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After a hugely exciting off-season with multiple new arrivals at Orlando City Stadium, heads are down at Orlando City SC right now.
Winless in our first three fixtures of the 2018 Major League Soccer season, early pressure is mounting on Jason Kreis with the Lions only earning a single point with plenty of work to do.
Although injuries, suspension and integrating many new signings are all factors that Orlando City SC have had to contend with, you’d still expect more out of a talented roster – especially against weaker MLS sides D.C. United and Minnesota United.
But what’s done is done and following our 2-0 defeat at New York City FC prior to the recent international break, Orlando City SC now face a crucial two-game home streak starting with New York Red Bulls.
With the Lions completing a trade for their captain Sacha Kljestan this winter, the 32-year-old will know Red Bulls as good as anybody while Carlos Rivas and Tommy Redding are now on the roster of the opposing side.
Also returning is former Lion Aurélien Collin who made 30 MLS appearances for Orlando City SC between 2015 and 2016.
Still coached by Jesse Marsch who has just entered his fourth season in charge of New York Red Bulls, the New Jersey-based franchise have began 2018 with a 4-0 win over Portland Timbers, a 1-0 loss at Real Salt Lake and a 3-0 win against Minnesota United.
One of the most decorated sides in Major League Soccer, New York Red Bulls are still yet to claim the holy grail of an MLS Cup title but are regular participants in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Boasting the formidable goalscoring abilities of Bradley Wright-Phillips, Orlando City SC will want to avoid Carlos Rivas returning to haunt us while new boy Alejandro Romero Gamarra, otherwise known as ‘Kaku’, is adjusting well to his new life in MLS.
Looking back at the last three head-to-heads, Red Bulls pip Orlando City SC by two victories to one.
2015/17 head-to-head stats
A heated encounter and a game in which many Orlando City SC supporters would have been snarling at their screens and Sacha Kljestan in particular, it’s funny how he’s now a Lion.
Part of our dismal run at the back end of 2017, a Léo Pereira own goal and strikes from Bradley Wright-Phillips and Sean Davis turned the game for the hosts following Carlos Rivas‘ 18th minute opener.
This game will be remembered for the action that took place deep into stoppage time however.
Referee Jorge Gonzalez handed a controversial red card to Kaká after Video Action Replay review when the Brazilian jokingly put his hands around former City defender Aurélien Collin‘s mouth from behind.
New York Red Bulls 3 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – August 12, 2017 (Credit: New York Red Bulls)
Orlando City SC lag behind in this game series with New York Red Bulls winning FOUR of the SEVEN MLS head-to-heads so far.
Having made three MLS trips to Central Florida thus far, things have steadily gotten worse for Jesse Marsch’s side with Red Bulls winning 0-2 in 2015, drawing 1-1 in 2016 and losing 1-0 thanks to a rare strike from Servando Carrasco last term.
Orlando City SC 1 New York Red Bulls 0 – Highlights – April 9, 2017 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
Orlando City SC‘s recent home form really doesn’t make for good reading!
Beginning 2017 with five straight victories in our brand new Orlando City Stadium home, that is now a distant memory with the purple palace anything but a fortress at the moment.
Failing to win TEN of our last ELEVEN home fixtures in Major League Soccer, this situation needs improving drastically if we are to stand any chance of making the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Orlando City SC 1 Minnesota United 2 – Highlights – March 10, 2018 (Credit: Soccer Highlights)
New York Red Bulls form
The bad news for Orlando City SC heading into this one is that New York Red Bulls are particularly handy on the road.
Winning THREE of their last FOUR away fixtures in Major League Soccer, these victories came at Toronto FC (0-1) and Chicago Fire (0-4) in the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, plus a 1-2 victory over rivals D.C. United in October 2017.
Scoring just twice so far this season, things won’t get any easier for Orlando City SC with New York Red Bulls boasting a locked down back line.
Red Bulls have kept a clean sheet in FIVE of their last EIGHT Major League Soccer fixtures so when chances present themselves, the Lions will need to be clinical against Luis Robles.