ORLANDO, Fla. (March 29, 2019) - Orlando City B will begin its United Soccer League (USL) League One season against FC Tucson on Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Montverde Academy.
Saturday’s match will serve as the first in USL League One for both clubs after each having previously played in USL at different levels.
Following a year-long hiatus, OCB returns to USL under the League One structure. The team will serve as the bridge between the First Team, the top of the Orlando City SC development pyramid, and the Academy. Tucson previously spent seven seasons in USL-PDL, moving up a division this year.
Head Coach Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita will serve at the helm for OCB after having spent three years as the head coach and director of methodology at the Soccer Institute of Montverde Academy (SIMA). He has previously served as head coach and technical director of FC Barcelona’s youth academy and professional futsal program and has spent time in the Serie A in Italy and the Superliga of Greece where he served as head coach of AC Cesena and Misano FC (Italy), and Pas Ioannina, Atromitos de Atenas, and CF Aris de Salonika (Greece).
OCB’s roster features 11 SIMA participants, alumnus, or former players of SIMA Aguilas of the Premier Development League. The 27 players on the roster range from the ages of 17 to 24, with the average age being 20.
Saturday’s match will be the first of three contests between OCB and Tucson this season. The Lions will travel to Kino North Stadium on Friday, May 31 and host Tucson once more on June 12 at Montverde Academy.
