HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (March 22, 2024) – Orlando City B (1-0-1, 4 points) played to a 1-1 draw with Huntsville City FC (0-0-2, 2 points) on Friday night at Joe W. Davis Stadium, with the Lions taking the end-of-regulation shootout 4-3 to secure the extra point on the night.
The hosts opened up the scoring on the night in the 26th minute behind a goal from Joel Sangwa on a corner kick header. The Lions would equalize just 10 minutes later when Academy forward Justin Ellis pressed the Huntsville backline and stole the ball, taking a touch and leveling things.
Numerous Orlando City Academy players marked milestones in the match, with Ellis scoring his first professional goal on his first start for Orlando City B, while midfielder Thomas Bowe also made his first start for the Lions and defender Jackson Platts made his professional debut as a second-half substitute.
Goalkeeper Carlos Mercado made two saves in the End-of-Regulation Shootout, while Manuel Cocca, Colin Guske, Yutaro Tsukada and Thomas Bowe with the final attempt all scored in the tiebreaker to push the Lions point total to two on the trip.
The Lions will next host intrastate foes Inter Miami CF II on Tuesday, April 2, at a location that will be announced shortly. That match will kick off at 6 p.m. ET.
Scoring Summary:
26’ Joel Sangwa (Brennan Creek) – HNT 1, ORL 0
The hosts took the lead midway through the first half off a set piece. Brennan Creek took the corner kick, sending a cross to the middle of the box in front of goalkeeper Carlos Mercado. Joel Sangwa lost his marker, coming free in the box, and headed it into the top left corner of the net for the night’s opener.
36’ Justin Ellis – ORL 1, HNT 1
The Lions equalized just 10 minutes later when Orlando City Academy forward Justin Ellis was pressing the Huntsville defense as they tried to build out. Ellis stripped the Huntsville defender of the ball and took it into the box, cut it to his left to fake out the second center back and fired it calmly into the net for his first professional goal.
Match Notes:
- The Lions went to their first End-of-Regulation Shootout of the year,
- Academy forward Justin Ellis scored his first professional goal on the night, leveling the match for the Lions in the 36th minute.
- Orlando City Academy players Thomas Bowe and Justin Ellis earned their first professional starts for Orlando City B, while Academy defender Jackson Platts made his professional debut as a second-half substitute.
- Goalkeeper Carlos Mercado made two saves in the End-of-Regulation Shootout, winning his first such tiebreaker as a member of Orlando City B.
- Head Coach Manuel Goldberg made four changes to his starting lineup from his side’s last match against Atlanta United 2, with Thomas Bowe, Justin Ellis, Tahir Reid-Brown and Zakaria Taifi all getting the start on the night.
