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Following Orlando City SC‘s midweek 1-2 defeat against Seattle Sounders, James O’Connor‘s Lions now face their final home game of a bitterly disappointing 2018 campaign.
A season that promised so much but has ultimately delivered very little, the final visitors to Orlando City Stadium this year are Gregg Berhalter’s Columbus Crew.
This fixture is interesting for two reasons, the first being the likely return of the now infamous Justin Meram.
In August, the Iraq international was traded back to Crew in return for $750,000 in Targeted Allocation Money just six months after swapping Ohio for Central Florida.
Enduring a troublesome relationship with some Orlando City SC supporters in a hugely ineffective short spell as a Lion, Justin Meram will receive a frosty reception after appearing to quit on his team-mates prior to his exit.
The second reason this game is interesting is the fact Orlando City SC players, coaching staff and supporters should all have revenge on their mind.
Orlando City SC should positively channel this as their motivation after the way in which the Lions were robbed in a crushing 3-2 defeat at MAPFRE Stadium back on July 21.
With the Lions leading this game 1-2 after 80 minutes, Silviu Petrescu of PRO Referees was public enemy number one after handing an absolute farce of a penalty that Gyasi Zardes duly converted in the 88th minute.
Totally swinging the momentum of the game with a Wil Trapp thunderbolt stealing all three points at the death, Orlando City SC should be out to avenge this defeat that arguably killed all morale from that point.
With Crew striker Patrick Mullins tripping over thin air in the Lions’ penalty box rather than R. J. Allen who was falsely adjudged as the guilty party, all this drama provoked a good old fashioned Orlando City UK rant! Remember?
The morning after the night before… 😑
Still livid! 😡 My take on THAT penalty decision in @ColumbusCrewSC vs @OrlandoCitySC! 🏊♂️
The officials should hang their heads in shame… 🙈#CLBvORL #OCSC #MLS pic.twitter.com/ZPNJUzrHzs
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) July 22, 2018
With Lions supporters well within their rights to still feel hard done by at this incident, it will be up to the Orlando City SC players to perform and close out a poor home season with as much pride and dignity as possible.
2015/18 head-to-head stats
As mentioned at the outset, Orlando City SC‘s 3-2 defeat at Columbus Crew was extremely difficult to accept back in July.
While it’s true that there was plenty of fixtures remaining on the schedule following this defeat, you cannot underestimate what another win may have done for our squads’ belief at the time before embarking on the final third of the season.
With Orlando City SC earning a 2-1 victory over Toronto FC in James O’Connor‘s first home game in charge a game previous, another victory could’ve built real momentum at this point.
Columbus Crew 3 Orlando City SC 2 – Highlights – July 21, 2018 (Credit: Univision Deportes)
Look away now fellow Orlando City SC supporters because our Major League Soccer record against Columbus Crew isn’t pretty!
While the Lions have struggled against a wide variety of opponents since entering the league, Columbus Crew are particularly a bogey side.
Crew have won FIVE of the NINE head-to-heads contested so far with the Lions’ single MLS triumph over Gregg Berhalter’s men coming back in August 2015.
On this occasion, goals from Cyle Larin (x2), Darwin Cerén, Aurélien Collin and Cristian Higuita overcame the Ohio side 5-2 at the Citrus Bowl.
Worse yet, Columbus Crew have felt right at home when visiting Central Florida previously.
Undefeated in FOUR of their FIVE visits to the Sunshine State, Crew visited Orlando City Stadium twice in just under two months last season.
Earning a 1-1 draw in August 2017, the Black & Gold went one better in winning 0-1 on our home turf in a dead rubber of a game in October 2017.
Astonishingly, bottom-placed Orlando City SC have actually scored one more goal (40) than fifth-placed Columbus Crew (39) this season, underlining the importance of a solid defence.
Orlando City SC 1 Columbus Crew 1 – Highlights – August 19, 2017 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
Last winning an away MLS fixture way back on April 29 at Colorado Rapids, Orlando City SC have fared better at home but only minimally.
Drawing THREE of our last FIVE league fixtures at Orlando City Stadium, it’s been about playing for pride for weeks now.
The final opportunity to send Lions supporters into the off-season with some small shred of hope, let’s hope Orlando City SC can sign off with all three points here.
Columbus Crew form
Suitably rested having last tasted MLS action back on October 6 at Montreal Impact, that was a day to forget for Gregg Berhalter’s side.
Going down 3-0 at Stade Saputo thanks to an inspired performance from the Canadian side, fortunately for Crew this loss doesn’t look like proving fatal in qualifying for the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Montreal Impact 3 Columbus Crew 0 – Highlights – October 6, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)