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Falling to our nineteenth loss and twelfth consecutive away defeat at FC Dallas (2-0) last weekend, Orlando City SC supporters could be forgiven for wanting 2018 to be over with already.
However, the reality is that there are four more league fixtures remaining in this most bitterly disappointing of seasons, starting with another away test at Brad Friedel’s New England Revolution.
In truth, Orlando City SC enjoyed a positive first-half at Western Conference leaders FC Dallas last weekend with Mohamed El-Munir striking the post and Sacha Kljestan forcing a fantastic Jesse Gonzalez save from a 28th minute free-kick.
With Yoshimar Yotún also forcing Gonzalez into action with a strong volley from distance in the 36th minute, head coach James O’Connor agreed that “we were very unlucky not to score” in his post-match comments.
Now having clocked up 360 minutes (four games) without a single MLS goal however, Orlando City SC were made to pay for their lack of ruthlessness.
Holding out until just after the hour mark when Santiago Mosquera opened the scoring, a second quick-fire strike from Victor Ulloa just six minutes later took the game way out of the Lions’ reach.
This week, stand-in captain Sacha Kljestan admitted that Orlando City SC have “got to be a little bit more dynamic” referencing the fact that City currently lack personnel to help out Dom Dwyer in attacking areas.
Simply playing for pride for many weeks now, Orlando City SC need to train hard and use this game at New England Revolution as another opportunity to prove to the supporters, James O’Connor and themselves that they want to be remain at the club and achieve success next season.
The Lions face an attacking headache however with the club’s two recognised strikers Dom Dwyer (yellow card accumulation) and Stéfano Pinho (muscular injury) both missing this trip to Foxborough, Massachusetts.
2015/18 head-to-head stats
Representing one of of our four tied games so far this season, August 2018’s 3-3 draw at Orlando City Stadium was a nail-biting encounter until the very final seconds.
While Orlando City SC supporters were content with a draw given the way in which Scott Sutter broke Revs hearts with a 93rd minute equaliser, the huge regret is that we didn’t win this game and build a positive run thereafter with plenty of games left on the schedule
Home advantage has counted for very little in 2018 with Orlando City SC winning just three of our 15 home fixtures so far.
Considering how intimidating The Wall makes Orlando City Stadium for visiting opponents, the team need to match this energy and drastically improve their home form to stand any chance of reaching the post-season in 2019.
Orlando City SC 3 New England Revolution 3 – Highlights – August 4, 2018 (Credit: New England Revolution)
Eight games into this Eastern Conference game series, it’s all square between New England Revolution and Orlando City SC to date.
With Scott Sutter‘s last gasp equaliser in August only just forcing the fourth draw between the pair, both sides will look back on 2018 with their fair share of regret following positive starts.
A striker with a keen eye for a goal if not prolific, Teal Bunbury has enjoyed facing Orlando City SC over the past year or so.
Adding insult to injury with a fourth in a rampant 4-0 victory for the Revs at Gillette Stadium in September 2017, the 28-year-old also scored what he thought was a winner in that topsy turvy 3-3 draw back in August.
Currently on eleven goals for the season, Bunbury has enjoyed a positive season on a personal note.
Teal Bunbury goal vs Orlando City SC – Highlights – September 2, 2017 (Credit: New England Revolution)
New England Revolution form
We’re all too familiar with Orlando City SC‘s dismal league form but New England Revolution have been sliding down the Eastern Conference standings for some time too.
Experiencing his first season as a Major League Soccer coach, Brad Friedel’s side are currently enduring a really poor run of one victory in their last fourteen league fixtures.
Still not mathematically out of the reckoning to make the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, that looks very unrealistic with Montreal Impact and D.C. United battling it out for sixth place.
Orlando City SC form
As we alluded to at the outset, Orlando City SC‘s 2-0 defeat at FC Dallas now means the Lions have gone 360 minutes without a single goal in MLS!
James O’Connor‘s side last found the net back on September 1 when another last gasp Scott Sutter equaliser rescued a point against Philadelphia Union.
With just one victory in our last 12 league fixtures, Orlando City SC must try with all their might to muster another victory before 2018 is out for both player and supporter belief.
FC Dallas 2 Orlando City SC 0 – Highlights – October 6, 2018 (Credit: FC Dallas)