Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 1-0 as OCB Suffers Devastating Blow To Playoff Hopes

Orlando City B (9-12-5, 35 points) suffered a tough loss at Osceola County Stadium tonight, falling 1-0 to Huntsville City FC (12-8-6, 46 points). Maximus Ekk’s 80th-minute goal was the difference as the Young Lions suffered a huge blow to their playoff hopes.

OCB deployed the same starting lineup that drew 1-1 with Inter Miami II on Sept. 14 and claimed the extra point on penalties. It’s the first time all season the Young Lions had the same lineup in consecutive games.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Hayden Sargis, and Riyon Tori. Colin Guske and Justin Hylton were the defensive midfielders behind Shak Mohammed, Justin Ellis, and Favian Loyola, with Thalles up top.

OCB  came into this game with everything to play for. While the Young Lions started outside of the playoffs, three points would’ve seen them jump Carolina Core FC to sit in the eighth and final playoff spot. Unfortunately, they looked lethargic in this game, creating few chances for most of the 90 minutes. A late goal doomed the home side, as OCB lost their opportunity to control its own destiny.

The Young Lions created the game’s first opportunity in the 12th minute when Loyola lifted the ball into the Huntsville box. Tori got his head to the ball and put the attempt on target, but he wasn’t able to get much on it, providing Brian Schwake with an easy catch.

In the 17th minute, Mercado sent a long ball from inside his own box that found Loyola on the right. After using some nifty footwork to lose his defender, the attacker sent the ball across the box for Mohammed on the far side. OCB’s leading goal scorer fired for the near post, missing just wide. A minute later, Ellis made a run to the top of the Huntsville box, receiving a pass from Mohammed. After a quick give-and-go with Thalles, the attacker dribbled into the 18. He had one defender to beat before it was taken off his foot, and Philip Mayaka cleared it away.

The Young Lions lost the ball on the ensuing throw-in, creating Huntsville’s first chance of the night. Mayaka intercepted Tori’s pass and sent it forward for Alan Carleton. The former Atlanta United player’s second touch was behind the OCB back, line where Gunnar Studenhofft met it. The attacker touched the ball around Mercado and had an empty net, but hit the shot just wide of the near post.

Ellis was looking for another give-and-go with Thalles in the 20th minute, but the striker played it a little behind where Ellis wanted the ball. So, rather than entering the box, the young attacker fired from just outside of the box, sending his shot over the top.

The visitors used some quick passing in the 26th minute to create their first shot on target. Carleton played a give-and-go with Pep Casas and Studenhofft before taking a shot from the top of the box. It was an impressive buildup, but the shot left a lot to be desired, allowing Mercado to make an easy stop.

Loyola kept trying to make something happen on the right. Earlier in the half, he cut inside and shot from outside the box, but it was blocked by Tyshawn Rose. In the 32nd minute, he made the same move. This time he created enough space for a shot that went straight to Schwake.

Mayaka fouled Hylton in the 40th minute, giving OCB a free kick. The Young Lionis played it quickly, with Ellis making a run to the top of the box. The attacker took a low shot from distance, sending his attempt just wide of the near post.

In the 42nd minute, Carleton found space at the top of the box for a shot on goal. The midfielder put the attempt on target, but it was right at Mercado.

The OCB keeper rolled the ball out for Loyola, who immediately lost it in his own third of the field. After a Guske foul gave the visitors a free kick, Damien Barker John created a chance, weaving through OCB defenders to reach the top of the box. The midfielder fired a shot that was close enough to cause Mercado to jump but it went over the crossbar.

It was a tight first half with OCB having more shots (6-4) and crosses (1-0), while Huntsville had better passing accuracy (93.6%-89%). Both teams ended the half with two shots on target, and neither team won any corner kicks.

Rose received a pass forward in the 56th minute, heading towards the end line. The left back attempted a cross that was blocked out of play by Tori, earning the first corner kick of the game for either team. Zach Barrett climbed up to win the ensuing free kick, heading the attempt wide of the far post.

The Young Lions won their first corner kick in the 60th minute when Mohammed sent Reid-Brown down the left. The defender turned the corner to get into the box before the ball was knocked off his foot. It went to Mohammed, who continued his run and shot. However, Mayaka got in front to block it out of play. Hylton’s ensuing set piece found Williams’ head, but the defender sent his near-post attempt too close to Schwake, who dove to his right to make the stop.

Carleton found Knight in the 63rd minute and the forward’s second touch was a shot across the face of goal. It was past Mercado and rolled just wide of the far post.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg used the stoppage to make his first change of the game, replacing Loyola with Nico Rodriguez.

Mohammed received a pass from Hylton on the right side of the box in the 68th minute and stumbled through a pair of defenders before getting a shot off. However, he didn’t get much on it, and the ball rolled softly to Schwake. A minute later, Mohammed took a shot from just outside the box. The ball got past Schwake, rolling wide. It took a slight touch on the way, so OCB was awarded a corner kick. The ensuing set piece found Williams, but it was cleared away.

Barker John made a run into the OCB third of the field in the 71st before being fouled by Williams in a dangerous position. Casas took the set piece and went for goal, but the attempt was right to Mercado. A minute later, Guske’s outlet pass was intercepted, giving Barker John a chance to shoot from the top of the OCB box, but he sent his low shot wide.

On the other end, Rodriguez lifted the ball to the top of the box in the 73rd minute. Guske brought it down and laid it off for Ellis, whose shot rolled wide.

Goldberg made two more changes in the 78th minute as Jackson Platts and Titus Sandy Jr. came into the game for Tori and Thalles.

Moises Veliz played the ball to Mayaka in the 79th minute and the midfielder took a touch to beat Guske before firing from just inside the box. Mercado did well to get down and block it out of play for a corner.

The ensuing set piece was played to the top of the box where Ethan O’Brien lifted it behind the back line where Barrett was making a run. Mercado came off his line, but nobody followed Ekk. Barrett found his teammate and it was an easy tap-in for Ekk to give Huntsville the 1-0 lead.

Goldberg substituted his defensive midfield pairing in the 85th minute, the last two changes of the game for the Young Lions. Hylton and Guske were replaced by Jake Basinet and Dylan Judelson.

It took some desperate defending to keep Carleton from creating enough space for a shot in the 87th minute. Eventually, OCB got the ball off his foot, but it went to Real Gill behind him. The second-half substitute’s shot curled wide of the far post.

Rodriguez dribbled through several players in the 88th minute to reach the top of the Huntsville box. The Orlando City first-team player took a shot that was blocked.

Huntsville quickly went on the counterattack, sending numbers forward. Carleton received a pass and used a couple of stepovers to create enough space for a shot. He was close to doubling the advantage, but the attempt was just wide.

While OCB was searching for an equalizing goal, it was Huntsville creating the opportunities. In the third minute of stoppage time, Mayaka played the ball for Carleton at the top of the OCB box. The attacker’s shot was blocked wide by Mercado.

The visitors kept possession and Veliz dribbled into the right side of the OCB box. The Huntsville players thought they should’ve had a penalty when Veliz went down, but the challenge was shoulder to shoulder and the referee let play continue. Veliz popped right back up with the ball and played it back to Casas, who sent the ball across for Gill to fire on goal, but Mercado blocked that one too.

As the game entered the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time, the Young Lions created one last chance. Sandy sent the ball across the box, and Basinet did well to bring it down and lay it off for Ellis. The ball fell to one of the players you’d want on it as an OCB fan, but Ellis sent the attempt over the target.

That was the last chance for either team as Huntsville City won 1-0 to clinch a playoff spot.

Both teams created 14 shots on the night, but Huntsville put more on target (7-4) and passed more accurately (90.5%-86.6%). OCB compiled more corner kicks (3-2) and crosses (4-2), but it was the visitors that scored the decisive goal to claim all three points.

It’s a devastating loss for the Young Lions as results fell their way earlier in the day. Three points would’ve seen them move into the eighth and final playoff spot with two games remaining in the season. Instead, they sit in 10th in the Eastern Conference — three points behind Carolina Core FC — and need help if they hope to qualify for the postseason for the third consecutive year.

While the Young Lions play Carolina next weekend, they also sit behind NYCFC II due to their -14 goal difference. As a result, they need to win their upcoming games and hope the New York-based side drops points.

OCB will look to bounce back in a must-win game against Carolina Core Saturday night at Truist Point in High Point, NC.