Orlando City B vs. Philadelphia Union II: Final Score 2-1 as OCB’s Four-Game Winning Streak Ends

Orlando City B (7-4-4, 28 points) had more chances than its opposition but fell 2-1 to Philadelphia Union II (6-7-2, 21 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Second-half goals by Eddy Davis and Theo Reed gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. Bernardo Rhein got one back in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough as the Young Lions fell for the first time in over a month.

OCB Head Coach Eddie Wilding made three changes to the team that beat Huntsville City FC 2-1 in Alabama. Landon Okonski, Dylan Judelson, and Pedro Leao entered the starting lineup, replacing Titus Sandy, Jr., Caleb Trombino, and Harvey Sarajian, with the latter not dressed for tonight’s match.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Tristan Himes was made up of Rhein, Albright Chikamso, Okonski, and Parker Amoo-Mensah. Ignacio Gomez and Judelson were the defensive midfielders behind Issah Haruna, Justin Hylton, and Matthew Belgodere with Leao up top.

OCB dominated this game in almost every way but the scoreline. The Young Lions put double-digit shots on target, but most were into Pierce Holbrook’s chest. The Union II goalkeeper barely had to move to make his 10 saves and secure an important win away from home.

The first chance of the game came in the fourth minute when Davis dribbled to the end line and Okonski blocked his cross out of play. The defense cleared the ensuing corner kick but only to Davis at the top of the box. The attacker took a shot this time, sending his attempt over the target.

The Young Lions created their first chance in the eighth minute when Jordan Griffin deflected Gomez’s shot from the top of the box over the end line for a corner kick. Philadelphia cleared the ensuing set piece and OCB was unable to threaten Holbrook.

Hylton created the first shot on target by either team in the 11th minute. The attempt from the top of the box went through multiple defenders, forcing Holbrook to dive to his right and tip the ball wide of the post. The corner kick found Gomez at the far post and the midfielder had time to control the ball before shooting, but Lennon Harrington deflected his shot over the top of the goal.

OCB played the second corner short to Amoo-Mensah, who found Haruna outside the box. The midfielder took a shot from distance but Giovanny Sequera blocked it. OCB kept possession, resulting in a good ball to the back post for Leao, but the striker couldn’t get on the end of it.

Belgodere made a good run to the end line in the 17th minute before playing it to Hylton inside the box. The attacker sent a low shot toward the far post that rolled just wide.

A poor Okonski pass in the 20th minute resulted in the first booking of the game. Rafael Uzcategui headed the ball to the top of the box, where Sal Olivas was waiting. Okonski slid in with a tackle, winning the ball but taking Olivas out in the process. Referee Benjamin Meyer awarded Philadelphia a free kick and booked Okonski. The ensuing set piece by Davis flew wide of the far post, ending the threat.

Belgodere made another good run down the left in the 25th minute before lifting a cross to Leao, making a near-post run. The striker got his head to the ball, but it was a bit too high for the Brazilian to put it on target.

In the 35th minute, Belgodere tried to make something happen when he dribbled inside. He eventually found enough space for a shot, sending his attempt over the goal.

Haruna intercepted Griffin’s poor pass out of the back in the 39th minute, and the midfielder dribbled to the top of the box before unleashing a shot that Uzcategui blocked. Leao ran onto the loose ball and tried to lift it over Holbrook, but the goalkeeper got a hand up to block the attempt on OCB’s best chance of the first half.

A minute later, Judelson found Hylton with a long pass out of the back. Hylton’s defender gave him plenty of space to dribble to the top of the box, where he took a shot. However, he again sent it straight to Holbrook, causing little trouble for the goalkeeper.

Haruna found Leao near the top of the Philadelphia box in the 42nd minute. Harrington blocked Leao’s first shot, but it came right back to him. Finn Sundstrom deflected his second shot just wide. The Young Lions were unable to create anything from the ensuing corner kick, ending the attack.

Belgodere created another chance for himself in the 44th minute with a good run down the left. He took a shot for the near post, but Holbrook had it covered, blocking the shot and collecting the ball.

On the other end, Rhein fouled Willyam Ferreira in the 45th minute, creating a set piece for the visitors. Griffin took the free kick, but Judelson deflected it wide. Philadelphia couldn’t get anything from the ensuing corner kick, allowing OCB to escape.

That was the last good chance of the half as the game entered the break scoreless. After 45 minutes, OCB had the edge in shots (17-4), shots on target (6-0), and passing accuracy (86%-70.6%). Meanwhile, both teams won four corner kicks.

Philadelphia was the more attacking team early in the second half. Shortly after the restart, Judelson fouled Oscar Benitez, resulting in a free kick near midfield. Halftime substitute Andrew Craig tried to catch Himes off his line from his own side of the field, sending the attempt wide.

Rhein blocked Sequera’s shot out of play in the 52nd minute for a Philadelphia corner kick. The short set piece ended up with Kellan LeBlanc making a run down the end line. The attacker either shot or crossed, putting it off the near post.

OCB players felt they should’ve had a penalty in the 55th minute when Belgodere dribbled into the box from the left and went down after contact from Benitez from behind. However, Meyer didn’t see it as enough contact to award a penalty.

Philadelphia quickly went the other way and created the game’s first goal. Ferreira turned forward Isaiah Mendoza’s outlet pass and sent it to Davis on the right. The attacker took Chikamso one-on-one, taking a touch inside to find enough space for a shot. It was an excellent attempt that curled around the diving Himes and inside the far post to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

The Young Lions quickly went on the attack, trying to find an equalizer. In the 60th minute, Belgodere made a good run into the box and fired a shot that was blocked. It went to Rhein on the other side, but Union II blocked his shot as well.

Philadelphia nearly scored a second in the 63rd minute when Sequera sent a quality cross to the far post for Olivas. The attacker got his head to the ball and headed it down past Himes. However, it bounced off the crossbar, allowing OCB to keep the game within one goal.

The visitors headed away Belgodere’s cross for Gomez in the 64th minute and broke on the counterattack. Olivas drove down the left and dribbled to the corner of the OCB box before finding Tyler Gladstone. The second-half substitute’s second touch was a shot that skipped just wide of the far post.

Sundstrom won a long pass across the field intended for Leao in the 66th minute. Sequera took possession and dribbled near the top of the OCB box, where he fired over the top.

Wilding made his first two changes in the 69th minute, replacing Chikamso and Hylton with Sandy and Nicolas Torres.

In the 69th minute, Gomez played the ball to Haruna on the right and continued his run, receiving it back. The attacker sent a dangerous cross through the box that was a little too far in front of Leao. The Young Lions kept possession and played the ball around for Gomez on the right. This time the midfielder took the shot himself, but Craig blocked it out of play. Sundstrom headed away the ensuing set piece.

Philadelphia immediately broke the other way with LeBlanc making a long run to the top of the OCB box. He found Davis making a run behind the back line and the goal scorer had plenty of space for a shot, but he put this attempt over the target.

In the 75th minute, Olivas made a run to the top of the box before unleashing a shot that Himes blocked wide. The visitors kept possession, resulting in a cross by Sequera that Olivas couldn’t quite get his head on.

Wilding made his third substitution in the 77th minute, replacing Gomez with Brady Kendall.

Philadelphia doubled its advantage in the 81st minute when LeBlanc sent a good cross to the back post. Sandy had drifted too far from Reed, who won the header and sent it past Himes and in to give his team a 2-0 lead.

In the 84th minute, Judelson sent a long ball to Amoo-Mensah on the right. The defender played it back for Haruna, who fired the ball right at Holbrook on another wasted opportunity.

Amoo-Mensah found Judelson making a run into the box in the 87th minute. The defensive midfielder’s shot was blocked right back to him. Judelson sent his second attempt straight into Holbrook’s arms.

Philadelphia intercepted Okonski’s pass at the top of its own box in the 89th minute and sent the ball forward for Olivas. The forward dribbled from just inside his own half to the top of the OCB box, sending his shot over the goal.

As the game neared full time, the Young Lions searched frantically for a goal to get back into the game. In the 90th minute, Reed blocked Torres’ shot out for an OCB corner kick. OCB played the ensuing short corner to Haruna, who crossed the ball in. Belgodere volleyed it into the six, but Union II cleared it. Judelson took possession and found Torres to his right. The attacker took another shot, sending the attempt right at Holbrook again.

Belgodere used his speed to get into the Philadelphia box in the third minute of stoppage time, cutting inside to get a shot off. Benitez blocked it, but the ball went to Judelson, who immediately played it forward for Torres. Craig headed away the cross and it looked like Philadelphia would clear. However, Judelson immediately won the ball from Sundstrom and sent it into the box for Rhein. The academy product’s second touch was a hard shot from the left side that beat Holbrook to the far post, cutting the deficit in half.

The Young Lions had one final attempt in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Belgodere sent a cross toward the far post, where Okonski was making a run. Unfortunately, Reed got a body on the center back, ensuring he couldn’t get a clean header. It popped up, allowing Holbrook to make the easy catch.

At full time, OCB had the advantage in shots (28-16), shots on target (11-3), corner kicks (7-5), and passing accuracy (87.5%-73.9%). The difference in the game was that Holbrook made 10 saves while Himes only made one, as the Young Lions lacked the lethality theyve shown throughout the season in front of goal.

The loss ends a four-game winning streak for OCB and sees the team fall to fourth in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference. The Young Lions sit on 28 points after 15 games, tied with New York Red Bulls II, two points behind Crown Legacy FC, and four points behind conference-leading Columbus Crew 2. The teams chasing Columbus have at least one game in hand.

The Young Lions will stay home as they host Crew 2 team on June 28 at Osceola County Stadium.