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Having played against Jacksonville Armada in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in midweek, Orlando City SC are experiencing only their second double gameweek of the season so far.

Going up against Western Conference outfit San Jose Earthquakes at Camping World Stadium on Saturday evening, Dominic Kinnear’s side are travelling to Central Florida for the very first time.

With last season’s head-to-head taking place in California, the Quakes arrive in Orlando currently in sixth place (20 points) in the MLS Western Conference with the Lions in seventh place (16 points) in the Eastern Conference.

Achieving a dramatic last gasp equaliser to ensure a 2-2 draw away at New York City FC courtesy of Kevin Molino‘s acrobatics last time out, Saturday’s game will represent Orlando City SC‘s first Major League Soccer action in 21 days.

With the NYCFC result representing the SEVENTH league draw for Adrian Heath‘s Lions so far this term, everybody recognises the importance of picking up maximum points in home games from now in order to realise our MLS Cup play-off ambitions at the end of October.

So let’s do some number crunching while getting our teeth into all of the stats that matter heading into the Lions’ next battle.

2015 head-to-head stats

Even prior to Orlando City SC being introduced into Major League Soccer, the Lions still hadn’t faced San Jose Earthquakes on any other occasion before 2015.

Therefore, last season’s meeting at Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara on May 24th 2015 was the first time the two sides had faced one another.

That May meeting actually took place at Levi’s Stadium rather than San Jose Earthquakes’ regular Avaya Stadium home due to an agreement the Quakes had in place to schedule two of their 2015 regular season games at the bigger 68,500 capacity venue.

What the 36,224 spectators witnessed that day was an eventful 1-1 draw with the first major headline of the game being Brek Shea‘s red card dismissal in the 51st minute for a studs up challenge on Sanna Nyassi.

San Jose Earthquakes 1 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – May 24, 2015 (Credit: San Jose Earthquakes)

With Shea pleading that Nyassi made the most of it after the game, Orlando City SC defied the odds just 13 minutes later when Kaká slotted home a penalty to put the Lions 0-1 to the good before Quakes talisman Chris Wondolowski scored one of his own just four minutes later.

So with Orlando City SC having only played San Jose Earthquakes once in club history and scoring just the solitary goal against the men from California last season, Kaká could do with some company on this front come Saturday evening.

Orlando City SC form

We keep on saying it but every time Orlando City SC take to the field in Major League Soccer, we get goals and plenty of them!

Drawing 2-2 with Philadelphia Union at Camping World Stadium in the Lions’ most recent home fixture, this contributed towards Adrian Heath‘s side having now scored AT LEAST TWO GOALS in EIGHT of their last TEN home games.

Let’s just hope we can keep them out at the other end this time!

Completing that fine late comeback against New York City FC last time out at Yankee Stadium, that 2-2 result ensured that there have been OVER 2.5 GOALS scored in NINE of Orlando City SC‘s last TEN league fixtures.

This has to be one of the major reasons that Sky Sports are showing so many of the Lions’ fixtures right here in the UK, no?

New York City FC 2 Orlando City SC 2 – Highlights – May 29 2016 (Credit: New York City FC)

While our seemingly continuous run of home draws serve to frustrate a section of Orlando City SC supporters, the fact remains that the Lions are now undefeated in their last THIRTEEN home fixtures.

With New York Red Bulls STILL the last team to have beaten Adrian Heath’s men in Central Florida back in July 2015, Philadelphia Union were close to breaking that chain last time out at home so we must be wary!

San Jose Earthquakes form

The good news for Orlando City SC heading into this one is the fact that Dominic Kinnear’s San Jose Earthquakes are anything but regular goalscorers on their travels.

Located an incredible distance away from Central Florida of course, we all hope their long haul flight leaves them feeling drowsy with the Quakes having only scored TWO goals themselves across their last FOUR away fixtures in MLS.

• April 30th 2016 – Philadelphia Union 1 San Jose Earthquakes 1
• May 7th 2016 – Seattle Sounders 2 San Jose Earthquakes 0
• May 22nd 2016 – LA Galaxy 1 San Jose Earthquakes 1
• June 1st 2016 – Portland Timbers 1 San Jose Earthquakes 0

Portland Timbers 1 San Jose Earthquakes 0 – Highlights – June 1, 2016 (Credit: Portland Timbers)