Orlando City B has climbed the USL standings into playoff position in the Eastern Conference. The team is riding a Club-record nine game unbeaten streak and, after last night’s convincing 3-0 victory over Ottawa, is playing its best soccer of the 2017 season.
OCB hasn’t lost a match in nearly two months. Squad rotation and player turnover during that span has given younger players the opportunity to step up; and First-team players the chance to play significant minutes in USL competition.
“When you look at our situation, we have players coming in and out of the MLS roster on a weekly basis which is something we’ve had to adapt to and deal with,” OCB head coach Anthony Pulis said. “Those MLS guys that are coming across and playing with us a little more regularly now have been around our guys more in training and in games,” he continued. “You get to know people’s tendencies, how they want to play, and their strengths and weaknesses. I think you’re seeing that now, and the fruits of it.”
Players such as Pierre Da Silva and Hadji Barry have meshed into an OCB squad also featuring more experienced players like Lewis Neal, Seb Hines and Earl Edwards Jr. This complementary balance of established OCB squad players and First-team players has been a large part of the team’s success during a critical stage of the season.
Another a large part of the success: team defense. Pulis reinforced his team’s unerring defensive commitment in his post-match press conference -- he spoke about attention to detail while defending all areas of the pitch and how that has been the difference in getting positive results.
Strong individual performances haven’t gone unnoticed, though, as goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. praised veteran defender Seb Hines after the win on Wednesday:
“Being a MLS guy and coming down and playing in USL games, I think he’s doing everything people would expect him to do and more. To [score a goal] today then help us get a shutout, I think he’s been a huge part of our nine game unbeaten streak and he’s been proving himself.”
Seb Hines and red-hot OCB suit up again this weekend in a clash with the Eastern Conference leaders, Charlotte Independence.
