knight was making a run. He got behind Reid-Brown and tapped the ball in for his second goal of the night, giving his team a 2-0 lead.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Huntsville had one last chance to make it three. Zach Barrett and Himes converged on a cross to the top of the six by Koffi. Both claimed the other got the last touch, but it was ruled a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece bounced around the box before finally being cleared away. The whistle blew immediately after the clearance, ending the first half.

After 45 minutes of action, Huntsville had the advantage in shots (7-1), shots on target (3-0), crosses (5-0), corner kicks (4-1), and passing accuracy (90.1%-85.2%). Frankly, the Young Lions were fortunate to only be down a pair of goals.

After spending most of the first half defending, OCB took the first shot of the second half. In the 47th minute, Mohammed made a run into the box and tried to play Ellis through. A defender got his foot to the ball, but it still reached Ellis. The attacker’s second touch was a shot, but Lauta was able to catch the attempt. It was OCB’s first shot on target.

In the 50th minute, Judelson received the ball at the top of the box and fired. The OCB players immediately appealed for a handball, but the referee disagreed. While replays showed it hit the arm of the defender, his arm was tucked tightly against his body.

The hosts immediately went the other way and nearly created a chance of their own. Reid-Brown took possession inside his own six and quickly turned it over. However, Huntsville was unable to get another shot off before the Young Lions cleared the danger.

In the 61st minute, Koffi found Carleton near the penalty spot. The experienced attacker’s first touch was a shot, but Tori did well to get in front, blocking it out for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece by Carleton found Koffi on the far side of the box. Koffi lifted the ball into the middle too close to Himes, but the ball went right through the goalkeeper’s hands and in to make it 3-0.

Immediately after the goal, Goldberg made his first two substitutions. Dyson Clapier and Favian Loyola came on for Judelson and Thalles.

Loyola won a corner kick seconds after coming on, but the ensuing set piece was cleared away.

Instead, it was Huntsville that created the next chance. Koffi made a strong run in the 66th minute before laying the ball off for Philip Mayaka. The defensive midfielder fired from distance, sending his attempt well over the goal.

Goldberg made his third change and used his second window in the 69th minute to replace Platts with Noah Levis.

The Young Lions should have had a goal in the 70th minute when Ellis received a ball on the left and turned his defender to get behind the back line. As he sprinted towards goal, Barrett chased him down. Meanwhile, Mohammed was making a wide-open run down the center of the field. However, Ellis decided to keep it himself, eventually losing the ball without getting a shot off.

The hosts got their fourth in the 78th minute when Carleton sent Koffi down the left. As Koffi entered the box, he had a teammate running with him. Meanwhile, Carleton made a curling run towards goal. Koffi’s low cross was behind the reach of the near-post run but was perfect for Carleton, who passed it into the empty net, making it 4-0.

In the 82nd minute, Mohammed sent a low cross past Lauta for Tori in front of the goal. However, Barrett got there first to clear it away. The clearance went directly to Mohammed, whose shot was blocked out for a corner kick.

The ensuing short corner was cleared, sending Gunnar Studenhofft past the halfway line. The second-half substitute made a long run into the OCB box before shooting, but he sent the attempt high and wide.

Goldberg made his final two changes of the night in the 85th minute. Noham Abdellaoui and Justin Hylton came on for Tori and Ellis.

Two OCB substitutes combined to create one of the team’s best chances in the 89th minute. As Loyola dribbled across the top of the Huntsville box, Hylton made a run and Loyola found him, but the young attacker shanked his shot, sending it well wide of the goal.

On the other end, Studenhofft received a pass in the OCB box and turned to shoot. He was able to get a shot off, but Williams blocked it out of play. The Young Lions cleared the ensuing corner kick, avoiding further damage.

With the result not in doubt, the referee only added two minutes to the second half. Neither team threatened in the dying moments and the game mercifully ended.

At full time, Huntsville had the advantage in shots (14-8), shots on target (4-2), crosses (6-5), corner kicks (7-6), and passing accuracy (89.7%-85.1%).

The Young Lions end their road trip being outscored 7-0 by New England and Huntsville City. They currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference, but they’re only one point ahead of New York City FC II, which could jump OCB tomorrow afternoon.

With these miserable two games behind them, the Young Lions will return home next weekend, welcoming NYCFC II on Sunday, Aug. 3.