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The first home victory of 2019 has now been secured but Orlando City SC pushed their supporters’ heart rates to the max as they overcame Colorado Rapids 4-3 in an all-action thriller last weekend.
Coming from behind twice in the game to salvage all three points, James O’Connor‘s Lions now head west to Utah to face Rapids’ principal rivals Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Conceding the first goal at Orlando City Stadium for the sixth consecutive home game, Orlando City SC‘s defending yet again left a lot to be desired against Colorado Rapids.
Starting slow at home seems to be a real problem for James O’Connor‘s Orlando City SC but that said, the Irishman would’ve been mightily proud of the way the Lions turned around a 2-3 deficit with just 10 or so minutes remaining.
Although the night belonged to Nani who grabbed his first and second goals in Orlando City SC purple, the Lions’ performance received an injection of life when substitute Chris Mueller entered the fray in the 80th minute.
Cast into a super sub role in recent home games against D.C. United and Colorado Rapids, the 22-year-old’s impact from the bench has been mightily impressive.
Taking just one minute to score and tie the game 3-3 for Orlando City SC following Cole Bassett’s strike that made it 2-3, Chris Mueller‘s introduction swung the entire momentum of the game in the Lions’ favour.
In most Lions fans’ eyes, Chris Mueller has done more than enough to warrant a start at Real Salt Lake but that said, his pace and trickery off the bench to hurt tired opposition legs is a tactic that has certainly been working well in recent weeks.
As for this weekend’s opposition Real Salt Lake, Mike Petke’s side come into the fixture in really poor form having lost their last four consecutive MLS fixtures.
Victorious just once in six games so far this season, the Claret and Cobalt narrowly lost out 1-0 at Western Conference high flyers Seattle Sounders last weekend.
2015/18 head-to-head stats
Last facing Real Salt Lake around eleven months ago, Orlando City SC claimed all three points as part of a showstopping run of six consecutive victories in Major League Soccer.
A time where everything seemed to be going in Orlando City SC‘s favour in a scintillating start to a campaign that eventually went horribly wrong, this 3-1 victory secured a club record streak of victories in MLS.
That said, Orlando City SC had to do things the hard way conceding the first goal at Orlando City Stadium to thrice capped USMNT selection Corey Baird in the twelfth minute before second-half goals from Dom Dwyer, Lamine Sané and Yoshimar Yotún saw the Lions roar back.
Conceding the first goal at home has been a recurring theme for Orlando City SC this season and strangely, James O’Connor‘s side have looked more resilient in our two road games at Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls.
Orlando City SC 3 Real Salt Lake 1 – Highlights – May 6, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Just like Colorado Rapids, their rivals Real Salt Lake are yet another team who are yet to taste victory against Orlando City SC in Major League Soccer to date.
With two draws played out in 2015 and 2016, Orlando City SC have gone two points better in 2017 and 2018 with two victories from two in the past couple of campaigns.
Although we didn’t grab all three points in March 2016, it certainly felt like that in the 2-2 draw of that month when Orlando City SC pulled off a miraculous comeback with stoppage time strikes from Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter remarkably pegging back Joao Plata’s brace at the Citrus Bowl.
The first live Orlando City SC game that Orlando City UK attended, this has been the closest RSL have been to victory over the Lions.
Orlando City SC 2 Real Salt Lake 2 – Highlights – March 6, 2016 (Credit: Real Salt Lake)
Having won the last head-to-head 3-1, Orlando City SC were also victorious in 2017’s encounter when a solitary Will Johnson strike gave the Lions a rare and precious three points on the road in June 2017.
Only one of three road victories that season, the win would’ve meant a lot to former Lions head coach Jason Kreis who was facing his old team he served with such distinction as a player and manager.
With Will Johnson also facing his former club, his 17th minute opener saw no reply from the home side as Orlando City SC left Rio Tinto Stadium with all three points and their first league victory in five games.
Real Salt Lake 0 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – June 30, 2017 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Real Salt Lake form
Real Salt Lake’s disciplinary record has left a lot to be desired at this early stage of the season.
A big part of the reason why Mike Petke’s side have lost their last FOUR consecutive Major League Soccer fixtures, RSL were reduced to nine men at D.C. United before going down to 10 men against Los Angeles FC and FC Dallas.
Conceding five in that game at D.C. and four at home to FC Dallas, Real Salt Lake’s defence has been far from watertight much like Orlando City SC‘s back line so this game could be any scoreline!
Orlando City SC form
While fixtures at Orlando City Stadium have produced plenty of goals, they are in less supply when Orlando City SC hit the road.
Both this season and the end of the last MLS campaign, there have been UNDER 2.5 GOALS scored in Orlando City SC‘s last FIVE away fixtures.
Strangely, James O’Connor‘s team have looked much more dogged and resilient in the two road games contested so far this season at Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls.
Producing hugely disciplined performances that almost saw the Lions claim two victories from two road games, Orlando City SC need to get set on a settled centre back trio following Alex De John‘s return to fitness.
With all of Carlos Ascues, Alex De John, Robin Jansson, Kamal Miller, Shane O’Neill and Lamine Sané having figured in front of Brian Rowe so far this term, James O’Connor is still searching for his best combination.