Matchday 2 of the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season started off with a bang on Friday night with some thrilling Eastern Conference matchups.
Crown Legacy FC, Orlando City B and Chicago Fire II all earned victories and set the bar for the rest of the team's that have yet to play on Matchday 2.
Let’s take a closer look at Friday night’s action:
Crown Legacy FC (2) - FC Cincinnati (1)
Crown Legacy FC earned its first MLS NEXT Pro victory on Friday night with Brandon Cambridge stealing the show for Jose Tavares' side.
Cambridge scored twice in a nine-minute span to lead Crown Legacy FC to a 2-1 win over FC Cincinnati 2. Cambridge now has three MLS NEXT Pro goals as Crown Legacy FC has four points out of a possible six so far this campaign.
Cambridge’s first goal was a historic one in terms of the league’s history as the young Canadian scored the 900th goal in MLS NEXT Pro history. The 21-year-old forward got behind the FCC2 backline before unleashing a low shot which deflected into the top-left corner.
Crown Legacy FC doubled its lead in the 34th minute after winning possession at midfield. David Poreba played Cambridge upfield before he unleashed a left-footed shot into the bottom-left corner for a 2-0 lead.
Ryder Mills cut the FCC2 deficit to 2-1 in the 71st minute after finishing off a rebound from Jesus Castellano’s long-range shot.
However, Crown Legacy FC would hang on to pick up its first home win and hand FCC2 their first loss of 2023.
Orlando City B (2) - Huntsville City FC (1)
Orlando City made it back-to-back victories to start the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro season with Alex Freeman contributing his first two goals for the club.
Freeman scored twice in the first half as Martin Perelman’s side edged Huntsville City FC 2-1 at home. Kemy Amiche pulled one goal back for Jack Collison’s squad in the second half but the expansion side could not avoid their first defeat.
Freeman was teed up at the top of the box in the third minute before drilling a low shot into the bottom-right corner. It was Freeman’s first professional goal for OCB.
After a cool finish early, Freeman raced behind the Huntsville City FC backline just before halftime before slotting home into the bottom-left corner for a 2-0 lead.
Huntsville City FC struck the crossbar in the 50th minute as the visitors continued to fight for a comeback result.
Kemy Amiche’s first goal of the season off a Nicky Law assist cut the visitors deficit to 2-1 after the hour mark. Amiche arrived in the box before volleying in Law’s cross with a clever back heel finish.
Javier Otero finished the match with four saves as OCB hung on for their first home win of 2023.
Chicago Fire II (2) - TFC II (0)
Chicago Fire II played the majority of Friday’s match against TFC II with 10-men, but it didn’t stop Ludovic Talliander’s squad from claiming their second victory of the season.
Eric Leonard and Charlie Ostrem scored three minutes apart as Fire II downed TFC II 2-0 at SeatGeek Stadium. Henrique Gallina was sent off in the 39th minute for a last man foul TFC II's Jesus Bernardez during a breakaway, but luckily for Gallina, his teammates delivered a strong second half.
Omari Glasgow, Luka Prpa, and Alex Monis all had good offensive looks in the first half but Luka Gavran was up to the task with a trio of key saves.
Leonard was substituted on at halftime and delivered the breakthrough goal only 10 minutes later. Prpa’s cross from a set piece was headed home by Leonard to give Fire II a 1-0 advantage. Ostrem doubled Fire II’s lead just three minutes later, drilling home in the box for a 2-0 advantage.
Jeffrey Gal did not have to make a single save as Fire II claimed their first clean sheet and second victory in a row.
TFC II suffered their second-straight defeat to start the new season.
