Team back on the Osceola County Stadium pitch Sunday at 6 p.m.
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Orlando City B’s Jack Lynn (27) heads a shot on net in the team’s 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire II Saturday at Osceola County Stadium. The team hosts New York City FC II on Sunday at 6 p.m. PHOTO/ORLANDO CITY B VIA THE MANE LAND
Orlando City B, the training club for the Orlando City Soccer Club playing in the MLS NEXT Pro League, will play its 2022 season at Osceola County Stadium, with fans.
The team played its first match with a crowd Saturday against the Chicago Fire II, a 2-0 win. Jack Lynn, a 2022 MLS SuperDraft selection, scored both goals assisted by captain Wilfredo Rivera. Orlando City Academy product Javier Otero had the shutout in goal thanks to nine saves.
“We’re happy to win. We’re happy because our players, our young players especially, had their first experience in a professional league and also because of the performance of the players who come from the First Team,” Orlando City B Head Coach Martín Perelman said. “But, of course, we have a lot to improve. We made mistakes, the game was without balance and we didn’t like that. But, ok, it’s the first game and it’s good to start winning for the kids. They made a big effort so we’re happy for them.”
The team will be back in action at home Sunday at 6 p.m. against New York (NYCFC) II.
While the Orlando City Soccer Club training facility — a total remake of the once-baseball facility — opened in January 2020, the plan was for its minor-league feeder team to play games in the nextdoor stadium. COVID-19 halted that.
Saturday, the Orlando City B starting lineup featured six products out of the Orlando City B Academy — which trains daily at the Kissimmee training site — including Homegrown signees Alex Freeman and Rivera, as well as Otero, defender David Boccuzzo, and attackers Moises Tablante and Gonzalo Agustoni-Chagas.
The rest of the Orlando City B home schedule:
April 24 (Sun), New England Revolution II; May 21 (Sat), Inter Miami II; May 29 (Sun), FC Cincinnati 2; June 4 (Sat), NYCFC II; July 10 (Sun), Miami; July 24 (Sun), Philadelphia Union 2; Aug. 17 (Wed), Rochester FC; Aug. 20 (Sat), Columbus Crew 2; Aug. 29 (Mon), Cincinnati; Sept. 18 (Sat), Toronto FC II.
Fans can watch every game of the MLS NEXT Pro inaugural season online via live stream on www.mlsnextpro.com.
The Lions have been placed in the Central Division, alongside Chicago Fire FC II, FC Cincinnati 2, Columbus Crew 2 and Inter Miami CF II. A total of eight teams, four from each conference, will qualify for the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs at the end of the season.
