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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 0-0 as 10-Man OCB Falls in Penalties after Scoreless Draw

OCB played to a scoreless draw with Crown Legacy FC before falling in penalties.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (5-6-9, 28 points) played to a scoreless draw with Crown Legacy FC (8-7-5, 33 points) tonight at Osceola County Stadium before falling 3-1 on penalties. Neither team was very dangerous in this game, as the two clubs combined for just four shots on target. However, the Young Lions came the closest to scoring, hitting the woodwork twice.

OCB made three changes to the team that beat Carolina Core FC 2-1 on Aug. 3. Alex Freeman, Colin Guske, and Yutaro Tsukada returned to the team after being with the first team, replacing Jackson Platts, Favian Loyola, and Luca Petrasso. Platts was the only one of the three to be on the bench. Wilfredo Rivera started in the defensive midfield in North Carolina, but returned to his usual forward position for this game.

The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado consisted of Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Guske were in the midfield behind Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed with Rivera up top.

The two halves were very similar, with the visitors controlling the opening minutes before the Young Lions played their way into the game. Discipline was an issue again with this team, as Rivera could’ve been sent off after a pair of challenges from behind in the first half. However, referee Emmy Nonso decided it was too early to make a significant impact on the game. Williams got his marching orders in the second half after a second yellow card, forcing OCB to play with 10 for the final 16 minutes.

Crown Legacy had the better of the first 13 minutes of the game. The visitors built primarily on the right side with Jean-Aniel Assi sending Jonathan Nyandjo forward for crosses. However, they weren’t able to create anything dangerous in the box or cause any problems for Mercado.

OCB finally got its first chance in the 15th minute when Mohammed sent Rivera into the Crown Legacy box. Goalkeeper Chituru Odunze came off of his line to cut down the angle and Jack Neeley was there to defend. Rivera attempted some stepovers to create space for a shot, but Neeley stayed in front and blocked the eventual attempt.

Two minutes later, Tsukada attempted a cross that was blocked out of play by Assi. The ensuing set piece ended up on the far side with Guske. The defensive midfielder sent a cross towards the far post that found the head of Freeman. Unfortunately, the right back couldn’t get over the ball, sending it over the crossbar.

In the 21st minute, Guske got in front of a shot from the top of the box, blocking the attempt. It went right to Julian Bravo, who took a shot of his own from outside the 18. The left back was aiming just inside the near post and Mercado dove towards it, but the ball rolled just wide.

OCB had another chance to take the lead in the 25th minute when Solis was fouled near the left side of the Crown Legacy box. Almaguer took the set piece, sending it to the top of the six. Kibunguchy got his head to the ball, but sent it over the top.

In the 31st minute, Dylan Sing attempted a shot from the top of the box that was blocked. Solis took possession and began a counterattack the other way. Rivera had gotten behind the back line and Solis sent him into the Crown Legacy half. However, Odunze came way out of his box, beating Rivera to the ball and clearing it back down the field.

Guske got by Cam Duke in the 44th minute and was taken down, resulting in Duke receiving a yellow card. The quick free kick by Almaguer was short to Rivera, who lifted the ball forward for Solis. The midfielder sent a cross into the box for Kibungchy and the center back got on the end of it inside the six behind Odunze. Kibunguchy attempted a shot, but Neeley slid in to block the attempt, keeping the game scoreless.

The fourth official showed two minutes of stoppage time and OCB had a flurry of chances in the final seconds of the first half. It started when Freeman sent a cross to the top of the six that touched the head of a defender. Solis ended up with the ball and shot, but Odunze blocked the attempt. It went right to Kibunguchy and his shot bounced off of Tsukada. The final shot of the sequence came from near the top of the box, going just wide.

At halftime, OCB had more shots (8-3) but neither team recorded a shot on target. Meanwhile, the Young Lions had better passing accuracy (85.7%-82.2%). Additionally, both teams had two corner kicks and three crosses in the first 45 minutes.

The second half started similar to the start of the first half with Crown Legacy controlling play. Nyandjo’s cross in the 51st minute was blocked out of play by Williams for a corner kick. The ensuing set piece by Filip Mirkovic was short to Duke. The attacker dribbled to the end line but was well defended by Solis, who won the ball back. Duke responded by pulling Solis’ jersey, giving OCB a free kick.

A minute later, Aron John lifted a long ball for Duke making a run behind the OCB back line. He brought the ball down with his chest in the box and it looked like he would get a shot off, but Williams put his body on the attacker, winning possession.

Almaguer found Mohammed in the box in the 57th minute and the attacker’s low cross was cleared out of play by Neeley. The ensuing corner kick was cleared, eventually ending up with Guske outside the box. The defensive midfielder played it wide for Reid-Brown, who found Kibunguchy making a run forward. The center back stuck his foot out to reach the ball before the defender, redirecting it on target. It was right to Odunze, who made the easy save, but it was the first shot on frame by either team.

The Young Lions had another chance on target in the 61st minute when Solis entered the box to the left of goal and laid the ball off for Tsukada. The midfielder took a touch before shooting for the far post. However, Odunze did well to get down and save it with his left hand. Since nobody in purple was making a run, the Crown Legacy goalkeeper was able to collect the ball.

Freeman received the ball on the right in the 63rd minute and quickly sent a dangerous ball through the six-yard box. Tsukada was making a run to the back post with a defender on his hip. Unfortunately, the cross was just out of his reach, going all the way through.

A lazy pass in the back by Crown Legacy was intercepted by Solis in the 68th minute, creating a counterattack by OCB. Solis sprinted the other way, giving the ball to Rivera at the top of the Crown Legacy box. The forward tried to give it back to Solis, but the pass was behind the midfielder.

A minute later, Mohammed played Freeman down the right. Rivera was making a long run to the back post, so Freeman sent the ball to that spot. Rivera dove for the cross, but it was a little too far in front of him.

In the 71st minute, Mohammed took possession of a bad pass in the back by Crown Legacy. Controlling it in the opposing box, his second touch was a shot that hit the near post. It was the closest either team had come to scoring.

The Young Lions were starting to control the game, but that became more difficult in the 74th minute. Williams got caught too far up field, enabling Duke to get behind him. While trying to get back into position, the center back tripped Duke from behind. Nonso immediately issued Williams his second yellow card and limited OCB to 10 players for the second consecutive game.

“It’s the first two red cards we’ve received, last game and this one,” OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg said after the match. “Of course, now we’re in a moment where everything is on the limit, so we will just try to correct that and we will.”

Despite being down a man, OCB continued to be the aggressors. The Young Lions nearly found the first goal in the 77th minute when Freeman sent a dangerous cross into the six-yard box. Tsukada was sprinting to the goal and slid in, just missing connecting with the pass.

Crown Legacy finally got its first shot on target in the 79th minute, though it didn’t cause any concern for OCB. Dribbling towards the top of the box, Duke took a shot just before entering. It was a weak attempt that didn’t cause any trouble for Mercado, who made an easy save.

Mercado went down after collecting the ball, requiring attention from the OCB trainers. Goldberg used the opportunity to make the team’s first change of the game, replacing Rivera with Platts.

Goldberg made his second change in the 87th minute, bringing Bernardo Goncalves on for Tsukada.

Crown Legacy had a good chance for a late winner in the 87th minute when Mirkovic sent a cross to the top of the six-yard box. Sing outjumped Kibunguchy to get his head on the ball but didn’t get much on it. As a result, Mercado made the easy catch.

A minute into stoppage time, Freeman received the ball in the middle of the field and dribbled to his right. Chandler Young went in with a clumsy challenge, taking Freeman down from behind. The substitute was booked for the foul and Freeman went down injured after falling onto his left shoulder. After being down for a few minutes, Freeman was able to continue. However, since it wasn’t a head injury, OCB was down to nine players.

The ensuing free kick by Almaguer found the head of Mohammed, who flicked it towards goal. The redirection was past Odunze and off the crossbar. Platts took possession to the left of the goal and sent it back across, but Crown Legacy was able to clear.

Shortly after the miss, Almaguer went down near midfield. Freeman came back on, so the Young Lions remained at nine men. Goldberg made his final substitution during the next stoppage of play, replacing Almaguer with Thomas Bowe.

Crown Legacy tried to create one final chance with the man advantage but was unable to challenge Mercado and the game ended scoreless. It was OCB’s first scoreless draw since April 24, 2022.

At full time, OCB had more shots (12-6) and corner kicks (5-3) and better passing accuracy (85.3%-84.1%). Both teams put two shots on target and had eight crosses. The scoreless draw was a fair result as they struggled to hit the target. However, OCB was the closest, hitting the woodwork twice.

“Again, maybe at the beginning of the game we weren’t as clear, but at the end of the first half and then a lot of the second half, even after the red card, we had (many chances),” Goldberg said about the game. “But unfortunately we weren’t able to finish them.”

“I think overall it was a great match for us. We put a lot of chances towards the goal and just didn’t fall our way. That’s soccer sometimes,” Kibunguchy added. “So we just have to keep going for the games left.”

Per MLS NEXT Pro rules, games that end in a draw result in each team receiving a point and go to penalties to see who gets an extra point. It was the eighth time this season that OCB went to penalties to decide who got the additional point.

Crown Legacy took a 3-0 lead in the shootout when Solis sent his attempt over the crossbar and Odunze saved Guske’s penalty. Mohammed converted with a panenka in the third round to keep OCB alive and Mercado stopped Young’s attempt, giving the Young Lions a chance to get back within one. However, Odunze made his second save of the shootout against Bowe, ending the contest.

While it was a disappointing offensive performance, the Young Lions earned their third clean sheet of the season and their first since the 5-0 win over Huntsville City FC on May 26.

“Coach definitely harped on being in a good defensive shape, especially the last three, four games,” Kibunguchy said about the clean sheet. “And if we defend well, chances are we’ll get a goal. Obviously the goal didn’t come today, but defense first. We’ve been doing very well and it’s good to get a shutout.”

OCB remains in 10th place in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference with 28 points. The Young Lions are four points behind Inter Miami II for the final playoff spot with seven games remaining in the regular season.

The Young Lions will remain home as they host New York City FC II next Sunday night at Osceola County Stadium.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. New England Revolution II: Final Score 2-0 as OCB Moves Closer to the Playoffs

OCB moved closer to clinching a playoff spot with a 2-0 win over New England Revolution II.

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September 15, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B (10-7-9, 43 points) defeated New England Revolution II (4-15-5, 21 points) 2-0 this evening at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee to inch closer to a spot in the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro postseason. Alex Freeman and Jack Lynn scored goals in the second half to lift the Young Lions to victory.

OCB deployed the same lineup from the 4-1 win over Crown Legacy FC on Sept. 8. The back line in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado was Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Jeorgio Kocevski were the defensive midfielders behind Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed with Lynn up top.

Despite being in last place and not winning since June 14, the Revs were the better team for most of the game. The visitors came out as the aggressors, creating chances early in both halves. However, they struggled to hit the target, a key factor in the result. Freeman’s goal early in the second half took the wind out of the sails of Revs II, enabling the Young Lions to create more opportunities. That resulted in a second goal that put the game away.

The Young Lions nearly had a chance in the fourth minute when Tsukada found Mohammed in the box. Lynn was making a run to the top of the six, but Mohammed couldn’t control the pass and it went out of play for a goal kick.

The visitors almost had their first shot on the other end when Cristiano Oliveira tried to control a pass near the penalty spot. The ball got away from him, but Kibunguchy’s attempted clearance bounced off of the attacker. It looked like the Young Lions had a goal kick, but it deflected off of Freeman for a corner. Revs II couldn’t create anything from the set piece and OCB cleared.

Despite the Revs struggling offensively for most of the season, they were the aggressors in the early part of the game. Oliveira created more trouble around the 15th minute from the left side, forcing Freeman to block the ball out of play. However, the visitors again were unable to create anything.

The best chance of the first 20 minutes came in the 19th minute when Maciel played a beautiful ball over the back line for Damario McIntosh, who was making a run towards the end line. The right back had two teammates in the box, but he couldn’t find either. The ball went to Eric Klein at the top of the 18, but his shot was deflected out by Solis.

The ensuing corner found the head of Marcos Dias wide open in the box. The forward redirected the cross towards goal, but his attempt was over the crossbar.

OCB got its first shot of the game in the 21st minute when Petrasso played the ball back for Tsukada just inside the box. The midfielder’s first touch was a shot that was blocked out for a corner kick. After the first set piece was headed out for another corner, Kibunguchy was first to the second one. Unfortunately, his header went wide.

Dias got another chance at goal in the 26th minute when Gevork Diarbian found him near the top left corner of the OCB box. New England’s leading goal scorer felt the pressure arriving, so he shot with his left foot instead of his preferred right, but the ball traveled wide of the far post.

Joshua Bolma took an ambitious shot in the 27th minute from outside the box. He was looking to play a teammate through, but nobody in purple closed him down, so the attacker took a chance at goal. Mercado unsuccessfully dove for it, but the ball rolled wide.

The Young Lions tried to break out on a counterattack in the 30th minute, but Diarbian pulled Mohammed down, earning himself a yellow card. The ensuing free kick by Almaguer found the head of Freeman in the box and the right back redirected it on goal. Revs II goalkeeper Maxwell Weinstein did well to get down and make the stop.

OCB nearly found the opening goal in the 35th minute right out of the hydration break. Kocevski lifted the ball into the box for Lynn and the striker came within inches of connecting with it, but the ball was just out of his reach. However, McIntosh knocked the ball out of play for a corner kick.

The ensuing set piece was cleared to the top of the box, where Solis won possession back. His shot was blocked by the foot of Tiago and went directly to Mohammed. The OCB attacker took a touch inside to create space and shot for the near post. It took an excellent diving save by Weintein to keep the game scoreless. Lynn was first to the free ball but was ruled offside, ending the attack.

Freeman dribbled into the box from the right side in the 41st minute. Mohammed set up at the top of the box and the right back laid it off for him. Mohammed’s first touch was a shot, but he sent the attempt over the goal.

New England nearly had a chance in the 43rd minute when Diarbian sent a dangerous ball through the box to the far post. Mcintosh was making a run, but the ball was a bit too far in front of him, traveling wide of the goal.

The final chance of the first half came in the third minute of stoppage time when Dias took a shot from the top of the box. Kocevski got in front of the attempt, deflecting it out for a corner kick. The Young Lions cleared the ensuing set piece and the halftime whistle blew.

New England created more shots in the first half (8-6), but OCB put more on target (3-2). Revs II also had more corner kicks (7-3) and crosses (7-1) and better passing accuracy (92.1%-88.7%) in the first 45 minutes.

Similar to the first half, New England was the more attacking team to start the second 45 minutes. Malcolm Fry made a run to the end line inside the first minute and his cross was blocked out by Freeman for a corner kick. The short corner ended up with McIntosh on the far side and the defender sent a cross into the box. It found the head of Klein, but the midfielder’s header was just wide.

OCB unexpectedly took the lead in the 49th minute with an excellent individual effort by Freeman. The right back was played forward down the right by Mohammed, catching up to the ball before it reached the end line. The defender used a quick change of pace to get past his defender and shot from a tight angle, somehow getting the ball past Weinstein to give the Young Lions the 1-0 lead.

Freeman has been on a tear in recent weeks. He’s now scored in four straight games and has five goals in those four games.

“It’s good that I’m able to go forward and I think I’m more clinical now. So I’m able to go score goals and I’m feeling really good,” Freeman said about his recent goal streak. “Makes my confidence go up and now it’s just building on it. And being able to continue scoring. Not only scoring, but helping my team.”

“The key for his success is the defensive part he’s doing,” OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg said about Freeman. “Although he’s contributing a lot in the offensive part, he’s doing a big, big, big, important part in the defensive part. So we’re happy for that for him.”

Mohammed sent Almaguer into the box in the 52nd minute and his layoff was knocked over the end line by Fry for a corner kick. Lynn got his head to the ensuing set piece, redirecting it on goal, but the header was right to Weinstein.

The Young Lions nearly had a second in the 56th minute when Lynn got behind the back line and Freeman played a good ball in for him. A simple tap-in by the striker would’ve doubled the advantage, but he sent the shot over the crossbar.

McIntosh was sent into the OCB box in the 60th minute and his shot was blocked into the outside of the net by Freeman. The ensuing set piece resulted in a ball forward that Mercado was able to cover.

The outlet pass by Mercado resulted in OCB’s second goal of the game. Quick passing by Kibunguchy, Freeman, and Mohammed enabled Kocevski to play a long ball for Lynn making a run behind the back line. After failing to convert on an easy finish minutes earlier, the striker didn’t miss his second attempt. He slipped the ball by Weinstein and into the corner to give his team a 2-0 lead.

The Young Lions continued to press forward, trying to extend their lead. In the 65th minute, Mohammed took a shot from the top of the box. The ball went through multiple defenders before rolling wide of the far post. It looked like it might’ve come off a defender, but referee Alejo Calume gave Revs II a goal kick.

Dias tried to get his team back into the game in the 69th minute when the forward used some nifty footwork to avoid a pair of defenders. However, rather than dribbling closer to goal, he took a shot from the top of the box, sending the attempt over the top.

The first two substitutions for OCB came in the 71st minute. Wilfredo Rivera and Yeiler Valencia came into the game for Lynn and Tsukada.

Rivera and Freeman worked well together to create a chance for the right back in the 74th minute. It started when Rivera sent the ball out wide for Freeman. He made a run towards the top of the box and Freeman found him before continuing behind the substitute. Rivera laid it off for Freeman and the defender shot from outside the box, sending the attempt over the goal.

OCB made two more changes in the 81st minute, replacing Mohammed and Petrasso with Favian Loyola and Tahir Reid-Brown.

New England had a great chance in the 84th minute to get back in the game when Olger Escobar sent a pass between Kibunguchy and Freeman to Bolma. The attacker was in on goal, but Mercado came off his line to cut down the angle and make the stop.

The final OCB change came in the 86th minute, as Manuel Cocca replaced Solis.

Cocca nearly made an immediate impact, sending Valencia down the left in the 88th minute. The substitute midfielder got around Sage Kinner and was free on goal. However, he shot right at Weinstein, enabling the goalkeeper to block the attempt.

Dias kept trying to find a way past Mercado, taking another long-distance shot in the 89th minute. It was a strong shot that forced the OCB goalkeeper to dive to his left, but the attempt was wide.

The fourth official showed five minutes of stoppage time and the visitors had a chance in the first of those minutes. Escobar made a run towards the box and shot before reaching the 18. The shot forced Mercado to tip the ball wide, a good save by the OCB shot stopper. The ensuing corner kick found a head, but went wide of the far post.

The visitors had one last chance to convert in the final minute of stoppage time. A long cross into the box was headed away by Cocca for a corner kick .The set piece was headed on goal, but Mercado made the catch. Calume called a foul on the play, awarding OCB a free kick. Immediately after the free kick, the final whistle blew and the Young Lions claimed a 2-0 win.

At full time, New England had more shots (17-15), corner kicks (12-4), and crosses (17-1), and better passing accuracy (90.6%-88%). However, OCB put more chances on target (8-6) and converted on two of those on their way to all three points.

“It was really tough the first half. We knew that this team was going to come really strong, even though in the circumstance they are in the standings. So we were prepared for that,” Goldberg said about the game. “It was, as we planned, very tough. But in the second half we were able to get a little bit of extra energy that we needed to step up.”

“I feel like, obviously the first half, I think it was a little slow for us. I don’t think we got the chance that we wanted and we were defending most of it. But I think the second half we came out strong,” Freeman added. “Got an early goal. We just kept pressing, kept pressing. Our press got better and we just cut the ball a little more. We were able to get two, and then after that we were comfortable. We were just able to keep the ball and control the game.”

The three points go a long way towards helping the Young Lions claim a playoff spot for the second consecutive year. Only two games remain in the season, with the final game coming away to FC Cincinnati 2, which sits in front of OCB.

The Young Lions will end their 2024 MLS NEXT Pro regular-season home schedule on Sept. 23 as they welcome Chicago Fire II to Osceola County Stadium.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Crown Legacy FC: Final Score 4-1 as OCB Wins Crucial Game Away from Home

OCB nets four goals in 4-1 win over Crown Legacy FC.

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1 week ago

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September 8, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (9-7-9, 40 points) took three points on the road with a 4-1 win over Crown Legacy FC (10-8-6, 40 points) this afternoon in Matthews, NC. Alex Freeman had a first half brace and Jack Lynn made it 3-0 shortly after halftime. A goal by Nikola Petkovic in the 75th minute made it 3-1 and the hosts had a penalty in the 80th minute, but Joao Pedro missed. Shak Mohammed put the game away in the 84th minute with a fourth goal for the Young Lions.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg was suspended for this game, though he was present in the stadium. Julian Vergara took over as coach and the staff made two changes from the team that beat Huntsville City FC 2-1 on Sept. 1. First-team regulars Jeorgio Kocevski and Lynn entered the lineup for Colin Guske and Wilfredo Rivera.

The back line in front of Carlos Mercado was Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Imanol Almaguer and Kocevski were the defensive midfielders behind Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Mohammed with Lynn up top.

OCB dominated the first half in every way, creating several chances and scoring twice while keeping Crown Legacy from keeping possession. The hosts were much better in the second half, creating chances early and often. However, the Young Lions defended well for most of the second 45 minutes. Crown Legacy did get a goal back and had a penalty that would’ve made it a one-goal game, but the misses ended their chance of a monumental comeback.

The first chance of the game came in the third minute when Solis laid the ball off for Tsukada at the top of the Crown Legacy box. The midfielder’s first touch was a shot on goal, but it was right at Crown Legacy goalkeeper George Marks.

The hosts nearly had their first chance in the sixth minute when Jaylin Lindsey played Nicholas Scardina down the right. The midfielder sent a dangerous ball into the box with a teammate making a run, but Kibunguchy got there first and cleared it away.

In the 12th minute, Tsukada received the ball in a seemingly innocuous position. The midfielder took a touch inside before unleashing a hard shot towards the near post. Marks dove to his right to ensure the ball didn’t sneak in, but it skipped wide.

The Young Lions continued to threaten in the 15th minute when Mohammed sent a low cross to the top of the six-yard box for Freeman. Marks did well to come out and tip the ball before the OCB right back could reach it. It looked for a moment like Tsukada would put the rebound in, but the defender got to it first.

Seconds later, Petrasso found Almaguer in the box and the OCB captain fired on goal. Marks could only tip the strong shot over the crossbar.

OCB took the lead in the 18th minute when Kocevski played a long ball for Freeman behind the back line and Marks came out in an attempt to challenge the right back. Freeman was able to tap the ball around the goalkeeper, leaving him with an empty net. Despite a somewhat tight angle, Freeman played the ball in nicely to give the Young Lions an early 1-0 lead.

Crown Legacy felt that Freeman was offside and interim Head Coach Kevin Sawchak let the fourth official know, earning a yellow card for dissent. However, MLS NEXT Pro doesn’t have VAR, so the decision stood.

Crown Legacy nearly had a chance in the 27th minute through an excellent individual effort by Jamie Paterson. The newly-signed Charlotte FC midfielder megged Kocevski before playing a give-and-go with Tyger Smalls. He got behind the OCB back line, but Mercado reached the ball before the attacker.

OCB had a chance to double their advantage in the 36th minute when Williams pushed forward from his center back position. The defender played the ball around Lindsey and the right back tripped him, earning the Young Lions a free kick.

The set piece by Tsukada was towards the far post where Marks pushed it away. Almaguer received the ball outside of the box and attempted an ambitious shot that went wide of the target.

The fourth official displayed four minutes of first-half stoppage time and that was enough for the Young Lions to double their advantage. In the second minute of added time, Solis sent Petrasso long down the left sideline. The left back played a beautiful ball beyond the reach of three defenders to Freeman, making a run to the far post. The right back did well with his first touch to guide the ball past Marks for his second goal of the game.

The Young Lions had one more first-half chance in the fifth minute of stoppage time. A poor clearance attempt by Crown Legacy enabled Mohammed to take possession. The attacker tried to beat Marks, but the goalkeeper made the stop and OCB took a 2-0 lead into the break.

At halftime, Crown Legacy had more corner kicks (4-2) and crosses (11-2) but were unable to create anything from them. Meanwhile, OCB had more shots (7-1), shots on target (5-0), and better passing accuracy (92.9%-90.5%).

Crown Legacy were the aggressors early in the second half. In the 48th minute, Scardina entered the box and went down after some contact. The Crown Legacy players, coaching staff, and crowd appealed for a penalty, but it wasn’t given.

A minute later, the hosts earned the first corner kick of the second half. The Young Lions got a pair of heads to the ball but were unable to clear. It eventually fell to Cam Duke who fired on goal. Mercado wasn’t in position to stop the shot, but it deflected off a defender and out of play. The second set piece was cleared and OCB maintained their two-goal lead.

The Young Lions extended their lead in the 51st minute from a set piece. Almaguer sent a long ball from his own half of the field behind the back line. Freeman couldn’t reach it, but the ball bounced to Lynn right next to him. The first-team forward took his time, placing his shot around Marks to give OCB a 3-0 lead.

Crown Legacy had a golden chance to get one back in the 56th minute when Smalls found Nimfasha Berchimas wide open in the box. Mercado came off his line to close down the striker’s angle and the forward shot right at the OCB goalkeeper.

The hosts won a corner kick from the attack and Smalls’ cross was blocked out by Kibunguchy. The second attempt fell in the six-yard box before Williams cleared it away. Crown Legacy’s third successive corner kick was headed over the crossbar, enabling the Young Lions to clear without conceding.

OCB nearly scored a fourth in the 69th minute when Petrasso played Lynn behind the Crown Legacy back line. This time Marks did well to get down and block Lynn’s shot wide of the near post.

Tsukada’s ensuing corner kick was played short for Petrasso, who sent a cross to the back post. Freeman was making a run, but Marks caught the attempt before it reached the OCB right back.

Crown Legacy quickly went the other way, playing second-half substitute Brian Romero behind the back line. The attacker tried to chip Mecado and got the ball over the goalkeeper, but it sailed high and wide of the goal.

Three minutes later, Aron John played a wonderful switch to Romero, setting up another attempt for the attacker. It was a strong shot but right at Mercado, who knocked it down and collected the rebound.

A goal was coming for Crown Legacy and they finally converted in the 75th minute. Petkovic touched the ball inside to create space from Kocevski and sent a shot that hit the near post. The rebound went right to Jonathan Nyandjo, who tapped it in to cut the OCB lead to 3-1.

Immediately after the goal, the Young Lions made their first two changes. Yeiler Valencia and Tahir Reid-Brown came into the game for Tsukada and Petrasso.

Crown Legacy almost scored a second in the 78th minute when Duke found Scardina in the box. The midfielder was aiming for the near post and beat Mercado but missed just wide.

Two minutes later, Crown Legacy had an even better opportunity when Mohammed gave the ball away in the OCB third of the field. Petkovic took possession and entered the box, drawing contact from Kibunguchy. The referee took some time to consider the situation before pointing to the spot and awarding a penalty.

Before the penalty was taken, OCB made a third change as Favian Loyola came in for Lynn.

Pedro stepped to the spot with a chance to make it a one-goal game. Mercado dove to his left and it should’ve been an easy finish, but Pedro sent the attempt over the crossbar.

The Young Lions made the hosts pay for the miss by netting a fourth in the 84th minute. Solis played a great ball forward, sending Mohammed behind the back line. With nobody near him, the attacker took his time to send the ball by Marks and in to give OCB a 4-1 lead.

OCB made their final two changes in the 89th minute as Gustavo Caraballo and Jackson Platts came on for Freeman and Solis.

Valencia got his first chance at goal in the first minute of stoppage time. He was looking to send his shot just inside the near post but hit the outside of the net.

Mohammed had one last chance in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a shot from the right. The midfielder was looking to beat Marks to his far post, but the ball skipped just wide. That was the last chance for either team as OCB won 4-1.

At full time, OCB had more shots (14-13) and shots on target (8-4). Crown Legacy had more corner kicks (8-3), crosses (17-4), and better passing accuracy (90%-89.3%). The better shooting efficiency by OCB was a major factor as the Young Lions won by three goals.

The three points moves OCB up to sixth in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference, even on points with Crown Legacy for fifth place with three games left. However, OCB has played more games than the teams around them.

After this brief road trip, the Young Lions will return home for a pair of games at Osceola County Stadium — their final two of the regular season —  before finishing the season in Cincinnati. The first of those home games is on Sept. 15 against New England Revolution II.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 2-1 as Young Lions Hold Off Rally to Win at Home

OCB scored twice and then held on for dear life to beat Huntsville City FC at home.

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2 weeks ago

on

September 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B scored a goal in each half and held off a furious rally attempt by Huntsville City FC to pick up a 2-1 win at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee. Imanol Almaguer and Alex Freeman provided the offense for OCB (8-7-9, 37 points), which conceded a late goal but ultimately held off Huntsville (6-12-5, 23 points) to pick up three vital points in the MLS NEXT Pro playoff chase.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak and four-game unbeaten run for Huntsville, which got its goal from Julian Gaines late fashioned several good opportunities in the dying minutes to draw level.

The starting lineup in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado included a back line of Luca Petrasso, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Almaguer and Colin Guske started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Shak Mohammed, with Wilfredo Rivera up top.

OCB spent the first 10 minutes of the match mostly in its own end, either trying to break Huntsville’s high line of pressure or preventing the visitors from working the ball into shooting positions. Huntsville seemed more threatening but OCB defended well.

After that 10-minute stalemate, each team created a chance. The first fell Orlando City B’s way on the left, as Tuskada worked his way past the defense and fired from a tight angle. Huntsville goalkeeper Bryan Dowd saved the attempt in the 11th minute.

At the other end, Woobens Pacios got in behind the right side of OCB’s defense but his curling effort toward the back post skipped wide in the 12th minute. Huntsville came right back toward OCB’s goal with a good cross in from the right. The Young Lions failed to deal with the aerial ball and had to bundle it out for a corner in a scramble play in front, conceding a corner. The visitors weren’t able to pay off the set piece.

Orlando nearly fashioned a goal out of nothing in the 18th minute. Mohammed attempted a shot from just outside the area but a sliding defender blocked it into the air. Freeman was the first to reach the loose ball and attempted a volley shot that sailed just over the bar.

Another ball in from the left a minute later was just a bit too close to Dowd as Tsukada was trying to pick out Rivera making a near-post run. OCB created another good chance in the 23rd minute when Freeman found Rivera in the box. The forward sent a hard, low shot toward the right post but Dowd got down to make the save.

The Young Lions found a breakthrough in the 30th minute on a great sequence of one-touch passes that started on the right side of the box with Freeman and Solis. Orlando worked it eventually to the top of the area with Almaguer serving as the architect, combining with mutliple teammates. He picked out Rivera, who then sent Tsukada down the left. The winger sent a quick pass across the top of the six for a charging Almaguer to tap home, making it 1-0. It was Almaguer’s third consecutive match with a goal.

After a couple of minutes of treatment to Mercado, who landed awkwardly on his shoulder after going high to catch a cross into the area, Huntsville got back on the front foot. Jonathan Bolanos sent a shot from the top of the area just wide of the right post in the 37th minute.

Solis drew a couple of quick yellow cards on Huntsville in the final moments of the first half on fouls by Dominic Gasso and Bolanos. The latter gave OCB a set piece from distance that nearly paid off. The service was played low into the crowd of players toward the left side of goal. Freeman got to it first and fired just wide of the left post in the 43rd minute.

The game unexpectedly opened up in stoppage time, with each team getting sight of goal. Rivera tried his luck from outside the area in the second minute of added time, but he did not stay over the ball and got under it, lifting it high over the bar. Seconds later, Oliver Wright discarded Petrasso with a quick move from left to right and fired a shot just wide of the right post.

That was the final chance of the opening period, and the Young Lions took their slim lead into the locker room.

OCB had the halftime edge in shots (7-5) and shots on target (3-0), while Huntsville passed more accurately (94%-90.3%). Each team earned one corner in the first half.

Huntsville came out of the break with a lot of energy and aggression, taking the game to OCB. The Young Lions struggled to get out of their own end for the first 15 minutes of the second period and conceded the first two shtos on target of the game in that spell. Mercado made a pair of good saves to deny Wright in the 53rd and 54th minutes.

After the hour mark, the Young Lions finally relieved the pressure and held the ball for a bit, regaining their rhythm but without creating much until the 64th minute after clearing a scramble play in front of their own goal. OCB broke down the field and Freeman got into the box on the right. He shielded the ball well and went down under a challenge from Jordan Knight. Referee Alex Billeter pointed to the spot immediately and booked Knight for the foul from behind.

Freeman took the spot kick himself and blasted it into the upper right side to make it 2-0 in the 66th minute.

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OCB had a couple of good opportunities after that to find a third, and the first of those came in the 72nd minute. Rivera had the ball on the right in transition but Huntsville had numbers back. The forward cut inside on his left and let a powerful shot go toward goal, but Dowd did well to make the save to keept it at 2-0.

Huntsville started pouring numbers forward and OCB could not stay organized or compact, allowing several low crosses to get into the box from the visitors’ attacking left side. However, it was the other side that allowed Huntsville to pull a goal back.

Gaines cut inside from the right to break free of Tsukada and sent a low, left-footed shot just inside the left post. Mercado looked as if he’d get over to make the save, but it was just out of reach. Huntsville pulled within 2-1 in the 81st minute.

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OCB was fortunate not to allow the equalizer just seconds later. A poor back pass from Almaguer popped into the air and Williams couldn’t handle it. Bolanos got to it and fired past Mercado, but the ball had hit the Huntsville attacker on the arm before it fell to his feet and the infraction nullified what would have been a tying strike.

Mercado made a huge save in the 84th minute off a Huntsville corner and in the scramble to pounce on the loose ball, he was fouled, taking the pressure off momentarily.

Second-half sub Yeiler Valencia led a transition that could have put the game away in the 88th minute. Taking a long outlet pass, he streaked down the right and drew the defense toward him. Valencia sent a cross in front for fellow substitute Tahir Reid-Brown at the back post, but the fullback couldn’t make clean contact with the bouncing ball and sent the effort wide.

Mercado stayed busy throughout four minutes of stoppage time that ballooned to seven. He had to make a vital save in the 91st minute when Pacias got in behind the defense. Mercado blocked it from point-blank range but took the shot in a sensitive area and needed some time to continue, which added to the injury time.

OCB survived several nervy moments in its own box before finally clearing one last time and hearing the final whistle.

The visitors finished with the advantage in shots (13-10), passing accuracy (91.5%-85.9%), corners (6-2), and crosses (13-3). OCB put more shots on frame (5-4) and ultimately did just enough to see out a nervy win in the end.

Orlando City B has won three of its last four matches and is 4-1-1 in its last six games. The win momentarily allowed the Young Lions to jump above the playoff line, but multiple teams were either still in action or have a game in hand. Still, the team is alive for a potential playoff berth with four matches remaining.

The Young Lions are back in action a week from tonight at Crown Legacy.

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