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Embarking on their sixth road game of the 2016 Major League Soccer campaign, Adrian Heath’s Orlando City SC travel to New York City FC’s Yankee Stadium home for the second time already this season.
Having already claimed a 0-1 victory in the Bronx back in March, perhaps this is the best time to be facing Patrick Vieira’s side with NYCFC having lost by an utterly humiliating 0-7 to cross-river rivals New York Red Bulls in their last game.
In a busy period of the season, earning three point hauls in quick succession can really catapult sides up the tight Eastern Conference so Adrian Heath‘s team will have this in mind in their first double gameweek of the season so far.
Heading into this encounter, Orlando City SC have already faced their expansion rivals New York City FC on FOUR occasions in MLS to date with the Lions having come out on top in TWO of the last THREE head-to-heads.
2015/16 head-to-head stats
New York City FC supporters must absolutely loathe the sight of our goalscoring machine Cyle Larin!
The Canadian international has scored in THREE of his last FOUR appearances against NYCFC, racking up SIX goals in the process.
Boasting a decent record against New York Red Bulls as well, everything Larin touches seems to turn to gold when in New York!
Orlando City SC‘s ONLY clean sheet so far this season, Joe Bendik was superb the last time Orlando City SC travelled to face New York City FC.
The game in which the American stopper started to silence his early critics, Orlando City SC managed to successfully defend Cyle Larin‘s seventh minute opener for over 80 minutes.
New York City FC 0 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – March 18, 2016 (Credit: New York City FC)
We’re pretty sure everybody connected with the Lions will take that scoreline again even though it got incredibly nervy in stages on that March evening!
Although New York City FC are yet to register a goal against the Lions this term, both David Villa and Mix Diskerud managed to bag two each over last season’s THREE head-to-heads.
New York City FC 5 Orlando City SC 3 – Highlights – July 26, 2016 (Credit: SOSO STUDIOS)
With David Villa having quickly gotten out of the traps yet again this term with eight MLS strikes to his name so far, his threat is obvious.
That said, Tommy Redding marshalled the Spaniard incredibly well the last time Orlando City SC were at Yankee Stadium in March so we have hope!
As already discussed, out of the FOUR meetings between the expansion rivals in Major League Soccer to date, Orlando City SC boast the edge.
Having achieved their two victories over New York City FC in October 2015 and March 2016, these were on the last TWO occasions the sides have met.
Therefore, Orlando City SC will be hoping to complete a fine hat-trick to further underline our superiority in this expansion rivalry.
Orlando City SC form
When on the road, Orlando City SC don’t enjoy the most handsome of records.
Everybody knows that we’ve struggled to keep clean sheets so far this 2016 campaign but this really needs to improve so we aren’t so reliant on Cyle Larin and co to continue outscoring the opposition.
Conceding AT LEAST TWO GOALS in our last FOUR away MLS fixtures, Orlando City SC will have to be on their mettle to ensure they don’t suffer a backlash from New York City FC who will be hurting after their thumping 0-7 loss to New York Red Bulls.
- April 8th 2016 – Philadelphia Union 2 Orlando City SC 1
- April 24th 2016 – New York Red Bulls 3 Orlando City SC 2
- April 30th 2016 – New England Revolution 2 Orlando City SC 2
- May 15th 2016 – Sporting Kansas City 2 Orlando City SC 1