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Orlando City B

Orlando City B at Chicago Fire II: Final Score 1-1 as OCB Clinches Playoff Spot

OCB clinches its first MLS NEXT Pro playoff appearance with a 1-1 draw and shootout win over Chicago Fire II.

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2 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (12-10-5, 43 points) secured its first playoff appearance in MLS NEXT Pro and second in team history with a 1-1 draw against Chicago Fire II (9-8-10, 41 points) in Illinois. Sergio Oregel gave the hosts the lead in the 17th minute, but Chicago was unable to double the advantage. OCB had a much better second half, and substitute Wilfredo Rivera equalized in the 71st minute. The Young Lions won the ensuing penalty shootout, 4-3, to return home with two points.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made two changes to the team that drew 1-1 with New England Revolution II last weekend. It appears that Abdi Salim and Jack Lynn are both with the first team preparing for the match tomorrow night, replaced in the lineup by Thomas Williams and Jhon Solis, who returned after serving his suspension against New England.

The Young Lions went with their typical 4-4-2 formation in this game. The starting back line in front of goalkeeper Javier Otero was Franco Perez, Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Imanol Almaguer. Cristian Medina, Juninho, Alex Freeman, and Moises Tablante were in the midfield with Shak Mohammed and Solis up top.

Chicago was by far the better team in the first 30 minutes and could’ve been up multiple goals before OCB took its first shot. But it remained 1-0 at halftime, enabling the Young Lions to get back into the game. A strong second-half team all year, OCB did it again, dominating the second 45 minutes to pull level.

The game got off to a slow start with neither team creating any dangerous chances. Charlie Ostrem took a long-distance shot in the second minute and Eric Leonard in the 11th minute, but both were blocked. In the 12th minute, Oregel played the ball to the top of the box for Missael Rodriguez, but his shot missed wide.

The hosts nearly opened the scoring in the 15th minute when Billy Hency dribbled into the OCB box for the second time. He cut inside to lose Perez — who reached his right leg out but didn’t get enough of the ball — and shot for the near post. Otero dove to his left, tipping the ball wide.

Chicago broke through in the 17th minute when Rodriguez received the ball in the middle of the field. He played it for Oregel, who continued the ball out right for Hency. The midfielder’s pass for Rodrigeuz was behind and it looked like OCB might clear. Dylan Borso and Juninho both went after the ball and it bounced off Borso’s arm, but referee Calin Radosav didn’t call it. The ball went back to Oregel, who put it past Otero to give the Fire a 1-0 lead.

In the 22nd minute, Hency found Luka Prpa at the top of the OCB box. Prpa’s shot was rising as it neared the OCB goal and Otero reached up for it, but the attempt ultimately went over the crossbar.

The Young Lions finally created their first attack in the 26th minute. Juninho made a long run into the Chicago box and centered the ball for Mohammed near the penalty spot. The pass was behind the forward, so Mohammed played it to Tablante on his left. Tablante made some moves to create space for a shot, but Hency did well to stay in front and blocked the attempt.

OCB was able to create some more opportunities from set pieces but was unable to convert. In the 31st minute, Prpa fouled Freeman, earning a yellow card. The free kick by Almaguer was into the box, but cleared away.

Three minutes later, Borso fouled Solis about 25 yards from goal. Almaguer was expected to lift another cross into the box, but quickly stepped up to the ball and fired on goal, attempting to catch the defense off guard. However, his shot skied over the crossbar and was never a threat for Chicago goalkeeper Jeff Gal.

Juninho found Tablante to his left in the 35th minute, but the midfielder’s second shot of the half was blocked. That was the last first-half chance for either team as the game went to the break with Chicago leading 1-0.

Possession was almost even in the first 45 minutes, with Chicago holding a slight edge (50.1%-49.9%). But the Fire created most of the chances, ending the first half with more shots (6-3), shots on target (2-0), and crosses (4-1). OCB passed more accurately (88.4%-85%) and both teams won two corner kicks.

Perelman made a surprising halftime change, replacing the team’s second-leading goal scorer Mohammed with Cristofer Acuna. Immediately after the kickoff, the Fire created a chance when Oregel sent Rodriguez behind the OCB defense. The forward was pushed wide, but got away a shot on target. Otero was guarding his near post and got down to make the stop.

OCB created its first shot on target in the 49th minute from Perez just outside of the Chicago box. It forced Gal to dive to his left and tip the ball wide for a corner kick. The ensuing short corner resulted in an Oregel foul on Juninho just outside of the Chicago 18. Almaguer sent a curling cross towards the back post, but it was too high for Williams to put it on target, glancing off the top of his head.

As he’s done several times this year, Juninho attempted to drag his team back into the game as it neared the hour mark. In the 51st minute, the OCB captain dribbled into the box and shot, but it was right at Gal. Five minutes later, the midfielder took an ambitious shot from outside of the box. He kept it low, but it was right to Gal who made the easy save.

Perelman made his second change in the 61st minute and it was a forward for a defender. Rivera came on for left back Perez, resulting in Tablante dropping back to left back, where he’s played frequently since 2020.

It looked like OCB would have a great chance in the 64th minute when Juninho was sent forward to the top of the Chicago box. After a challenge with the defender, Juninho went down. Both teams stopped, expecting Radosav to call the foul, but he decided there wasn’t enough contact.

An unusual and confusing situation occurred in the 67th minute when Kibunguchy and Rodriguez got together near the OCB box. The Young Lions ended up with the ball and went on the counter attack. After failing to create anything, Radosav halted the game as Rodriguez was still down. He gave Kibunguchy a yellow card for the collision and Perelman a yellow for dissent after the play.

OCB had been the more threatening team in the second half and found the equalizer in the 71st minute. Receiving the ball from Tablante near the end line, Juninho sent a low pass to Rivera at the top of the six-yard box. But it hit the foot of Prpa and popped up for Rivera. The second-half substitute’s diving header went past Gal to even the game at 1-1.

The Young Lions had more chances in the 75th minute when Tablante saved the ball from going out of play, but his pass into the middle was blocked out by Ueland for a corner kick. The short set piece ended up with Freeman in the box and his shot was blocked for another corner. This one didn’t result in an OCB shot as Chicago won a goal kick.

In the 81st minute, Hency found Rodriguez going forward. Rodriguez took a shot shortly after entering the box, but it was blocked out of play by Williams for a corner kick. That was the last action for Rodriguez as he was immediately replaced.

The corner ended up with Matteo Kidd, who took a hard shot from distance. It looked like it would’ve been on target, but Williams came charging in to block it, enabling OCB to clear the danger.

On the other end, OCB nearly took its first lead of the night. With his back to goal at the top of the box, Juninho laid the ball off for the oncoming Solis. The midfileder’s first touch was a hard shot towards the near post, but it went just wide.

In the 90th minute, Hency cleared the ball out of play for an OCB corner kick. The set piece found the foot of Kibunguchy in the box and the center back’s first touch was a shot. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get over it, sending the ball well over the target.

The Young Lions nearly scored a winner in the third minute of stoppage time when Tablante sent a cross towards the back post. It looked to be too close to Gal, but went over his head and off the far post. The Chicago defense nearly headed it into the goal but it went just wide for a corner. That was the last chance as the game ended 1-1.

At full time, OCB had more possession (54.2%-45.8%), shots (12-11), corners (9-2), and crosses (7-5), and passed more accurately (87%-83.8%). Chicago put more shots on target (4-3), but only one past Otero.

NYCFC II’s draw and shootout win over Toronto FC II earlier in the evening meant that the Young Lions only needed a point to clinch a spot in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs. It’s the first time they’ve seen the postseason in the young league and the second time they’ve made the postseason in team history.

While they did their job and clinched a playoff spot, the draw meant the game would go to penalties to see which team got an extra point. Freeman started the shootout by putting his attempt into the corner. Prpa stepped up for Chicago and also went for the corner. But Otero guessed correctly and stopped it to give OCB the lead after one round.

Medina took the second attempt for the Young Lions and went right down the middle. Gal dove to his left, but left his legs back enough to block the attempt. Defender Noah Egan put his penalty past Otero to make it 1-1 after two rounds.

The shootout settled down after that with Juninho, Solis, and Acuna comfortably netting their penalties. Michael Nesci sent Otero the wrong way, but the 20-year-old goalkeeper nearly ended it in the fourth round when he got a hand to Justin Reynolds’ attempt. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get enough of it to keep it out.

After Acuna put his shot into the roof to give the Young Lions the fifth-round lead, Ostrem stepped up needing to convert. He put his attempt down the middle, nearly identical to Medina earlier. However, Otero was able to keep his legs back, blocking the shot and OCB took two points on the night.

OCB remains in fifth place with one game remaining in the regular season and can’t catch Columbus Crew 2 for fourth. However, the Young Lions still have plenty to play for next weekend. They can still finish fifth, sixth, or seventh, potentially determining if they can get a home game in the postseason.

The Young Lions will return home to end their second MLS NEXT Pro regular season next Sunday when they face FC Cincinnati 2 at Osceola County Stadium.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 3-2 as Young Lions Complete Late Comeback

Despite being outplayed the whole game, two late goals saw OCB beat Huntsville City FC away from home.

Published

8 hours ago

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June 6, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (6-5-1, 20 points) came away with possibly the most unlikely win in team history, defeating Huntsville City FC (4-3-4, 19 points) 3-2 in Alabama. Hayden Sargis scored his first OCB goal before Christian Koffi and Gunnar Studenhofft made it 2-1 for the hosts. But the Young Lions roared at the end with an 84th-minute goal by Jhon Solis and a stoppage-time winner by Dyson Clapier to claim all three points.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made two changes to the team that beat Chattanooga FC 2-1 on Sunday. Carlos Mercado returned to the lineup for Javier Otero and Noah Levis got his first start, replacing Gustavo Caraballo.

The back line in front of Mercado in goal was Tahir Reid-Brown, Sargis, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Riyon Tori and Solis were in the defensive midfield behind Bernando Rhein, Favian Loyola, and Levis with Shak Mohammed up top.

This should’ve been a dominant win for Huntsville City FC. The hosts completely controlled the game from start to finish but struggled to hit the target. That was enough for the Young Lions to stay close and strike at the end, giving them an amazing three points.

Huntsville was the first team to get into the attack. Koffi received a pass at the top of the box and shot in the second minute, but the attacker got little on it and Williams cleared the ball away.

The Young Lions got their first chance in the seventh minute when Reid-Brown played a long ball across the field where Taifi did well to bring it down. The right back dribbled inside and nobody stepped up to him, so he took a shot from outside the box.

In the 10th minute, Koffi received a pass from Tyshawn Rose at the top of the box. He laid it off for Pep Casas, who shot for the top corner. Mercado got a hand to the ball, knocking it off the post. However, Isaiah Jones was there to tap it in from close range.

As Jones ran to the corner flag to celebrate, he noticed the assistant referee’s flag was up for offside, allowing OCB to escape with the game still scoreless.

Huntsville City’s pressure made it hard for OCB to get the ball out of its own end. The hosts won possession, setting Raul Miglietti up for a shot from the top of the box. The attempt sailed wide and Miglietti appealed for a corner kick, but the referee signaled for a goal kick.

Koffi tried to make something happen in the 22nd minute before laying the ball off for Moises Veliz. However, the midielder’s shot was blocked by Tori. The rebound went to Casas, who quickly took a shot of his own, but Taifi got in the way.

Two minutes later, Huntsville City created a similar opportunity. This time it was Koffi taking the first shot, with Sargis blocking it. The rebound went to Miglietti, and his shot was off Loyola.

In the 25th minute, a weak clearance from a Casas corner kick went right back to the attacker. He dribbled to the endline and tried to play it in front of the goal, but Mercado got down to trap it between his legs. The play resulted in Mercado going down and requiring attention. However, he was able to get up and continue.

Taifi played a long ball across the field in the 28th minute, finding Rhein on the far side. The teenager sent it forward for Loyola in the box before making a run. Loyola looked like he would send Rhein through but pulled it back, losing his defender. The first-team forward aimed a shot for the near post, but Lauta had it covered.

Koffi created more trouble for the OCB back line in the 39th minute. Weaving through defenders, he found Jones in the box. The attacker’s first touch ran into Reid-Brown, but he regained possession and shot again. This time Williams was in the way. The rebound went to Veliz, whose shot was blocked as well.

Mohammed stuck his foot out and got part of Veliz in the 44th minute near the top of the OCB box, giving the hosts a free kick. Veliz went for goal, but the shot was off the wall and out for a corner kick.

Casas sent the ensuing set piece high into the box, where Kevin Carmichael outjumped everyone to get his head to the ball. However, the cross was a bit too high and the center back’s header was over the top.

Huntsville continued to push forward as the game entered first-half stoppage time. In the third added minute, Koffi created one more shot, getting into the box and shooting. But Sargis got his foot in front, blocking the ball away.

It was a dominant half by the hosts. Huntsville City had the advantage in shots (12-2), crosses (3-2), corner kicks (5-0),  and passing accuracy (89.2%-77.6%). But, while OCB put both shots on target, Huntsville only put one of its 12 shots on frame and it was scoreless after 45 minutes.

Goldberg made his first change during halftime. Diego Pareja came into the game for Levis.

Despite being completely outplayed, it was OCB that struck first. In the 48th minute, the Young Lions won a corner kick. Solis’ set piece into the box found the head of Sargis and the Orlando City Academy product redirected it into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.

Unfortunately, the lead didn’t last long. In the 50th minute, Bowen dribbled into the box, running into Reid-Brown. However, the defender kept possession and created a shot that was blocked by Williams. The rebound went to Koffi, who took a touch inside before placing the ball past Mercado to even the game at 1-1.

The hosts created another chance in the 55th minute when Rose found Veliz near the penalty spot. The midfielder’s first touch was a shot, but Williams was there to block it.

In the 62nd minute, Koffi received the ball on the left side of the box, dribbling inside and firing from distance. However, his attempt was well over the top. That was the last touch for the attacker as he was substituted immediately after the attempt.

Goldberg made his second substitution of the night in the 65th minute, replacing Mohammed with Dyson Clapier.

Shortly after coming on, Bryce Boneau had a great attempt on goal in the 67th minute. The attacker controlled a short clearance with his thigh and volleyed the ball on target. However, Mercado did well to tip it over the top.

The OCB goalkeeper was down briefly after the fall, but was able to continue. The ensuing corner kick by Alan Carleton found the head of Carmichael. It was a strong header that Mercado did well to block over the crossbar.

After the next corner was cleared away, Carleton took a set piece from the opposite side. This one found Studenhofft at the near side of the six-yard box. Studenhofft redirected his header inside the far post to give Huntsville a deserved 2-1 lead.

Damien Barker John dribbled into the box in the 75th minute before shooting at the near post. But Mercado was there again to make the stop, blocking it out of play. The ensuing set piece by Carleton bounced around before landing at the foot of Carmichael with space. Fortautnely, the center back was unable to keep his footing or get a shot off.

In the 76th minute, Tori went down. After brief treatment, the defensive midfielder limped off the field, replaced by Justin Hylton.

Barker John did well to shield Clapier in the 79th minute. Rather than going down with Clapier pulling on his jersey, the attacker fired. However, Clapier put enough pressure to put him off, sending his shot high and wide of the target.

Clapier played Rhein into the box in the 84th minute. The midfielder pulled the ball back to create space for a shot and Bowen caught up and knocked the ball out of play. The Young Lions weren’t able to create anything from the set piece, but Hylton drew a foul near the top of the Huntsville box.

Solis and Loyola stood over the ball with Solis taking the free kick. The midfielder curled his attempt around Lauta — who got a hand to it but couldn’t keep it out — to even the game at 2-2.

Immediately after the goal, Solis went down, apparently with a cramp. His teammates initially helped stretch his leg, but he eventually needed more support. The midfielder ended up leaving and was replaced by Noahm Abdellaoui.

Just as it did after OCB scored the first goal, Huntsville looked to respond right away. Carleton took a shot from outside the OCB box, but it was right at Mercado who made the easy save.

The Young Lions nearly scored the winner on a long-range set piece in the 90th minute when Lauta took a poor angle to a long ball into the box, allowing Taifi to touch the ball past him. It was heading into the empty net, but Zach Barrett caught up and cleared the ball off the line.

But OCB wasn’t done yet.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Loyola took possession and sent Hylton forward. It looked like the young substitute was looking for his own shot, but he played it square for Clapier, who was catching up. It was an easy finish for the first-year OCB player to give the Young Lions the late 3-2 lead.

Huntsville pushed hard to try to find a winner, but they couldn’t create a solid chance until the ninth minute of stoppage time. Rose lifted the ball into the center of the box where Carmichael was running on. The center back put a strong header on target, but Mercado punched it away. The referee blew the whistle immediately after and OCB claimed all three points away from home.

At full time, Huntsville had the advantage in shots (30-6), shots on target (9-6), crosses (9-3), corner kicks (12-2), and passing accuracy (89.7%-75.5%). But Mercado made several huge saves to keep his team in the game and allow OCB to pull out a stunning win.

The three points moves OCB into third place in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind Chattanooga FC and New York Red Bulls II. The Young Lions are tied with NYCFC II but have two games in hand.

The Young Lions have a short week, hitting the road again on June 11 when they face Carolina Core FC in High Point, NC.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Chattanooga FC: Final Score 2-1 as OCB’s Noah Levis Nets Late Winner

Noah Levis’ late goal sees OCB claim all three points against first-place Chattanooga FC.

Published

5 days ago

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June 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (5-5-1, 17 points) appeared to be headed for a shootout against Chattanooga FC (8-2-2, 27 points) as the teams were tied 1-1 late in the match. But Noah Levis scored in second-half stoppage time to give OCB the win at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee.

Shak Mohammed gave the Young Lions the early lead before Steeve Louis Jean equalized just before halftime. Levis’ conversion lifted OCB to a much-needed win against the team at the top of the Eastern Conference.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was forced into multiple changes for this game because Jackson Platts, Colin Guske, and Justin Ellis are away with the U-18 United States Men’s National Team. Goldberg replaced the trio of starters with Hardyen Sargis, Gustavo Caraballo, and Favian Loyola. Additionally, Javier Otero joined the second team for this game, replacing Carlos Mercado in goal.

The back line front of Otero was Tahir Reid-Brown, Sargis, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Riyon Tori and Jhon Solis were in the defensive midfield behind Bernardo Rhein, Loyola, and Caraballo with Mohammed up top.

Chattanooga got the first opportunity of the game in the sixth minute when Taifi blocked Milo Garvanian’s cross out for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece went off a visiting player and out for a goal kick, ending the threat.

On the other end, OCB took the first shot of the game in the eight minute. Loyola received a pass near the top of the box before playing it over to Reid-Brown, approaching on his left. Since no defenders stepped up to the left back, he fired from distance, sending his shot over the target.

The Young Lions nearly had a chance in the 11th minute when Taifi found Mohammed near the penalty spot. The forward tried to turn on the ball, but his first touch popped up too high. As a result, Farid Sar-Sar cleared the ball before Mohammed could shoot.

A minute later, OCB took advantage of a Chattanooga mistake to take the lead. Ethan Dudley played a seemingly innocuous pass into the center of the field for Nathan Koehler. But it was a poor pass and Loyola stepped up to intercept. The Young Lions were on a three-on-one break, so it was an easy pass to a wide-open Mohammed and the forward put it in to give the hosts an early 1-0 lead.

Tori and Darwin Ortiz came together in the 20th minute, resulting in both players going down. They required concussion tests and Ortiz was eventually booked for the challenge. While Tori was able to continue, Chattanooga was forced into a concussion substitution, replacing Ortiz with Daniel Mangarov.

In the 26th minute, Otero came off his line to punch a cross away. The clearance went to Louis Jean, who shot from just outside the box. However, the attempt was blocked before it reached the goal.

OCB quickly went the other way and Taifi found Mohammed in the box. The forward was looking to shoot, but he couldn’t find enough space. Instead, he played the ball across for Caraballo. The teenager took a shot at goal, but his attempt was also blocked.

Chattanooga tried to make something happen in the 34th minute from a free kick. Mangarov took the set piece, sending it towards the back post for Koehler. The center back tried to volley the ball and redirect it on goal, but he knocked it out of play instead.

Garvanian knocked Taifi down in the 39th minute, giving OCB a free kick in the Chattanooga third. Solis’ shot was blocked out for a corner kick, and Taifi’s ensuing set piece was back to Loyola. The first-team attacker dribbled forward before shooting from outside of the box, but it was right to Chattanooga goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic.

As Jakupovic attempted to punt the ball up the field, Mohammed stepped in front. The clearance was off Mohammed’s back and the OCB attacker was booked.

A flurry of activity by Chattanooga resulted in an equalizer in the 43rd minute. It started when Garvanian’s shot was blocked by Caraballo. The block went straight to Mangarov, approaching the end line. The substitute’s second touch was a shot from a tight angle that Otero blocked.

Chattanooga kept possession, resulting in a cross into the box. Otero came off his line and appeared to have an opportunity to catch it, but he punched it away with one hand. In a play similar to earlier in the game, it went to Louis Jean. Again, the Haitian fired from outside the box. However, this time he was directly in front of the goal, The hard shot went past Otero and in, evening the game at 1-1.

The visitors tried to take the lead in the 45th minute when Mangarov did well to shield Taifi from the ball. He played it back for Keegan Ancelin. The midfielder had space for a shot, but he couldn’t get around the ball, sending his attempt well wide.

The final chance of the first half came in the third minute of stoppage time. Taifi lost possession near the top of the Chattanooga box but got it right back. The right back turned to shoot, but he couldn’t get over the ball and sent his attempt way over the target.

After 45 minutes of play, Chattanooga had more shots (7-6) and crosses (6-2). OCB had better passing accuracy (85.2%-84.8%). Both teams ended the first half with two corner kicks, two shots on target, and a goal.

OCB tried to get the second half off to a quick start, nearly converting in the 47th minute. Mohammed did well to shield and turn his defender, getting a shot off towards the back post. The ball skipped past Jakupovic but wide of the far post.

In the 49th minute, Reid-Brown received the ball on the left, outside the box. The left back took a couple of steps forward before firing towards goal. His shot was on target but right into the arms of Jakupovic.

Mangarov tried to create something himself in the 50th minute, beating a couple of defenders to get into the box. He got a shot off, but Williams stuck his foot in and got a piece of it. As a result, the ball went straight to Otero.

Loyola nearly gave the Young Lions their second lead of the night with a long run in the 57th minute. He dribbled into the middle and shot from the top of the Chattanooga box but hit the left post. The rebound ended up with Rhein, but he was offside, ending the attack.

Caraballo took a chance at goal in the 60th minute when he received the ball on the right. The 16-year-old attacker had Taifi making an overlapping run, but he took the chance himself. The midfielder opened up and sent a shot towards the far top corner of the goal, sending his chance wide.

Chattanooga had a couple of opportunities in the 63rd minute, first when Callum Watson found Dudley at the top of the OCB box. Sargis got in front to block the attempt and the visitors maintained possession. Garvanian took the second attempt from the left, aiming for the back post. But he sent his attempt wide and OCB escaped the danger.

In the 67th minute, a long ball by Jakupovic was headed on by Tate Robertson for Peter Plougmand. Otero blocked the attempt that went to Mangarov at the top of the box. The attacker shot right at Otero, who made the stop.

Goldberg made his first change of the night in the 71st minute as Levis came on for Rhein.

Robertson played a dangerous ball to the back post in the 85th minute. He had multiple teammates in the box, but Sargis did well to head it away.

The Young Lions went the other way with Loyola carrying the ball to the top of the Chattanooga box before being taken down by Mangarov, who was booked for the challenge.

Solis was the only person standing over the ball, taking the free kick. However, he sent his shot straight into the wall. The rebound was sent forward for Tori, but the rookie was offside.

Goldberg made another change in the 88th minute, sending 17-year-old Justin Hylton on for his OCB debut, replacing Caraballo.

In the 90th minute, Mike Bleeker found Plougmand in the box. Chattanooga’s leading goal scorer laid it off for Mangarov at the top of the 18, but he couldn’t get anything on the ball, sending it harmlessly wide.

A minute later, OCB took its second lead of the night. Solis and Mohammed combined to send Loyola behind the Chattanooga back line. The attacker took a shot from the right side of the box, forcing Jukupovic into a one-handed save. It looked like the ball was going out of play, but Hylton saved it. He sent the ball towards the penalty spot, where Levis met it and converted to give the Young Lions a 2-1 lead.

“That talks very good about them because they are prepared,” Goldberg said about substitutes Hylton and Levis being involved in the goal. “They are ready. And sometimes it’s tough to play less, but here in the second team, you need to take every chance. We are happy that they took it.”

Goldberg made his final change in the second minute of stoppage time, replacing Loyola with Noham Abdellaoui.

Chattanooga won a corner kick in the third minute of stoppage time and everyone came up, including Jakupovic. OCB cleared with Reid-Brown carrying the ball down field. Without anyone in goal, the left back shot from his own half. Louis Jean sprinted towards his own goal, stopping the ball before it crossed the line, keeping it a one-goal game.

The visitors pushed forward once more, but they couldn’t create anything else, and the Young Lions came away with the win.

Both teams took 14 shots in this game, but OCB put one more on target (6-5). Chattanooga had the advantage in corner kicks (5-3), crosses (10-2), and passing accuracy (86.1%-84.5%), but it was OCB that scored the late goal to claim all three points.

“We are very happy for the win. But, most of all, that we were able to overcome a 3-0 loss (a week ago against Atlanta) beating the team that was top of the league,” Goldberg said. “So, that’s the stand out for us.”

“Obviously, it was a pretty difficult match versus the number one team in the league right now,” Loyola added. “So, it was a pretty hard match to go up front. I think our team played really well defensively and attacking. And, honestly, the mentality we had throughout the game was just amazing.”

OCB moves up to fifth in the Eastern Conference with the win, tied with NYCFC II, a point behind New England Revolution II, and two points behind Huntsville City FC after 11 games.

The Young Lions will take the field again Friday night when they travel to Alabama to face Huntsville City FC.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 3-0 as Young Lions Humbled by Atlanta, Selves

OCB falls to Atlanta United 2 in arguably the team’s worst performance of the season.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

May 25, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (4-5-1, 14 points) got an extra home game tonight due to a scheduling conflict in Georgia, but instead of taking advantage of not having to play Atlanta United 2 (2-2-6, 14 points) on the road, the Young Lions were humbled 3-0 in their own building. At least they can take some solace that it was a closed-door beatdown that fans couldn’t attend.

Atlanta took the early lead through Gabriel Wesseh’s conversion of a Carlos Mercado howler before Cayman Togashi scored on both sides of halftime.

This game was originally scheduled to take place in Kennesaw, GA, on Friday night. However, due to venue unavailability, it was moved to Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Despite playing in their home stadium, the Young Lions were the away team. Since Atlanta was the home team, OCB’s southeast rivals requested a closed-door game.

As if the two-day delay wasn’t enough, severe weather in the area delayed the game for nearly an hour, finally getting underway at 8:25 p.m. The rain made a difference in the game, as the players had trouble playing on the waterlogged pitch in the early moments.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made one change to the team that came away with a 3-0 win over Inter Miami II on May 17. Gustavo Caraballo wasn’t in the team and was replaced in the lineup by Bernardo Rhein.

The back line in front of Mercado in goal was Tahir Reid-Brown, Jackson Platts, Thomas Williams, and Zakaria Taifi. Colin Guske and Riyon Tori were the defensive midfielders behind Rhein, Justin Ellis, and Jhon Solis with Shak Mohammed up top.

The game was pretty much over from the opening whistle. OCB rarely threatened and sent the ball well off target when it did. Meanwhile, Atlanta looked like the only team that wanted to play, constantly creating dangerous chances in the final third.

Atlanta went on the attack early and took advantage of an OCB mistake. Receiving a pass back from Platts, Mercado was out of his box, looking to play the ball up the field, but he sent it directly to Wesseh. Wesseh easily chipped the OCB goalkeeper, putting the ball in the empty net and giving his team the fourth-minute lead.

Javier Armas tried to beat Mercado from distance in the eighth minute, shooting for the far post from outside the box. It looked like Mercado got a hand to the ball, knocking it wide. But the referee gave a goal kick instead.

Guske played a quick free kick to Reid-Brown in the 21st minute, sending the left back to the end line. Mohammed made a run to the near post and Reid-Brown sent the ball in, but it was too close to Jonathan Ransom, who made the save.

In the 22nd minute, Armas found Nykolas Sessock making an overlapping run on his right. The right back had Cayman Togashi and Dominik Chong Qui making runs into the box and sent in a hard cross, but nobody could get on the end of it and the ball went all the way through the box.

Taifi won a corner in the 24th minute when his cross was blocked out of play by Braden Dunham. The right back took the set piece, sending it to the back post. Platts outjumped his defender to get his head to the ball, sending it just over the crossbar.

Atlanta had a series of corner kicks in the 28th minute. The second found the head of Salvatore Mazzaferro, who redirected the ball towards goal. It was on target but went off the shoulder of Reid-Brown. The ensuing corner was cleared, ending the extended attack.

Armas had the ball in a seemingly innocuous spot in the 31st minute. The Atlanta captain fired a shot on target from distance, but Mercado blocked it down and collected it.

OCB had one of its rare first-half chances in the 35th minute when Ellis found Mohammed making a run into the box. The forward took a touch towards the end line, slightly cutting down his angle before firing it into the arms of Ransom. That was the only OCB shot on target in the game.

On the other end, Armas found Wesseh on the right. The midfielder had plenty of space, taking a touch inside before attempting another long shot towards goal. This time it was too close to Mercado, who made the stop.

In the 38th minute, Chong Qui was making a run to the top of the box when Taifi met him. The ball popped in the air towards goal where Sessock was making a run. He nearly got to the ball before Mercado, but he couldn’t quite reach it and the OCB goalkeeper picked it up.

Solis tried to win the ball from Chong Qui in the 40th minute, ultimately tripping the midfielder and giving Atlanta a free kick. Armas stepped up to take the set piece, sending it to the far post. He had Mercado beaten, but the ball bounced off the woodwork, keeping the OCB deficit at 1-0.

Atlanta doubled its lead in the 45th minute from a free kick in its own third of the field. Chong Qui flicked Mazzaferro’s long set piece into the box. Platts and Togashi went after the ball, with Platts getting there first. But Togashi muscled the center back off the ball. Mercado had started to come out, but changed his mind when Togashi had possession. With the goalkeeper caught in no-man’s land, Togashi touched it around the OCB goalkeeper and into the once-again wide-open net to give Atlanta a commanding 2-0 lead.

After 45 minutes, Atlanta had the advantage in shots (9-5) shots on goal (4-1), corner kicks (3-2), and passing accuracy (85%-83.3%). OCB had more crosses (2-1), but the best chances were by the team in stripes.

Goldberg made one change at halftime. Rhein, who went down earlier in the first half, was replaced by Favian Loyola.

Atlanta continued its attack on the OCB goal out of the break, creating a chance in the 50th minute. Chong Qui dribbled towards the top of the box before firing. It looked like the shot might be on target, but Taifi stepped in front to block it.

In the 55th minute, Sessock dribbled into the box before laying the ball off for Armas. The attacker tried to lift the ball over Mercado, but couldn’t get it to come down, and it sailed over the crossbar.

Ransom cleared the ball way up field in the 57th minute. Mercado came out of his box, but Togashi beat him to it. The attacker chipped the ball over the OCB goalkeeper and it appeared to be going in, but Williams got back to knock it out of play, keeping the deficit at two goals.

Solis intercepted a pass at midfield in the 59th minute, heading the other way. The midfielder was pulled down by Armas before he could reach the ball, earning a yellow card. Solis took the free kick himself from a position in which he’s scored before. However, he sent this one directly into the wall.

Mohammed played the ball back for Loyola from the corner in the 61st minute. The halftime substitute lifted it into the box where Taifi was making a run. He went over the defender and got a head to it, sending it wide.

Solis had another chance from a corner kick in the 66th minute when Atlanta failed to clear the ball. The midfielder found a way through multiple defenders and had a good look at goal, but sent the shot over the top.

After receiving a pass from Platts, Loyola lost the ball to Cooper Sanchez in the 68th minute. Dribbling into the OCB third of the field, he found Togashi near the top of the box. Reid-Brown was there to defend, but Togashi spun to lose him and tucked the ball into the far bottom corner to make it 3-0.

In the 70th minute, Solis made a good, long run into the Atlanta half of the field. He played it centrally for Ellis, who quickly sent it on for Loyola. The first-team forward had a good look at the goal, but his shot went wide.

Solis tried to play Reid-Brown a long ball in the 72nd minute, but Sessock got their first, playing it back to his goalkeeper. However, Ransom was under pressure from Reid-Brown and played a terrible ball out of the back, sending it straight to Loyola. The goal was wide open, but Loyola sent the ball over the top.

Goldberg made two more changes in the 74th minute. Hayden Sargis and Diego Pareja came into the game for Guske and Platts.

Former OCB attacker Moises Tablante made a long run to the top of the OCB box in the 76th minute before being taken down by Williams. The center back protested the decision, but Atlanta had a free kick in a great position.

Armas stepped up to take the set piece and went for goal. It was a hard shot that fortunately went well over the crossbar.

A stoppage of play in the 78th minute gave Goldberg the opportunity to make his fourth change of the game. Noham Abdellaoui came on for Williams.

A long ball out of the back by Chong Qui in the 82nd minute found Wesseh across midfield. The forward beat the new center back pairing of Abdellaoui and Sarigs to get in on goal. As Abdellaoui caught up with the attacker, Wesseh shot. However, Mercado did well to come off his line and tip it wide.

It was a frustrating night for the Young Lions, which was on full display in the 88th minute when Solis played Reid-Brown down the left. Sessock did well to shield the OCB left back, winning a goal kick. Reid-Brown kicked the advertising board in frustration after being out-muscled by his smaller opponent, a perfect representation of the night for Orlando.

Mercado nearly made a costly error in the 90th minute when he played a ball out of the back directly to Adyn Torres. However, the Young Lions were able to win it back and draw a foul to avoid any more danger.

Wesseh received a pass at the top left corner of the box in the second minute of stoppage time. He was given plenty of space, so he took the shot himself, sending it wide of the far post.

A minute later, Ryan Carmichael made a run into the OCB box and sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Fortunately, nobody in black and red was close enough to get on the end of it and the ball went out of play.

That was the final chance for either team as Atlanta came away with a dominant 3-0 win. At full time, Atlanta had the advantage in shots (23-12), shots on target (7-1), and corner kicks (5-4). OCB had better passing accuracy (84.2%-80.1%) and both teams had five crosses.

It was an abysmal performance by OCB. Every player made costly mistakes, and the team failed to threaten the Atlanta goal. Even when defensive mistakes by the opposition gave the Young Lions a golden opportunity, they found a way to mess it up.

The Young Lions are currently in eighth place, barely above the red line. However, they’re now tied with Atlanta on points and only one point ahead of Chicago Fire II and Inter Miami II.

OCB will have to shake this one off and find a way to rebound when they host Chattanooga FC on June 1.

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