Orlando City B manage to get three points in their final road game of a three-game away stretch before returning home on July 1.

(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)

Match Recap

Orlando City B started their three-game road trip on a slow note, dropping two 1-0 losses to Canadian sides Toronto FC II and Ottawa Fury FC. But the United Soccer League Lions managed to escape with at least one win from their latest road trip, battling to a 1-0 win over the Rochester Rhinos (5-2-5, 20 points) at Capelli Sport Stadium Friday night.

OCB (5-6-4, 19 points) scored the lone goal of the match just before halftime behind midfielder Pierre da Silva’s league-leading sixth assist of the season. After an 18th-minute free kick from just outside the left part of Rochester’s box was cleared back to its departure point, da Silva aggressively dribbled toward the left end-line before nutmegging a Rhinos defender on his penetration move. From inside the box, da Silva sneaked a short, grounded cross into Fernando Timbó for a one-touch score, his first of the season.

Forward Albert Dikwa nearly doubled OCB’s lead in the 43rd minute when Rochester failed to clear the ball. After trying to center it from the left end-line, Dikwa gathered the deflected pass and blasted a right-footed attempt toward goal that ricocheted off the crossbar.

Rochester’s greatest chance for an equalizer came in the 72nd minute when the Rhinos’ Sofiane Tergou slotted a ball toward the middle of OCB’s box to Jordan Dover for a point-blank range shot that OCB goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. tipped over the top of his net. Edwards Jr. finished his night with two saves.

Man of the Match: Pierre da Silva

Not only was da Silva instrumental in OCB’s go-ahead goal, as he delivered the assist, but the 18-year-old was also a defensive stalwart. In addition to his assist, da Silva also recorded four tackles, drew five fouls and completed 68.4 percent of his 19 passes.

What’s next?

OCB will next host FC Cincinnati on July 1.

Highlights

18′ | GOOOAAAALLLL!!!! Pierre Da Silva works absolute magic and serves up a sweet pass to Timbo for a sitter. 0-1 | #ROCvORL pic.twitter.com/6WWJuGrf03 — Orlando City B (@OrlandoCityB) June 23, 2017

So smooth from @PierreDasilva11 to feed Timbo. 👌 pic.twitter.com/b4N1RBEPNU — Orlando City B (@OrlandoCityB) June 23, 2017

43′ | Dikwa almost makes it a second! The bar is probably still shaking. 0-1 | #ROCvORL pic.twitter.com/f11rnclbzY — Orlando City B (@OrlandoCityB) June 23, 2017

NDR Notes

Timbó scored his first goal of the season, his first for OCB, in the 18th minute of the 1-0 win over Rochester Saturday.

da Silva is now in a three-way tie for most assists with six in the USL. He is tied with Real Monarchs SLC’s Sebastian Velasquez and New York Red Bulls II’s Vincent Bezecourt .

and New York Red Bulls II’s . OCB center-back Seb Hinesre-injuring his right knee played his first 90 minutes since against TFC II on June 14.

Scoring

Time Team Goal-scorer Assisted by 18’ Orlando City B Fernando Timbó Pierre da Silva

Statistics and Starting Lineups

Goals Assists Shots Shots on Goal Possession % Rochester Rhinos 0 0 13 3 66.8% Orlando City B 1 1 7 2 33.2%

Rochester Rhinos starting XI (4-1-4-1): Tomas Gomez (GK); Ryan James, Ryan Felix, Joseph Farrell, Jordan Dover; Wal Fall; Sofiane Tergou, Kenardo Forbes (C), Mike Garzi, Stefan Defregger; Darius Madison

Orlando City B starting XI (4-4-2): Earl Edwards Jr. (GK/C); Scott Thomsen, Conor Donovan, Seb Hines, Jules Youmeni; Pierre da Silva, Fernando Timbó, Paul Clowes, Danny Deakin; Albert Dikwa, Joe Gallardo

For more on OCB as they head into their first game in July, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.