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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. NYCFC II: Final Score 2-2 as OCB Takes An Extra Point on Penalties

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KISSIMMEE — An eventful first half saw Orlando City B (1-0-1, 5 points) draw New York City FC II (0-0-2, 2 points) 2-2 at Osceola County Stadium. OCB followed up the 2-2 draw by winning the penalty shootout, taking home an extra point. Moises Tablante and David Boccuzzo — the latter from the penalty spot — provided the offense for OCB, which remained unbeaten on the young MLS NEXT Pro season.

OCB Head Coach Martin Perelman made two changes from the team that beat Chicago Fire II last weekend. First-team players Joey DeZart and Thomas Williams entered the starting lineup, replacing Erick Gunera and Gonzalo Agustoni-Chagas. Other first-team players in the lineup included Jack Lynn, Wilfredo Rivera, and Alex Freeman.

NYCFC II got off to the stronger start, creating the first chance in the fourth minute. A corner kick resulted in a scramble in the box as the Young Lions were unable to clear. Eventually, Klevis Haxhari took a shot on goal that was blocked and OCB sent the ball up field.

OCB’s first good chance came in the 10th minute when Lynn was sent through on goal. It looked as though he would have a one-on-one against NYCFC II goalkeeper Alex Rando but the flag went up for offside.

A minute later, Freeman carried the ball into the box, beating a pair of defenders before going down. The defender was looking to draw a penalty but the referee was having none of it.

The best chance for NYCFC II in the first 20 minutes came in the 13th minute. The referee called a back pass that gave the visitors an indirect free kick at the corner of the OCB six-yard box. The Young Lions stacked the wall, allowing them to block the shot and clear.

The first goal of the game finally came in the 18th minute. A long ball for Lynn got the forward in behind the NYCFC II defense. Orlando City’s 2022 MLS SuperDraft pick immediately looked up and found Tablante darting toward the back post. Lynn slid the pass across the top of the six for Tablante, who calmly put away the opening goal.

“I was thinking that if it came to me, to stay calm and move my feet,” Tablante said about his goal. “And hopefully I get more goals this year.”

The Young Lions nearly doubled their lead in the 23rd minute when Diego Pareja chipped the ball in for Rivera running through. Unfortunately, the ball was just beyond Rivera’s reach and nothing came of the chance.

NYCFC II came close again in the 33rd minute when a free kick ended up at the foot of Kenan Hot. Rather than sending a cross into the box, Hot decided to take a chance on goal. The shot appeared to be headed to the far corner, but just went just wide of the post.

After multiple near chances by both teams, the goals started flooding in late in the first half. In the 35th minute, Nick Taylor took down Jonathan Jimenez in the box, leaving the referee no choice but to point to the spot.

John Denis stepped up to take the kick and sent OCB goalkeeper Javier Otero the wrong way, tying the game up at 1-1.

It didn’t take long for the Young Lions to respond. Just two minutes later, Freeman made a run down the right and sent a low cross into the box. It looked like Nicholas Benalcazar would clear, but Tablante stepped in front. Benalcazar hit the back of Tablante’s leg and the referee pointed to the spot again.

OCB’s spot kick ended up the same as the one on the other end. Boccuzzo sent Rando the wrong way, putting the Young Lions back on top.

OCB almost got a third goal in the 41st minute when Rivera sent a low cross into the box. Rando was unable to gather the ball and it skipped into free space. Unfortunately, no OCB players were there to put it away and NYCFC II was able to clear.

In the 44th minute, Rivera got taken down just outside the NYCFC II box, giving the Young Lions another great chance. Tablante took the shot, which appeared to be headed just inside the post, but Rando did well to make the diving stop.

With just two minutes added to the first half, it looked as though OCB would take a lead into the break. However, NYCFC II struck a second time just before the end of the first half. Stephen Turnbull sent Hot toward the corner with the midfielder collecting the ball near the box. 

A nice touch by Hot got him past Williams and provided enough space to shoot. Brandon Hackenberg attempted to make a late diving block, but the ball went between his legs and towards the far corner. Otero got his fingers to the ball, but it wasn’t enough as NCYFC II scored the equalizer just before halftime.

While OCB was disappointed to concede an equalizer just before the half, it was fortunate to even be tied. NYCFC II dominated the first 45 minutes, leading in possession (58%-42%), shots (12-4), shots on target (7-3), passes (178-135) and passing accuracy (78.7%-73.3%).

NYCFC II got off to the better first half start, but OCB was the aggressor to begin the second 45 minutes. In the 48th minute, Freeman found Rivera in front of goal but the dangerous midfielder missed to the right of the target.

Three minutes later, a Rivera free kick found the head of Lynn. After scoring a brace in the first game of the season, the rookie was unable to redirect the header on goal, sending it over the crossbar.

The Young Lions started the second half in a positive way but nearly made a crucial error in the 54th minute. Attempting to play the ball out of the back, Williams gave the ball away to Massimo Murania Yankowitz at the top of the box. The NYCFC academy product quickly shot on goal but it was blocked, allowing OCB to clear.

In the 55th minute, NYCFC II came inches away from taking its first lead of the game. Jimenez found Stevo Bednarsky in the box and the midfielder attempted to beat Otero to his near post. The ball got past the OCB goalkeeper but pinged off the crossbar.

OCB almost made another costly mistake in the 59th minute when Rivera slipped as the Young Lions attempted to play out of the back. NYCFC II quickly took advantage as Hot found Yankowitz in the box. The midfielder was looking for the far corner, but Otero made a great save with his foot, keeping the game even at 2-2.

NYCFC II nearly made a similar error to give OCB a chance in the 65th minute. The NYCFC II center back was backpedaling in an attempt to send a DeZart clearance back up field. But he tripped over his own feet,  resulting in a footrace between Rivera and Rando. Unfortunately, Rando got to the ball first and was able to send it away.

In the 71st minute, NYCFC II had another opportunity. As they closed in on Otero from the left, Freeman made up ground and slid in to make a game-saving tackle. The final 20 minutes were chippy, with both teams being booked, but neither team could create solid chances and the game ended 2-2.

Despite the score, it was a dominant performance by NYCFC II. The visitors ended the game with far more possession (62.6%-37.4%), shots (22-8), shots on target (9-3), passes (388-239), corners (15-2), and crosses (18-5).

The difference between a 2-2 draw and a dominating NYCFC II win was that the hosts were able to convert on a greater percentage of opportunities and come up with some key blocks. The notable stat to explain the draw was how many more blocks OCB had than the opposition (8-2).

“It was a match where we played against a young team because they came with young players.” Perelman said after the game. “They had a lot of energy. In the first half we did great, we did a good job. We can do better, but it was a good half and in the second half they were better than us, so the draw is okay.”

While the 90 minutes ended in a 2-2 draw, that wasn’t the end of the game. MLS is using its new developmental league to try out new ideas. One of those ideas is a penalty shootout following a draw. Similar to old MLS games, each team gets a point and the winner of the shootout gets an extra point.

NYCFC II shot first and the first five shots were scored, giving the visitors a 3-2 lead. DeZart then stepped up and his shot was saved by Rando. After Benalcazar and Lynn converted, the Young Lions needed Otero to keep them in the game. The young goalkeeper was up to the challenge, saving Turnbull’s shot.

Similar to Orlando City’s win over NYCFC in the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, Lions streamed onto the field to congratulate Otero. However, to send the shootout to extra kicks, OCB had to convert one more time. Second-half substitute Liam Guske took that responsibility and put away the tying penalty.

Bednarsky was the next to kick for NYCFC II and Otero made his second consecutive save in the shootout. That gave Tablante the chance to win it. The OCB veteran didn’t miss the opportunity, sending Rando the wrong way and securing the extra point.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen something like this in my life,” Perelman said of the regular-season shootout. “I’m 35 years old and 30 years in football and I’ve never seen something like this, so for me it’s also new. It’s strange, but it’s the league and we accept it and we are happy to take this point.”

“We’ve been training all week for that,” Tablante added. “I’ve been training myself and I scored, so thank God.”

After years of sitting near the bottom of multiple leagues, the Young Lions now sit near the top of the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference after the first two games. Their five points are tied for first with New England Revolution II and two points ahead of Inter Miami 2, Philadelphia Union II, FC Cincinnati 2, and Columbus Crew 2.


OCB will now make its first road trip of the season, traveling to Fort Lauderdale to take on Inter Miami II next Sunday and to Ohio to face Crew 2 on April 15. The Young Lions will then return home for a doubleheader with the senior team at Exploria Stadium on April 24.

Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Huntsville City FC: Final Score 1-1 as Young Lions Claim Shootout Point Following Road Draw

The Young Lions are bringing five out of a possible six points home after a shootout win in Huntsville.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

For the second straight game, OCB fell behind but came back to get a result. The Young Lions watched Joel Sangwa open the scoring on a free header for Huntsville City FC (0-0-2, 2 points) in the first half, but battled back on a Justin Ellis goal, as OCB (1-0-1, 5 points) earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw on a rainy night at Joe W. Davis Stadium in Huntsville, AL. The Young Lions then won a wild penalty shootout to claim another point in the standings.

For the moment, that puts OCB atop the Eastern Conference on the early season, but with one more game played than most teams. The Young Lions earned five out of a possible six points in their two-game, season-opening road trip.

Head Coach Manuel Goldberg’s lineup featured Carlos Mercado in goal behind a back line of Tahir Reid-Brown, Manuel Cocca, Nabi Kibunguchi, and Zakaria Taifi. Imanol Almaguer and Colin Guske made up the double pivot in central midfield behind an attacking midfield line of Yutaro Tsukada, Jhon Solis, and Thomas Bowe with Justin Ellis up top.

The Young Lions started the game as the protagonists, getting a couple of early half chances but wasting them badly with wild, off-target shots. One effort went so far wide in the opening minutes that it seems impossible that it wasn’t blocked. The second came from Cocca off a scramble in the box on a corner kick, but the defender sent a shot high into the night sky in the ninth minute.

After a good first 10 minutes for OCB, Huntsville started settling into the game, but the hosts were helped by poor touches and passes by the Young Lions. Orlando City B repeatedly tried to make quick, intricate passes in tight space in their own half or near midfield and could not make them precisely enough, allowing Huntsville to easily take the ball away time after time. It put the Young Lions on their heels for the middle part of the first half.

Jonathan Bolanos sent a hard, low shot from outside the box just inches of Mercado’s left post in the 24th minute. Bolanos gave Taifi some problems down OCB’s right flank, winning some set pieces and sending some dangerous crosses into the box.

Forster Ajago just mistimed his jump a minute after the Bolanos miss after OCB turned the ball over again. That led to a corner kick and the hosts made the set piece pay off. Sangwa went high over Ellis and put his free header past Mercado to open the scoring in the 26th minute.

Ajago had a chance to double the lead a minute later but committed a foul trying to push his way to a cross.

The Young Lions started to get some rhythm back around the half-hour mark. Solis got into the box and would have had a dangerous scoring chance, but a wayward spoiled the attack in the 31st minute. Seconds later, Tsukada tried an ambitious effort from outside the right corner of the box. The rookie’s shot didn’t bend and stayed well off target.

In the 34th minute, Tsukada sent a good ball through the box that Ellis couldn’t quite turn on target and OCB’s back post runner wasn’t close enough to tap it into the empty net. The Lions pulled level moments later anyway.

Sangwa took an unsteady touch on a back pass and Ellis pounced, knocking it toward the penalty area. The players arrived together and Ellis out-muscled the defender to win the ball, then calmly stepped to his left across the face of goal and slotted the equalizer home in the 36th minute for his first MLS NEXT Pro goal.

Reid-Brown came within inches of giving OCB the lead in the 40th minute. The Homegrown fullback sent in a shot from outside the area that crashed off the crossbar behind goalkeeper Ben Martino. The ball rebounded to Taifi, but the right back’s shot was deflected behind for a corner. A minute later, Almaguer went for goal from long range and hit his shot wildly off target. Guske fired a similarly wild shot in the 44th minute, but in fairness, the rain was falling and the ball was wet.

The last good chance of the half fell to Huntsville. A ball knocked away by the defense made it just outside the area on the right to Maximus Ekk, who smashed a volley toward goal that skipped just wide of the left post.

The stat sheet was indicative of the tie score at the break. OCB finished the half with the advantage in shots (8-4), while Huntsville passed more accurately (85.1%-78.2%) and held more possession (55%-45%). Each team put one shot on target (the two goals), and both sides won four corner kicks.

Orlando won an early corner after the restart but did nothing with it. Huntsville then seized control of the match and the hosts were rarely threatened from that point on. However, the OCB defense did well to handle almost everything Huntsville City threw at it, and when the ball got through, Mercado was there to catch the ball.

Adem Sipic fired the first shot on target in the 49th minute, sending a shot in from the left side that Mercado was able to catch cleanly despite the rain. Three minutes later, Ekk found himself all alone at the back post for a free header, but he couldn’t get any power behind his shot and Mercado fielded it on one hop.

Ekk then blasted a shot from well outside the area off a corner kick played short. Kibunguchy got his head to it to ensure that Mercado didn’t have to make a save on the strike. Solis cleared the ensuing corner but Huntsville won it back and Ekk freed himself for a shot from outside the area that Mercado saved.

The hosts continued their assault on goal with Kibunguchy blocking a shot inside the box, followed by Mercado catching a long-range effort from Bolanos in the 55th and 56th minutes, respectively.

One of OCB’s problems in the second half was wasting attacking opportunities. Both teams fell in love with the long shot attempt and neither side came particularly close to scoring with such efforts. Tsukada wasted an opportunity in the 57th minute with an impatient attempt that came nowhere near threatening the goal.

Ollie Wright sent a shot wide of goal from a good spot near the top of the area in the 59th minute and Huntsville teammate Scott Cheevers was booked for yapping at the referee for giving a goal kick. Two minutes later, Reid-Brown got away with a bad turnover in his own box, hustling to help win the ball back.

Tsukada made a fantastic run through the defense in the 63rd minute and did well to free himself for a shot fromt he left, but Sangwa came in to block it at the last second. OCB could not make the corner kick pay off. Another rare foray up the pitch nearly created something for the Young Lions, but a cross fizzed too quickly through the box for Ellis to get onto it.

Goldberg subbed in Majed Mohammed for Ellis in the 78th minute and OCB struggled to keep possession after the change. Mohammed got position well on long balls forward but could not bring balls down close enough to his body. The few times he did, he was muscled off the ball by the defense and Huntsville continued its attack.

There was a scary moment in the 82nd minute when a ball popped loose in the box. Mercado raced off his line and got to the ball just ahead of Ajago, who tumbled over the prone goalkeeper. Huntsville shouted for a penalty, but Mercado got a touch to the ball just before Ajago arrived, and although the keeper couldn’t maintain possession of the wet ball, the lack of a penalty call seemed the correct one.

OCB seemed content to play for the draw after that and nearly got a counterattack opportunity in the 90th minute, but Wright played a second ball on the pitch down the middle to break up the transition. He was booked for the interference.

The Young Lions wanted a penalty in the second minute of six added minutes. Abdullah did well to make his first decent attacking run and got into the box, going down with contact, but the referee deemed the challenge legal and played on.

Orlando survived a couple of late Huntsville attacks to earn the road draw at full time.

Huntsville sustained its second-half pressure and finished with the advantage in shots (14-12), shots on target (5-1), passing accuracy (85.4%-74.6%), and corners (9-6). But OCB defended well and Mercado didn’t have to make many big stops.

That would soon change.

Because the game ended in a draw, MLS NEXT Pro rules dictate that the game goes to penalties to determine which team earns a second point in the standings. It was Huntsville’s second shootout in as many games and OCB’s first of the season.

The hosts shot first from the spot, with Alexis Cerritos scoring to set the tone for Huntsville City. Cocca fired off the underside of the crossbar and in to level the shootout after one round.

Sangwa fired wide of the left post as Huntsville’s second shooter, giving OCB a chance to seize control. The Young Lions squandered that opportunity when Zakaria Taifi left his shot too close to Martino, who was able to get down in time to stop the shot.

Isaiah Johnston fired a shot just under the bar into the roof of the net to make it 2-1 Huntsville to open the third round. Tsukada used a Bruno Fernandes-like stuttery run-up and hop to force Martino to commit, then calmly slotted home to tie it at 2-2 after three rounds.

Cheevers restored the lead for the hosts with Huntsville’s fourth shot, but Guske answered with an inch-perfect shot inside the left post to make it 3-3.

Sipic sent a shot toward the right post as Huntsville’s fifth shooter, but Mercado had already guessed that way and made a good save near the post to keep the score tied. OCB had a chance to win, but Kibunguchy left his shot too close to the middle and Martino was not fooled by his sprint up to the ball, making a comfortable save and sending the shootout to sudden death.

Mercado came up with another stop on Alejandro Velazquez-Lopez to give OCB another chance to grab the extra point, and this time the Young Lions capitalized. Thomas Bowe coolly slotted home his spot kick past Martino to lift OCB to the 4-3 shootout win and the extra point in the MLS NEXT Pro standings.


The Young Lions will host Inter Miami in their home opener on Tuesday at 6 p.m., but the club has yet to announce the venue for the match.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B vs. Atlanta United 2: Final Score 3-2 as Young Lions Take All Three Points On the Road

OCB opened its 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season with a 3-2 win over Atlanta United 2.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Orlando City B (1-0-0, 3 points) opened the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season with a 3-2 win over rival Atlanta United 2 (0-1-0, 0 points) at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, GA. Javier Armas and Jhon Solis traded first-half penalties before Yutaro Tsukada gave the Young Lions a halftime lead. Colin Guske and Erik Centeno both scored in the second half, but OCB held on for the opening day victory.

While OCB had some new faces in its starting lineup, most were returners from the 2023 season. Newly-signed goalkeeper Carlos Mercado started in goal behind a back line of Manuel Cocca, Thomas Williams, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Alex Freeman. Academy product Guske made his professional debut next to Imanol Almaguer behind an attacking line of Tsukada, Solis, and Wildredo Rivera. Favian Loyola was the lone man up top.

Atlanta dominated most of the game, both in possession and chances. However, the hosts struggled with their finishing, sending most of their shots off target or directly to Mercado. Meanwhile, the Young Lions were lifted by two exceptional goals and a penalty conversion by Solis.

The first chance of the game came in the ninth minute when Derrick Etienne, Jr. carried the ball across the top of the box and aimed a shot towards the top corner. The attempt was curling towards the target, but missed wide.

Two minutes later, the hosts took the lead. Luke Brennan dribbled into the box with Almaguer behind him. The Young Lions’ captain initially pulled up, but took down the attacker and referee Alex Beehler immediately pointed to the spot. Armas stepped up to take the kick and sent Mercado the wrong way, giving Atlanta an early 1-0 lead.

OCB nearly had a chance in the 14th minute when the Young Lions won a free kick near the Atlanta box. Atlanta had trouble clearing the set piece, but nobody in white could get their foot on the ball. Eventually, the hosts cleared the danger.

The first shot for OCB came in the 17th minute when a short set piece resulted in Almaguer sending a cross into the box. It looked like Kibunguchy would get his head on the ball, but it sailed over him and to Rivera. The Orlando City academy product attempted to redirect the ball on goal, sending it into the side of the net.

The Young Lions found their equalizer in the 25th minute and it was also from the spot. Solis played a nice give-and-go with Freeman, getting behind the Atlanta defense to the right of the goal. Morales tripped Solis with a slide tackle attempt and Beehler pointed to the spot again. Solis’ penalty was a hard shot right down the middle while Atlanta goalkeeper John Berner dove to his right.

Five minutes later, OCB got its first lead of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season. A foul just outside of the Atlanta box set up a free kick, taken by Orlando City 2024 MLS SuperDraft pick Tsakada. The rookie’s attempt was over the wall and into the top corner, beyond the outstretched arms of Berner, giving the Young Lions a 2-1 lead.

Atlanta should’ve had an equalizer of their own in the 34th minute when Etienne sent a free kick into the OCB box and Nick Firmino got behind the back line. The ball landed right on his head just outside of the six-yard box, but his header was right into the arms of a relieved Mercado.

The hosts had another opportunity in the 40th minute when a pass across the box was taken on the first touch by Noble Okello. It was a hard and low shot from outside of the box, but directly at Mercado.

The final chance of the half came in the 44th minute with a dangerous cross into the OCB box. It would’ve been another free attempt on goal for Firmino, but sailed just over his head.

At halftime, Atlanta had more shots (7-4) and shots on target (3-2), and better passing accuracy (88.5%-76.4%) than OCB. However, Tsuakda’s strike in the 30th minute and some attempts into the arms of Mercado allowed the Young Lions to take a 2-1 lead into the break.

It didn’t take long for the Young Lions to build on their halftime lead, scoring their third goal of the game in the 49th minute. Freeman made a long run into the Atlanta box, evading multiple defenders, before losing possession. The clearance only went as far as Guske, who took a long-distance shot. It was a rocket that went inside the far post to give OCB a commanding 3-1 lead.

Atlanta’s 2021 MLS SuperDraft pick, Aiden McFadden, tried to pull the hosts back into the game with some ambitious attempts. In the 55th minute, he drew a free kick and the set piece was blocked out by Mercado for a corner kick. The second set piece ended with McFadden trying a bicycle attempt, but he couldn’t connect.

Three minutes later, Kibunguchy’s clearance landed at the feet of McFadden about 35 yards from goal. The midfielder attempted a very long-distance shot, but sent the attempt well over the target.

In the 63rd minute, an Atlanta ball into the OCB box was blocked out of play by Kibunguchy. The ensuing corner kick found the head of Morales, but he sent the attempt wide of the target.

Second-half substitute Centeno had a chance in the 66th minute when Armas’ cross sailed over everyone else in the box. Centeno attempted a shot from a tight angle, sending the chance over the crossbar.

Atlanta had a decent opportunity in the 77th minute when Cocca fouled Alan Carleton 25 yards out. Daniel Russo sent a curling free kick into the box, but nobody in black could get on the end of it. Instead, it harmlessly bounced wide of the far post and out of play for a goal kick.

While Atlanta had been making substitutions throughout the second half, OCB waited until the 78th minute to make any changes. Zakaria Taifi, Tahir Reid-Brown, and Majed Abdullah made their 2024 MLS NEXT Pro debuts, replacing Loyola, Tsukada, and Cocca. They were defensive moves as the Young Lions looked to see out the game.

The hosts continued their offensive attacks in the 79th minute when Centeno sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. There were two Atlanta players entering the six-yard box, sticking their feet out to get a final touch on the ball. However, it somehow missed both and OCB avoided conceding a second time.

In the 80th minute, it was Centeno on the end of a cross. A wonderful ball into the six landed on the foot of the 21-year-old, but the volley was over the crossbar for a goal kick.

OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made his fourth change in the 86th minute, bringing on 16-year-old academy player Justin Ellis for Rivera.

In the 87th minute, Russo took a shot from the left of goal, aiming for the far post. However, the ball was blocked out of play for Atlanta’s 10th corner kick. The ensuing set piece didn’t find a teammate and was cleared away.

After dominating possession and chances for over 30 minutes, Atlanta finally broke through during stoppage time. A minute past the 90-minute mark, Centeno sent a cross towards OCB’s back post. Morales got on the end of the pass, heading it past Mercado to cut the deficit in half.

Two minutes after the goal, Goldberg made his final change of the game and it was another defensive substitution as Thomas Bowe came on for Solis.

The final attempt of the game came five minutes into stoppage time as Atlanta looked for a late equalizer. However, the cross was caught by Mercado. OCB cleared the ball downfield, keeping it in the Atlanta half until the final whistle blew, claiming all three points with a 3-2 win.

The hosts dominated the game statistically, with more shots (20-5), shots on target (6-3), corner kicks (10-0), and passing accuracy (88.6%-72%). However, too many of their shots were off target or straight at Mercado, enabling the first-time OCB goalkeeper to make easy stops.

This is the third consecutive year that OCB has begun its season with three points. The Young Lions beat Chicago Fire FC II 2-0 to open the 2022 campaign, Philadelphia Union II 3-1 last year, and topped Atlanta United this afternoon. It’s a strong start to a season in which the Young Lions hope to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year and the third time in their history.


The team will stay on the road and have a short week, traveling to face Huntsville City FC Friday night. Then OCB will return to Central Florida for its home opener on April 2 against another rival, Inter Miami CF II.

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Orlando City B

Orlando City B Announces Roster Ahead of 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Season

Here are the players and assistant coaches who will try to help the Young Lions return to the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs in 2024.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Orlando City B has announced the roster of players who will compete for the Young Lions during the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season, which kicks off tomorrow at Atlanta United 2. First-year Head Coach Manuel Goldberg will have a mixture of academy and MLS NEXT Pro contract players — along with unrostered guys loaned down from the first team — to deploy as the Young Lions look to return to the playoffs in their third season in the league.

Seven players return from last year’s roster that reached the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs for the first time, including defenders Nabi Kibunguchy, midfielders Imanol Almaguer and Jhon Solis, and forward Wilfredo Rivera. Defender Zakaria Taifi, who was on an academy deal in 2023, signed a two-year MLS NEXT Pro contract with OCB on Tuesday after appearing in 23 games with 10 starts a year ago.

The new guys include forward Yutaro Tsukada, one of Orlando City’s first-round picks in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft in December. Tsukada’s signing was announced earlier today. Another new face is forward Yeiler Valencia, who arrives on a one-year loan deal from Once Caldas in Colombia and has made 15 appearances in that country’s top flight, scoring one goal in 2023. Defender Manuel Cocca arrives from SD Tarazona in Spain, where he made 15 appearances and recorded three assists in the third division. Cocca signed a one-year MLS NEXT Pro contract with OCB, with option years in 2025 and 2026.

“The start of a new season is always exciting with the prospect of what lies ahead and what can be accomplished, and this year is no different,” Orlando City Vice President of Soccer Operations and Technical Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “With what Orlando City B was able to achieve last season, setting new club records and qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in club history, we’re excited to continue building on last season’s success, continuing to develop quality players and prepare the future of the first team.”

Goldberg’s assistant coaching staff is also set for 2024 with the additions of Assistant Coach Julian Vergara and Strength and Conditioning Coach Andres Gonzalez. Both were previously academy coaches who have been promoted from within. They join returning Goalkeepers Coach Marcos Machado and Athletic Trainer Sergio Valverde on Goldberg’s staff.

Players on the first team likely to spend significant time with OCB in 2024 include Homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero, draft picks Jack Lynn, Shak Mohammed, and Jeorgio Kocevski, defenders Alex Freeman, Tahir Reid-Brown, Thomas Williams, and Abdi Salim, and midfielder Favian Loyola.

2024 OCB Roster

Does not include first-team players who are eligible to be loaned to the MLS NEXT Pro squad.

Jersey No.NamePos.Contract
32Wilfredo RiveraFMLS NEXT Pro
34Yutaro TsukadaFMLS NEXT Pro
48Diego ParejaMFMLS NEXT Pro
49Jhon SolisMFMLS NEXT Pro
53Imanol AlmaguerMFMLS NEXT Pro
54Nabi KibunguchyDMLS NEXT Pro
56Colin GuskeMFAcademy
59Justin EllisFAcademy
61Yeiler ValenciaFMLS NEXT Pro
62Thomas BoweMFAcademy
64Manuel CoccaDMLS NEXT Pro
91TJ JeffreysGKAcademy
96Zakaria TaifiDMLS NEXT Pro
97Majed AbjullahFAcademy
99Carlos MercadoGKMLS NEXT Pro

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