Orlando City B got off to a rocky start in its first year in existence. But at the season’s midway point, things are looking up for the young Lions.
OCB, Orlando City’s United Soccer League affiliate, started out the season picking up just one point in its first four matches and only four through its first six. Since the start of May, however, OCB has been one of the hottest teams in the USL.
The Lions earned wins over Rochester, Charlotte and at Charleston, and have picked up points against Bethlehem (coming back from a 2-0 deficit) and New York Red Bulls II, who are second in the conference. All those teams are in the playoff picture.
They’ve come a long way since muddling around at the bottom of the table.
“Obviously we’re an expansion team, so that coming in none of us has played with each other. That’s what was happening in the first games of the season,” midfielder Tony Rocha said. “Now that we’ve played together for a while, we’ve been playing pretty well and getting great results.”
The team’s biggest improvement has been in the attack. Since scoring just five goals through their first six games – and two of those coming from right back Tyler Turner – OCB has scored at least two goals in seven straight games. 2016 MLS SuperDraft first-round pick and former UCF Knight Hadji Barry has torn up the USL, scoring four goals and two assists in just 537 minutes.
“We’re starting to understand what [OCB head coach Anthony Pulis] wants from us, each individual, and as a team,” OCB captain Lewis Neal said in early June. “We’re just getting that togetherness. The last few weeks’ performances have started to get a lot better.”
They’ve only continued improving since then. Save OCB’s stunning 4-3 loss to first-place-by-a-mile Louisville City, the Lions have won two of three and picked up seven points in that stretch.
Ant it’s not just the results that are improving. The group synergy has gotten noticeably better, and the youngest first-year pros seem to be adjusting nicely, too.
Since May 1, five players have scored their first professional goals and two more have scored their first with OCB.
“Now that we’ve been playing together, the team chemistry’s gone up,” said Rocha, who is in his second year in the USL. “That’s shown not only in my game, but in a lot of the other players on the field. [We’re] playing a lot better than [we] were at the beginning of the season.”
Through 15 games, OCB is 6-6-3 – good for 21 points and seventh in the East. They had a front-loaded home schedule, but faced some intense competition. With a win on Saturday in Melbourne, they can jump the Rhinos and catch Charlotte for fifth while moving within six points of second.
15 down. 15 to go.
