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After the heartbreak of suffering a last minute equaliser at Chicago Fire, James O’Connor‘s Orlando City SC return to Central Florida to take on Montreal Impact at Orlando City Stadium.
Still coached by former Aston Villa head coach Rémi Garde, Impact have won one and lost one of their first two league fixtures in a 2019 MLS campaign that’s seeing them start with six consecutive fixtures on the road.
Finishing just four points off 2018 MLS Cup qualification last season, the Canadian side have been tipped to improve in 2019 with a run of just four defeats in their final 14 league fixtures last term.
After a slow start, Rémi Garde managed to coax better performances out of Montreal Impact in the second half of last season with Impact still able to call upon influential talisman Ignacio Piatti plus fellow Argentine Maximiliano Urruti from FC Dallas.
Trading the harsh March temperatures of Quebec for the sun-kissed conditions of Central Florida, Orlando City SC will look to stifle their opponents from north of the border.
Throwing away a one-goal lead against 10 men at Chicago Fire, something described as “totally unacceptable” by James O’Connor at the full-time whistle, there was some room for encouragement in a game that lacked genuine quality.
Remarkably Orlando City SC‘s first away point in Major League Soccer since April 2018, the Lions midfield was energetic and combative, particularly the performances of Sacha Kljestan, Will Johnson and Jhegson Méndez.
With Nani and Dom Dwyer linking up well for Dwyer’s first goal of the season, Orlando City SC‘s battling performance should’ve stolen away all three points but a desperate defensive lapse at the end ultimately proved our undoing.
Those kind of individual mistakes must be stamped out throughout the course of the season if James O’Connor‘s side are to realise their ambitions.
2015/18 head-to-head stats
Orlando City SC last faced Montreal Impact back in June 2018 when Rémi Garde’s side took on the Lions for the second time within just 10 days.
Comprehensively defeating Orlando City SC 3-0 at Saputo Stadium on June 13, Impact rubbed salt in the wounds with another 0-2 clean sheet victory at Orlando City Stadium on June 23.
A seventh consecutive loss for the Lions and a game overseen by Bobby Murphy, the interim head coach at the time, fatigue played a huge part in this fixture with the Lions coming off the back of a tough three-game road streak at New York City FC, Vancouver Whitecaps and then Impact away.
In this contest, a Lamine Sané own goal and late Ignacio Piatti strike consigned the Lions to yet another depressive defeat in what was turning out to be a nightmare 2018 campaign.
Orlando City SC 0 Montreal Impact 2 – Highlights – June 23, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
With FIVE victories to Orlando City SC‘s TWO, Montreal Impact have bossed this game series for the past two seasons.
The Lions’ last Major League Soccer victory over the Canadian side came way back in September 2016 when a Kaká brace and goals from Brek Shea and Carlos Rivas helped achieve arguably our best away performance in MLS to date following an early Didier Drogba opener.
Since that game however, Impact have tallied four victories and one draw against the Lions who are long overdue a result against the side from Quebec.
Montreal Impact 1 Orlando City SC 4 – Highlights – September 7, 2016 (Credit: Sergio Ruiz Torres)
In our last stats preview, we spoke about Nemanja Nikolić’s good goalscoring record against Orlando City SC and unfortunately, someone with an even better head-to-head record is Ignacio Piatti.
The darling of the Montreal Impact faithful, the 34-year-old Designated Player has scored SIX goals in his last FOUR appearances against Orlando City SC.
Still undoubtedly one of the most talented players in all of Major League Soccer despite his age, the Orlando City SC defenders will have to bring their A-game to thwart the 2018 MLS All-Star Game selection.
Montreal Impact 3 Orlando City SC 0 – Highlights – June 13, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
As we’ve all been aware since entering Major League Soccer, Orlando City SC are rarely involved in dull affairs and games ending in a clean sheet.
In the Lions’ last FIVE home fixtures at Orlando City Stadium, FOUR of these fixtures have featured THREE OR MORE GOALS.
With four goals shared on MLS opening weekend against New York City FC, Orlando City SC need to avoid giving themselves a mountain to climb in fixtures as the season progresses.
Montreal Impact form
An unexpected name at the top of the MLS goalscoring charts at this fledgling stage of the season is Montreal Impact’s Saphir Taider.
The Algerian international midfielder has scored in both of the Impact’s two league fixtures so far against San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo.
Starting the season impressively, the Impact number eight is certainly someone the Orlando City SC midfield will have to marshal carefully.