Bridgeview, Ill. (July 17, 2022) - Orlando City B (4-8-3, 17 points) came back from two goals down in the second half to earn all three points on the road in a 4-3 result against Chicago Fire FC II (4-8-4, 17 points) on Sunday night at SeatGeek Stadium.
Second-half substitute Favian Loyola recorded a brace on the night after being subbed on in the 59th minute. In just his third appearance with the team, Loyola made a massive impact in the comeback creating multiple chances for the Lions and being on the finishing end of two of them. Loyola recorded his first goal of the campaign in the 70th minute putting a rebound effort in the back of the net. The 17-year-old followed that up by scoring the leveling goal for Lions in the 83rd minute, helping push the team to find the winner.
Neicer Acosta found the winning goal and completed the comeback for his second goal of the campaign after he chipped the Fire goalkeeper on a rebound attempt. Acosta becomes the fourth player for the Club to score multiple goals this season alongside Jack Lynn, Moises Tablante and Loyola.
Lynn scored the first goal of the game after he sent an absolute rocket of a shot into the back of the net off a free kick from just outside the box. This was Lynn’s 12th goal of the campaign which puts him in second place for the MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot. Lynn also tallied his third assist of the year recording the helper on Loyola’s match-tying goal.
Scoring Recap:
19’ Jack Lynn - OCB 1, CHI 0
Jack Lynn opened the scoring after earning a free kick right outside the 18-yard box. Lynn then stepped up to the set piece and sent a missile of a shot into the right side of the net leaving the Fire goalkeeper no chance to get a hand to it.
35’ Victor Bezerra (Charlie Ostrem) - CHI 1, OCB 1
The Fire leveled the match after Charlie Ostrem got in behind the backline of the Lions and cut the ball right in front of the goal to a striding Victor Bezzerra who tapped it into the back of the net.
39’ Victor Bezerra (Josh Penn) - CHI 2, OCB 1
Bezerra notched his second goal of the game coming off of an indirect free kick. Josh Penn tapped the ball to Bezerra near the top of the box who smashed the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.
49’ Victor Bezerra (Sergio Oregel) - CHI 3, OCB 1
Bezerra completed his hat trick after retrieving the ball from Sergio Oregel in the box, turning and firing a low shot into the right corner of the net.
70’ Favian Loyola - OCB 2, CHI 3
Favian Loyola pulled one back for Orlando City B after a nice one-two play between the Lions in the box was saved by the Fire goalkeeper, but the ball fell to a falling Loyola who was able to do just enough to put the ball across the goal line.
83’ Favian Loyola (Jack Lynn) - OCB 3, CHI 3
Loyola leveled the match when he received the ball from Lynn on the right flank, ran at the defender, cut it to his left foot and slotted the ball into the corner of the net and past a diving Chicago goalkeeper.
90’ Neicer Acosta - OCB 4, CHI 3
Neicer Acosta sent a through ball to Loyola who found himself one-on-one with the Fire goalkeeper. The shot was saved, but Acosta continued his run and collected the rebound effort and calmly chipped it over the goalkeeper from outside the box to complete the comeback.
Match Notes:
- Favian Loyola scored his first two goals of the season and marked his first professional brace of his career. Loyola is now the second player this season to score two or more goals in a single game for the Lions, joining Jack Lynn who has done it three times this season.
- Lynn scored his 12th goal of the season and his 10th in the last nine games. The 12 goals are the second-most in all of MLS NEXT Pro behind two other players who have 13 goals scored.
- Lynn also recorded his third assist of the year, which is second-most on the team.
- Neicer Acosta scored the game winning goal for the Lions which is his second goal of the campaign and his second in the last three games played.
- Javier Otero returned to the starting XI and made eight saves extending his season total to 70 on the year, which leads all of MLS NEXT Pro.
- Victor Yan and Erick Gunera both started their 10th game of the season, joining six other players who have started at least 10 or more games for the Lions this year.
- This is the first time this year the Lions have battled back from two goals down and won the game.
- Head Coach Martín Perelman made three changes to his starting lineup from last week’s match against Inter Miami CF II.
Next Match: Orlando City B returns home to take on Philadelphia Union II on Sunday, July 24. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.
