ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City B’s offense, which tallied only once in two games to open the season, woke up in impressive fashion Tuesday at Orlando City Stadium. OCB scored three times en route to a 3-1 victory against Toronto FC II for the second-year side’s first win of the new campaign. Pierre Da Silva set up a pair of goals – Hadji Barry late in the first half and Lewis Neal early in the second half. Paul Clowes had the game’s first goal in the 18th minute for Orlando (1-2-0, 3 points). For Toronto (1-2-0, 3 points), Malik Johnson found an equalizer in the 30th minute, but the Reds were unable to follow up that effort in the attack, even with a man advantage for the final 20-plus minutes. Da Silva was sent off in the 69th minute, leaving the host side shorthanded down the stretch.

Scoring:
18’ – ORL – Paul Clowes
30’ – TOR – Malik Johnson
41’ – ORL – Hadji Barry (Pierre Da Silva)
51’ – ORL – Lewis Neal (Pierre Da Silva)

Three Things That Mattered:

• 1. Having scored only one goal in its first two matches, OCB was waiting for its attacking talent to break out a bit. Orlando’s second and third goals certainly spoke volumes with the buildups showcasing the talent on Orlando’s roster. In the 41st minute, Paul Clowes picked up the ball at midfield and dished to Richie Laryea, who probably deserved the most credit for his speed and ability to break down Toronto’s defense. He dished to Pierre Da Silva on the left of the box, Da Silva crossed back in and Hadji Barry had the easiest part with the tap-in finish for a 2-1 lead heading into halftime. Da Silva did the legwork for the 51st-minute goal from Lewis Neal, holding off his defender at the end line, providing a rolling cross to the edge of the six-yard area and Neal finishing top-shelf for the 3-1 lead.

• 2. Orlando’s three-goal effort ties a club high, marking the third time the organization has reached that scoring total. OCB’s offense hadn’t seen this type of jolt since a seven-game stretch from May 7-June 26 last year, when Orlando scored two or three goals in every match. That June 26 game, a 3-1 win at FC Montreal, was the previous time OCB recorded three goals in a match.

• 3. Coming off a deflating 4-0 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the TFC II defense certainly welcomed the return of captain Mitch Taintor with open arms. Toronto’s 2016 MLS SuperDraft selection missed the first two matches of this season because of a suspension that carried over from the 2016 campaign. His name was regularly in the fray as OCB’s attack was the stronger side from the opening whistle. Taintor’s frequent clearances subdued an active opening 15-minute stretch in the first half. His efforts, however, were not enough as Toronto conceded in the 18th minute and was unable to collectively slow down Orlando’s swift and well-spread attacking approach. Taintor would only play the first 45 minutes as he works his way back.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match:
Pierre Da Silva, Orlando City B – Da Silva notched his first two assists of the season, setting up Hadji Barry and Lewis Neal on either side of halftime to provide a two-goal cushion.

Upcoming Games:
Orlando City B vs. Charlotte Independence – April 8, 7:30 p.m. ET, Orlando City Stadium
Toronto FC II vs. Rochester Rhinos – April 7, 7:30 p.m. ET, Ontario Soccer Centre