Orlando City B (7-7-3, 26 points) at New England Revolution II (6-4-5, 27 points)
When: Sunday, July 2, 3:00 p.m. ET
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
TV: Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (subscription required)
Opening the Scoring Account
In the 84th minute of last Sunday’s match against Carolina Core FC, forward Thalles marked his return to the pitch with his first career goal for Orlando City B, his first appearance since April. The goal all but sealed the victory for the Lions. After slipping behind the Core FC defense, Thalles received a perfectly timed through ball from defender Jackson Platts. He then dribbled past two defenders and calmly slotted a low-driven shot into the bottom left corner for OCB’s third goal of the night. Since joining the team in February, the Brazilian international has made six appearances and now has a goal to his name.
A MASS-ive Matchup
Orlando City B and New England Revolution II have already faced off once this season, with OCB earning a 1-0 win at Osceola County Stadium in early April. This time, the Lions travel to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts for the second and final meeting between the sides in 2025. With just one point separating the two in the Eastern Conference standings, the stakes are high. A win for OCB would not only complete a season sweep of Revs II but also move them ahead in the standings and secure their first-ever road victory against New England.
Brick Wall
Through the 2025 regular season, goalkeeper Carlos Mercado has been a standout performer for Orlando City B. Despite appearing in just 13 of the team’s 17 matches, he is tied for second in MLS NEXT Pro with 70 saves. That total matches Pedro Cruz of Houston Dynamo 2, who has played two more games, puts Mercado just one save behind league leader Eldin Jakupović of Chattanooga FC, who has played four more matches. The pair will face off next week at MLS NEXT Pro’s Goalie Wars. Mercado has been especially dominant in recent weeks, recording 30 saves over OCB’s last three games. The Texas native posted double-digit saves in two of those outings, including a career-high 12 stops against Philadelphia Union II on June 30.
Finding His Form
Forward Justin Ellis has hit a rich vein of form, recording back-to-back braces for Orlando City B. On July 6 against Crown Legacy FC, Ellis opened the scoring in the 30th minute and later converted a penalty to send the match into a shootout, where OCB secured the extra point. He followed that performance with another two-goal outing in the win over Carolina Core FC, once again striking early and adding a second from the penalty spot. The 18-year-old now has seven goals in the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro regular season, tying him with First Team midfielder Shak Mohammed for the club lead.
