Orlando City B made things far more difficult on itself with a winless streak that never seemed to end. For weeks, it appeared to be a forgone conclusion that Orlando would attain a spot in the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs. An eight-game winless streak (0-7-1) and five-game losing streak later, the season was in the balance, but OCB stepped up with a 2-0 win against Bethlehem Steel FC in the regular-season finale to gain the necessary points for a No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Orlando certainly has some individual talent, and now that the postseason is here, it will need to coalesce into a united group if it is to overcome a massive test in the conference quarterfinals.

2016 USL Playoffs: Quarterfinal matchup:
No. 8 Orlando City B at No. 1 New York Red Bulls II – Sunday, Oct. 2, 4 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena

2016 USL regular season:
Records:
Overall: 9-13-8 (35 points) | Home: 4-5-6 (18 points) | Road: 5-8-2 (17 points)

Goals For: 35 | Goals Against: 49

Leaders:
Goals: 1. Michael Cox 11; 2. (tie) Hadji Barry, Tyler Turner 4; 4. (tie) 4 tied with 2
Assists: 1. Pierre Da Silva 5; 2. Michael Cox 3; 3. 5 tied with 2
Saves: 1. Mark Ridgers 106; 2. Earl Edwards Jr.; 3. Jake Fenlason 2

Clinched its postseason … Sept. 25; clinched with a 2-0 win against Bethlehem Steel FC

Defining moment: The expansion side’s first significant win of the season was its 2-1 victory against the defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos on May 22 at the Titan Soccer Complex. It was a breakout game for Hadji Barry who scored his first two goals for OCB, one a few minutes before halftime and the other in the 57th minute to give the host side a 2-0 lead. Rochester would convert a late penalty kick through Steevan Dos Santos, but the Rhinos would not get any closer. The Lions had a strong match overall and attacked well in the final third, creating a number of set-piece chances as well.

Three keys to a championship run:
1. Creating through Da Silva: Midfielder Pierre Da Silva naturally grabbed some attention with his U.S. youth national team track record, and early in the season he produced quickly on the professional front. In a three-game stretch from late May to mid-June, Da Silva recorded four assists and tallied a goal, all against teams that advanced to the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs. Da Silva is a confident presence on the ball and quite precise in his movement and passing. Da Silva is all about buildup, and rarely is the type to be playing nonchalant deep passes or shots. Da Silva leads OCB with his five assists to go along with two goals in 22 appearances.
2. Elder statesman: Lewis Neal’s roots go back to his days with the 2011 USL champion Orlando City SC side, so naturally the 35-year-old and his history will be a valuable commodity for a young OCB side. It was almost fitting that his tally in the regular-season finale against Bethlehem Steel FC served as a cherry on top. Neal will need to continue serving as the glue among this roster, and going up against the regular-season champion New York Red Bulls II, his presence will be even greater.
3. Rock-solid Ridgers: Among the field for the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs, Orlando has conceded more shots on goal than any other remaining club. Goalkeeper Mark Ridgers ended up leading the USL with 106 saves, and if not for his efforts, there is no chance Orlando would have enjoyed a postseason. Twice this season he has posted 10 saves in a game, including OCB’s quarterfinal opponent New York Red Bulls II.

QUOTABLE:
“I’m absolutely delighted for the players. They’ve worked so hard all year and they’ve been a fantastic group to work with. I’m just delighted that they got something to show for their hard work.” – Orlando City B Head Coach Anthony Pulis following the playoff-clinching win against Bethlehem Steel FC