ORLANDO, Fla. (April 25, 2017) – Following its first road win of the season, Orlando City B (2-3-2, 8 points) returns home to face Saint Louis FC (3-2-1, 10 points) on Thursday, April 27. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium.
The match will be streamed online at www.OrlandoCitySC.com/LIVE.
Additionally, Orlando City has loaned goalkeeper Josh Saunders and defenders Seb Hines and Rafael Ramos to OCB for the season. The loans include Right of Recall, which allows free movement of the players in compliance with MLS roster regulations.
“Saint Louis is a gritty, determined, dogged team. They have a very experienced coach in Preki, and he’s put together virtually a brand new roster this year. They’ve got some really talented players,” Head Coach Anthony Pulis said. “They work very hard for Preki. Well organized, disciplined, so we know it’s going to be - as all the games are in the USL - it’s going to be a difficult game for us.”
Thursday marks the first meeting between the two teams. Orlando City’s First Team scrimmaged and beat Saint Louis FC 3-1 on Feb. 28, inside its new downtown stadium.
OCB comes home after capturing four points in two games in Pennsylvania. The Lions first traveled to Harrisburg on Tuesday, April 18, where center back Zach Carroll equalized in the dying moments of the match with a shot inside the six-yard box. The goal was Carroll’s first professional goal.
After a few days back in Orlando, the Lions returned to the Keystone State to face Bethlehem Steel FC on Sunday. Behind five huge saves from goalkeeper Earl Edwards, Jr., and Richie Laryea’s brace, the Lions secured all three points in the 2-0 win. Laryea, the Club’s first-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, started his memorable evening when he fired home a powerful shot from the penalty spot in the 49th minute. The First Team midfielder then finished off the match 22 minutes later with a right-footed strike into the side netting.
Veteran captain Lewis Neal returned to the starting XI over the weekend, while both Albert Dikwa and Austin Martz recorded their first assists for OCB against Bethlehem. Six different Lions have accounted for the team's nine goals this season. Pierre Da Silva is tied at the top of the league with four assists and Edwards Jr. leads the United Soccer League (USL) with 22 saves.
Saint Louis is coming off of a tough loss against Charlotte Independence. José Angulo opened the scoring five minutes in but Charlotte bounced back with two consecutive goals in the first half to win 2-1. Saint Louis has now dropped its last two matches after opening the season with 10 points in four games. Angulo and Christian Volesky lead the team with three goals each, while Devala Gorrick has recorded 20 saves in six matches.
Following Thursday’s match, OCB will have two weeks before they travel to Ohio to face FC Cincinnati on Saturday, May 13. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Nippert Stadium.
