MELBOURNE, Fla. – March 23, 2016 – Orlando City B will host the Wilmington Hammerheads FC for the club’s highly anticipated United Soccer League (USL) debut on Saturday evening at Eastern Florida State College’s Titan Soccer Complex.
Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets may be purchased at www.OrlandoCitySC.com/OCB or by calling 855-ORL-CITY.
“We’re really excited. It has been a long time coming, we’ve had a long nine-week preseason, the guys are chomping at the bit and I’m looking forward to the weekend,” said OCB Head Coach Anthony Pulis. “Wilmington are going to be a tough opposition. I’ve managed to watch a couple of their preseason games and they’ve definitely got threats. I think the important thing for our boys is definitely not to take it lightly, because it is quite easy to look at the table from last year and notice that they were at the bottom and think it’s going to be a walk in the park and an easy three points, but it’s going to be anything but that. They are going to be trying to spoil our party on our return to the USL, and we have to be ready for that.”
OCB, one of six teams joining USL for the 2016 season, will look to make a statement in the squad’s inaugural game. During a stellar preseason performance, the Lions showcased a dominant form on both sides of the ball – offensively proving its scoring capacity notching 14 goals and displaying its defensive solidity by registering four clean sheets and only allowing five goals in nine games played.
Saturday’s match will mark the first ever meeting between OCB and the New York City FC official affiliate, the Wilmington Hammerheads. However, during Orlando City SC’s years in USL Pro, both teams faced in nine occasions, with the overall results split equally, 3-3-3. During the four-year time frame, the Club notched a total of 18 goals and only lost once at home against the Hammers.
This matchup will feature the coaching debut of OCB’s head coach Anthony Pulis and Wilmington’s head coach Mark Briggs. Pulis played a significant role in the Lions’ championship seasons between 2012 and 2014, and then transitioned to become an assistant coach with both the first team and the Academy. Briggs was a standout with the Hammerheads in 2012 and 2013, appearing in 30 games as a midfielder.
Orlando City returns to the USL after dominating the league in its four-year span. From 2011 to 2014, the Lions set the U.S. record for best start of any professional soccer club in its first 100 USL matches (66-12-22), winning three regular season titles and two postseason championships.
Coming off a disappointing season, Wilmington will look to better last year’s results on the road, having registered two victories in 14 away games disputed. Wilmington ended the 2015 campaign at the bottom of the league with 19 points earned and 3-15-10 record. The Hammers will be commanded by former Wilmington midfielder, Head Coach Mark Briggs.
