Deakin helps OCB draw rival Rowdies
An unlikely hero emerged for Orlando City B in a midseason rematch with the USL Lions’ I-4 rivals.
Midfielder Danny Deakin, who entered the game in the 82nd minute, scored a stoppage-time penalty kick to equalize for OCB (5-6-7, 22 points) during a 1-1 draw with the Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-5-7, 28 points) in front of 1,504 fans late Thursday night at Orlando City Stadium.
“I’m obviously proud of the players for the way they kept going. They didn’t give in,” OCB coach Anthony Pulis said. “Having said that, and I know this sounds strange … I’m really disappointed because I felt like there was a game there for the taking. I felt like it was another two points dropped because I felt like we controlled the game for long stretches.”
Midfielder Richie Laryea started the equalizing effort with a penetration move down the left flank into the box and was taken down by a Tampa Bay defender. That was Laryea’s fourth foul drawn.
“Richie found himself a little bit frustrated at times, and then, obviously, with the change we made, we moved him a little bit deeper, just to get some more attacking players on,” Pulis said. “And I thought he did a decent job when he played a little bit deeper. But he’s got that pace, he’s got that power. When he opens his legs and he runs at people, he’s very, very dangerous. And he drew the foul, and we’re obviously really pleased with him.”
Tampa Bay got on the scoreboard first with a21st-minute goal. The persistence of midfielder Joe Cole helped the Rowdies claim that early lead.
He was initially stopped and tripped up by an aggressive Seb Hines. After Hines stabbed away Cole’s initial effort, the ball was played back to Cole, who was still on the ground. The former Chelsea player popped up and slotted it to a cutting Martin Paterson, who took a left-footed strike to the upper-right corner for the 1-0 lead.
OCB managed more possession in the first half, owning the ball 58.3 percent of the time with five off-target shots. Tampa Bay’s chances were few, as the Rowdies managed just two shots with one on-target goal.
Pulis’ side had one of its best scoring chances in the 72nd minute when Rowdies goalkeeper Matt Pickens accidentally passed the ball to OCB forward Hadji Barry. The second-year Lion then penetrated the right part of Tampa Bay’s box, dribbled around some defenders and unloaded a shot that hit the side of the net.
Five minutes later, Barry attacked from the same spot, this time dishing the ball to team captain Lewis Neal. The 35-year-old then tried to one-time it past Pickens, but the ball was deflected for a corner kick that didn’t yield any scoring chances.
With seven minutes of stoppage time, OCB had another goal-scoring effort. During OCB’s final set piece just outside the top of Tampa Bay’s box, Timbó lurked alone on the left side and was given a pass that he struck with his left foot. The first-year OCB player’s attempt went wide right.
After Deakin’s equalizer for Orlando City B, Tampa Bay nearly stole the win in stoppage time after a foul outside the right part of OCB’s box. Orlando goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. fended off the first on-goal effort from the set piece and an offside call negated the would-be, go-ahead goal.
“I was just thinking, ‘Oh, my God. Is this really happening?’” Deakin said. “Yeah, I mean, I need to watch it back. I don’t know if they gave offside or whatever, but, yeah, I mean, it’d have been a cruel way to lose a game after just equalizing like that.”
Former Orlando City left back Luke Boden didn’t make an appearance for the Rowdies in his former club’s new stadium. All three substitutes for the Rowdies were used by the 79th minute when Cole was subbed off.
“I’d love for him to have played. Obviously, it was against his old team,” Neal said of his longtime friend. “You know, sure he’d have a point to prove coming back here. Not only that, but he’s not had a chance to play in the new stadium.”