Orlando City II claimed a 3-2 victory over Crown Legacy at Osceola County Stadium on Saturday night in their MLS Next Pro Group Stage fixture. The hosts took the lead through A. Mendoza in the fifth minute, but Crown responded with I. Haruna's goal before the break. The second half produced three more goals in quick succession, and Orlando held on despite an own goal from I. Gomez that briefly levelled the score.
Mendoza opened the scoring early, and by then the home side looked the more threatening. Haruna equalised for Crown in the 31st minute, but the momentum shifted after the interval. Belgodere put Orlando ahead again in the 46th minute, and Caraballo made it 3-1 just two minutes later. Gomez's own goal in the 54th minute gave Crown hope, but Orlando managed the game.
Substitutions came thick and fast in the second half. A. Mendoza and A. Subotic both came off in the 63rd minute, followed by M. Smalls at 64. Caraballo and N. Miller were replaced at 75, while N. Richmond joined the fray at the same time. M. Thomas came on at 87, and both Belgodere and Haruna were withdrawn in the 90th minute. T. Himes and A. Johnson picked up yellow cards late on.
Crown dominated possession at 52 per cent and registered 111 attacks compared to Orlando's 84. However, the visitors were wasteful with their chances, managing only three shots on target from 10 attempts. Orlando, by contrast, were more clinical with four shots on target from twelve, and here's the thing — they converted when it mattered. The statistics tell you nothing about how the game actually felt.
Orlando City II remain sixth in the table after 25 games, sitting on 38 points with 13 wins. Crown Legacy lead the division with 51 points from 18 victories. The result ended Orlando's run of poor form — they had lost their last four matches before this one. Crown's unbeaten streak continues, though they dropped points away from home for the first time in their last six outings.
