Orlando City B (4-3-3, 16 points) at Inter Miami CF II (4-4-2, 14 points)
When: Sunday, May 26, 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, FL
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (Subscription Required)
All-Around Contributions
Sunday’s matchup against Huntsville City FC saw the return of forward Yutaro Tsukada to the OCB lineup, and he picked up right where he left off. After spending time with the First Team, the rookie had an assist and goal in the 5-0 win, his second-straight MLS NEXT Pro match with two goal contributions. With four goals and four assists on the season, Tsukada is one of only six MLS NEXT Pro players to have contributed on at least eight of their teams’ goals.
An Even Rivalry
Orlando City B and Inter Miami CF II will continue their in-state rivalry, with one of the squads looking to pull ahead in the win column. The two sides have played seven times in MLS NEXT Pro play, with the squads both posting a 3-3-1 record. Sunday’s matchup will be the second time the two teams have met in 2024, with Miami getting the 2-0 win back in April. The loss was the first time since June 28, 2023, that the Lions have been kept off the scoreboard and only time OCB has been shutout this season. OCB currently leads Miami by two points for sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Life on the Road
Through their first 10 games of the season, the Lions have played away from Osceola County Stadium in seven of those matches. Six of their games have been on the road and the first “home” match against Inter Miami II earlier this season was played at IMG Academy as a neutral site matchup. Since starting MLS NEXT Pro play in 2022, OCB has picked up nine total wins away from home, including two wins outside of Osceola County Stadium already this season. The Lions will look to improve their 1-1-1 record at Chase Stadium this Sunday.
Perfectly Balanced
The Lions have found their stride on the offensive side of the ball. Since the start of May, the team has scored 11 of its 19 goals to date, including seven over the Club’s last two matches. The team’s scoring output has put OCB in a five-way tie for fifth most goals scored in MLS NEXT Pro. OCB has also picked up its defense, conceding only five goals over its last four games in May. The Lions sit near the middle of the leaderboard with 14 goals against them on the season, but their +6 goal differential is tied for third-best in the league.
