Orlando City B (4-4-4, 18 points) vs Chattanooga FC (6-2-5, 26 points)
When: Thursday, June 13, 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Osceola Heritage Park, Kissimmee, FL
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (Subscription Required)
Don’t Call It a Comeback
Orlando City B was pushed to its limits in last week’s 2-2 draw against Carolina Core FC. The Lions trailed 2-0 after just 17 minutes of play and went into halftime trying to find a response. It wasn't until the 72nd that OCB finally got on the scoreboard thanks to an Alex Freeman goal. Captain Imanol Almaguer would net the equalizer in the 86th minute to send the game to an end-of-regulation shootout, where the Lions won 6-5. The game matched the largest deficit overcome in a win or draw for the Lions since they came back from a 3-1 deficit in a 4-3 win over New York City FC II in August of 2023.
Last Time in Chattanooga
Orlando City B will host 2024 newcomers Chattanooga FC for the first time on Thursday, with the two teams having already met earlier this season in Tennessee. The Lions and Chattanooga played to a 1-1 draw on the day. OCB let up an early goal in the third minute of the match, but Shak Mohammed scored the Lions’ lone goal before halftime that would end up sending the matchup to the end-of-regulation shootout. Chattanooga took the tiebreaker 5-4 and snagged the extra point in the meeting.
Chasing the Leader
Despite playing in their inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season, Chattanooga FC is one of the premier teams in the league so far this season. The Tennessee-based side is currently tied at the top of the table of the Eastern Conference with 26 points. Both the Chattanooga attack and defense are some of the bests in the league. As a team, Chattanooga is tied for fourth in goals scored (23), tied for fifth in goals against (15), and has the third-best goal differential at +8. Chattanooga has also tallied 27 assists as a team and forward Taylor Gray leads the league with seven of his own.
Shak of All Trades
Orlando City B forward Shak Mohammed has been a do-it-all style player for the Lions this season, and a reason for optimism moving forward. His team-leading five goals puts Mohammed as a top-10 goal scorers in MLS NEXT Pro this season, while Mohammed ranks sixth league-wide with 14 of his 28 total shots being on target. Proving to be more than just a goal scorer, Mohammed’s passing has been a positive sign for the Lions. Despite not having an assist yet on the season, Mohammed still ranks second among players with 10 or more games played in passing accuracy, completing 93.5% of his passes.
