The Orlando City Development Academy made history Monday night.

Faced with a must-win group stage finale, the City U-17/18s built a 2-0 lead and held on for the 2-1 win against the hometown Indiana Fire. David Loera scored his third goal of the playoffs in the second minute before Raul Aguilera’s blistering strike from 20 yards out secured passage to the knockout round for the first time in OCDA history.

“Really proud of the boys,” Academy Director and U-17/18s head coach David Longwell said. “They really took to the philosophy we implemented and they’ve improved a tremendous amount in the last 11 months.”

Nine points from three games, just two goals allowed and a SportsCenter Top 10-winning bicycle kick highlighted an unbelievable group stage for the City U-17/18s.

They won 13 of their last 14 matches – seven straight, including the playoffs – to earn the No. 2 national seed. “More than the wins, though, is how they’ve done it,” Longwell said. “Our boys played the football the way we taught them to and the individual development of the players has been fantastic.

“But it really has been a team effort, top to bottom,” he continued. “It’s been an 11-month season and the boys have really picked up the philosophy the entire staff has worked so hard to implement.”

Longwell pointed to the sense of togetherness that thrives at the Club’s training center in Sanford when he spoke about his team grinding out the victory on Monday.

“That’s something that begins with Jason Kreis, Bobby Murphy and the rest of the First Team staff and continues through with Anthony Pulis and the OCB coaches,” Longwell said. “They offer our players so many opportunities to practice with the pro teams and it does a lot to build the young boys’ confidence and development.”

Longwell credits U-15/16s head coach Max Rogers for his significant help this season, as well as Academy administrators Luca Baglioni and Nesta Murphy and athletic trainer Karyn Latore.

City will now face the Colorado Rapids in the knockout round on July 7. The match will be streamed on Facebook Live. Win that and the Lions go to the National Training Center in California for the Development Academy Championships.