MELBOURNE, Fla. (May 5, 2016) – Following a weather delay of over two hours, Orlando City B (2-5-1, 7 points) fell 3-1 to FC Cincinnati (4-2-1, 13 points). Bryan Róchez scored the lone OCB goal in the 52nd minute.
“I’m disappointed because I didn’t think we deserved to lose the game to be honest, I thought a draw probably would’ve been the fair result on the balance of play,” OCB Head Coach Anthony Pulis said. “I thought they had some good opportunities and I thought we played some good stuff. I said to the guys at halftime, ‘the only way we are concede a goal tonight is from us making a mistake,’ and unfortunately, if you defend the way we defended in the second half, you are going to lose games of football. Individual errors have cost us dear tonight.”
Former University of Central Florida attacker Hadji Barry created the goal when he dribbled in from the right wing and was taken down in the box for a penalty kick. Róchez lined up to take the penalty kick, sending FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt the wrong direction. It was the Honduran’s second goal of the season.
FC Cincinnati responded just five minutes later when Kenny Walker blasted a shot from 25 yards to tie the game. Cincinnati extended their lead in the 78th minute when Sean Okoli scored a penalty kick. OCB goalkeeper Mark Ridgers was forced to make a tackle in the box and earned a straight red card in the 76th minute. Pulis exchanged Róchez for goalkeeper Jake Fenlason, who made his first appearance for OCB, in the 77th minute. Cincinnati extended their lead in the final seconds of the match when recently substituted Eric Stevenson drove home a shot.
It was an eventful second half that followed a scoreless first half. Marius Obekop created several chances in the first half. He took a strong left-footed strike in the 25th minute and again in the 36th. OCB’s best opportunity of the half came in the 42nd minute when Mikey Ambrose worked the ball up to Hadji Barry on the left wing. Barry worked off two defenders and crossed to Obekop, who was unmarked outside the box, but Obekop’s shot was blocked on its way to goal.
The solid play of goalkeeper Ridgers kept the score level in the first half. The Scott made several saves, including a diving save in the 21st minute on a right-footed shot from the edge of the box. Ridgers was called into action again in the 45th minute when a lofting cross threatened the goal, forcing the 25-year-old goalkeeper to punch it away.
Scoring Summary:
OCB - Bryan Róchez (PK) 52’
FCC - Kenny Walker (Corben Bone) 57’
FCC - Sean Okoli (PK) 78’
FCC - Eric Stevenson (Omar Cummings) 90 (+2)’
Misconduct Summary:
OCB - Marius Obekop (Yellow Card) 44’
FCC - Harrison Delbridge (Yellow Card) 72’
OCB - Mark Ridgers (Red Card) 76’
OCB - Mikey Ambrose (Yellow Card) 89’
OCB - Craig Nitti (Yellow Card) 90’
FCC - Corben Bone (Yellow Card) 90’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City B - GK Mark Ridgers, D Tyler Turner, Kyle McFadden, Craig Nitti, Mikey Ambrose, M Richie Laryea (Johnny Mendoza 75’), Andrew Ribeiro (Michael Cox 80’), Tony Rocha, Marius Obekop, F Bryan Róchez (Jake Fenlason 77’), Hadji Barry
Substitutes: M Lewis Neal, Pierre Da Silva, F Keegan Smith
FC Cincinnati - GK Mitch Hildebrandt, D Pat McMahon, Harrison Delbridge, Tyler Polak (Derek Luke 74’), M Ross Tomaselli (Omar Cummings 63’), Paul Nicholson, Corben Bone, Kenny Walker (Eric Stevenson 87’), F Jimmy McLaughlin (Antoine Hoppenot 90’), Andrew Weideman, Sean Okoli (Luke Spencer 83’)
Substitutes: GK Dallas Jaye, Evan Lee
Details of the Game
Time: 9:50 p.m. ET
Weather: Thunderstorms
May 4, 2016
Attendance: 787
Stats:
Shots:
OCB - 7
FCC - 13
Saves:
OCB - 2
FCC - 1
Corners:
OCB - 3
FCC - 7
