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Following Orlando City SC‘s narrow 1-0 loss at Atlanta United, James O’Connor‘s side complete the second part of a tough two-game road streak at Seattle Sounders.
Travelling to CenturyLink Field for the third time since entering Major League Soccer, the cavernous venue will provide a stiff midweek test for the Lions.
Orlando City SC‘s first midweek assignment of the 2019 MLS campaign so far, City need to prove to both themselves and the supporters that they boast the stamina to cope with a tough schedule.
Sure, travelling to Atlanta United then Seattle Sounders back-to-back is almost as tough as it gets but putting in a stingy defensive performance with grit and heart will be what’s required in Washington state.
Brian Schmetzer’s Sounders are used to competing at the sharp end of the Western Conference and that’s exactly when the Rave Green are at right now.
Currently third with 22 points in the west, the Sounders’ difference makers are proving influential yet again in 2019 with Jordan Morris boasting four goals and Nicolás Lodeiro totting up six assists so far.
Backed by a huge crowd at CenturyLink Field, it’s vital that Orlando City SC dig in from the first whistle and make this a scrappy affair with Seattle Sounders currently the second highest goal scorers (20) in the Western Conference.
What’s more vital is taking our chances when they present themselves.
With Dom Dwyer currently enduring a worrying drought of 405 minutes without scoring, his missed chances at New York City FC and Atlanta United are ones he used to finish with ease.
2015/18 head-to-head stats
Sadly playing to create statistics in a hollow end to a fruitless season, Seattle Sounders piled on the misery inflicting a 1-2 home loss on Orlando City SC in October 2018.
The Lions’ third from last game of a hugely disappointing season, Orlando City SC were ruthlessly punished with quick fire goals from Víctor Rodríguez and Handwalla Bwana putting the visitors 0-2 up in the first 15 minutes.
From that point, it could’ve been any score but the Lions dug in and came out of the game with some respect intact with Dom Dwyer tucking away a 57th minute consolation strike.
Orlando City SC 1 Seattle Sounders 2 – Highlights – October 17, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
With four complete Major League Soccer seasons in the books, Orlando City SC still await their first league victory over Seattle Sounders.
Long one of the Western Conference’s powerhouses with the Lions still very much searching for their true identity in the East, this stat probably comes as no surprise.
The one draw to date actually came at CenturyLink Field in June 2017 where a last, last gasp strike from Scott Sutter cancelled out an early Will Bruin strike to take one point all 3,077 miles back home to Central Florida.
Seattle Sounders 1 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – June 21, 2017 (Credit: Seattle Sounders FC)
You don’t want to tune in late for Seattle Sounders versus Orlando City SC fixtures!
In the four MLS head-to-heads contested so far, SIX of the THIRTEEN game series goals struck so far have come within the first 15 minutes after kick-off.
For whatever reason, both these sides come out of the gates fast when facing each other. Orlando City SC have only taken the lead over Sounders once in the four previously contested fixtures.
That was back in August 2016 when a Seb Hines header gave Adrian Heath‘s Lions a seventh minute 1-0 lead at the Citrus Bowl. Unfortunately on that occasion, this preceded the Clint Dempsey show with the USMNT icon bagging a hat-trick before the 50th minute.
Orlando City SC 1 Seattle Sounders 3 – Highlights – August 7, 2016 (Credit: Seattle Sounders FC)
Seattle Sounders form
The bad news for Orlando City SC is that Seattle Sounders are something of a formidable outfit at home.
Indeed, the Rave Green are undefeated in their last ELEVEN home fixtures in Major League Soccer including a 3-2 victory over principal rivals Portland Timbers in the second-leg of the Western Conference semi-final last season.
A semi-final they actually went on to lose 2-4 on penalties after extra-time, flash forward to 2019 and Seattle Sounders have won FIVE of their SEVEN fixtures contested at CenturyLink Field so far this season.
Orlando City SC form
Although James O’Connor‘s Orlando City SC have now tasted defeat on the road twice this season following our 1-0 loss at Atlanta United, the Lions are proving harder to beat in 2019.
Indeed, THREE of Orlando City SC‘s last FOUR away fixtures in MLS have been separated by just ONE goal. Prior to the Atlanta United loss, the Lions won 0-1 at New York Red Bulls and lost 2-1 at Real Salt Lake.
With little to choose between both teams in City away games so far this season, it’s imperative we ruthlessly take our chances when they fall – something we’ve been guilty of so far this term.