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How good did it feel to get back to winning ways? After the pain of 68 long days without a single MLS victory, our 2-1 win over Toronto FC ended a desperate streak of nine consecutive league defeats.
With James O’Connor‘s side earning all three points in the Irishman’s first home game in charge, everybody connected with Orlando City SC is hoping this is the turning point in our season.
Despite Nick Hagglund’s last gasp consolation strike making the score more respectable for TFC, the Lions’ 2-1 victory was thoroughly deserved.
You could tell that James O’Connor has been working the roster hard on the training ground with renewed tenacity, hunger and determination clear for all to see at Orlando City Stadium.
Orlando City SC were also buoyed by Yoshimar Yotún‘s return with the Peruvian international influential in midfield following his appearances at this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Another special mention goes to Earl Edwards Jr. who was fantastic in only his second ever Major League Soccer start in place of Joe Bendik who James O’Connor dropped after a tough spell of games.
Now travelling to Ohio to take on Columbus Crew at MAPFRE Stadium, this 2-1 victory should hopefully boost our confidence ahead of facing one of the Eastern Conference’s stronger franchises.
With Gregg Berhalter at the helm since 2013, Columbus Crew have long been a solid outfit and despite only scoring 24 goals – three less than Orlando City SC – this season, their record of just 25 conceded leaves them fourth in the East.
Only losing twice at home so far this season, this fixture provides yet another huge test of Orlando City SC‘s mettle as we aim to prove we can still reach the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.
It will also be interesting to see whether Justin Meram plays any part in this fixture with the Iraq international serving Crew with such distinction for six years before his winter trade to Orlando City SC.
2015/17 head-to-head stats
No Orlando City SC supporter will remember the back end of 2017 fondly.
With Columbus Crew travelling to Orlando City Stadium twice within the space of just two months, the Ohio-based side won out 0-1 in the second encounter in our final home fixture of the campaign.
A drab affair in which a single second-half strike from Ola Kamara proved the difference, minds were elsewhere with qualification for the 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs long out of the question.
Facing Columbus Crew EIGHT times in Major League Soccer prior to this fixture, Gregg Berhalter’s side have enjoyed the better of this game series so far.
With FOUR victories to the Lions’ single triumph, our solitary win came back in our inaugural MLS season when a brace from Cyle Larin and rare strikes from Darwin Cerén, Aurélien Collin and Cristian Higuita completed a 5-2 victory at the Citrus Bowl.
With Crew defeating Orlando City SC twice last season, they will be favourites here but with James O’Connor recently on board, perhaps we can upset the form guide.
The first of those two defeats last season came in April 2017 when a brace from a certain Justin Meram condemned City to a 2-0 defeat at MAPFRE Stadium.
Columbus Crew 2 Orlando City SC 0 – Highlights – April 1, 2017 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Columbus Crew form
Looking back on Crew’s past FIVE Major League Soccer fixtures, The Black & Gold have involved in a series of THREE 0-2 / 2-0 defeats recently.
Defeated 0-2 by Atlanta United back on June 13th, this preceded a 2-0 loss at Los Angeles FC and a 2-0 loss at New York City FC last time out.
Boasting one of the stingier defences in all of Major League Soccer with just 25 goals conceded, it must be said that this trio of 2-0 defeats came against some of the most in-form sides around.
New York City FC 2 Columbus Crew 0 – Highlights – July 14, 2018 (Credit: New York City FC)
One of Columbus Crew’s bigger concerns has been the amount of goals scored (24) this season. After all, Crew have failed to score in their last TWO MLS fixtures.
Scoring the fewest amount of goals in the entire Eastern Conference, the fact they currently sit fourth is remarkable and a testament to their qualify defensive work under Gregg Berhalter.
While Gyasi Zardes is firmly near the top of the MLS Golden Boot race with 11 goals, Columbus Crew can no longer call on the prolific goalscoring abilities of Kei Kamara and Ola Kamara with The Black & Gold extremely reliant on Zardes’ productivity.
Orlando City SC form
With James O’Connor not even a month into his Orlando City SC tenure, the task of solidifying the Lions’ defence is a work in progress.
Being hard to beat is the foundation on which this Lions side needed to improve, especially considering the fact Orlando City SC have conceded AT LEAST 3 GOALS in our last FIVE away fixtures in MLS.
Los Angeles FC 4 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – July 7, 2018 (Credit: LAFC)
With capable goalscorers on our roster such as Dom Dwyer and Chris Mueller, keeping goals out has been the problem although City were just under a minute away from keeping a rare clean sheet over Toronto FC last weekend.