After recording a fantastic professional 0-2 win at Columbus Crew, Orlando City SC return to Exploria Stadium to face Philadelphia Union after a three-game road streak.
The final Eastern Conference opponent we are yet to face this season, this is the first of two back-to-back games against Jim Curtin’s table toppers who’ve taken everybody by surprise so far in 2019.
Largely unfancied at the start of the campaign, Philadelphia Union currently sit top of the Eastern Conference with 32 points from 19 games played.
Reminding Orlando City SC that anything is possible within the parity of Major League Soccer, Union have quietly been going about their business with goalscoring contributions from all over the park.
With Marco Fabián, Alejandro Bedoya, Ilsinho, Jamiro Monteiro, Sergio Santos, Cory Burke, Kacper Przybyłko, Fafa Picault and the since departed David Accam all boasting two or more goals this term, this has been fundamental to Union’s success.
Scoring 34 goals with 25 conceded overall, this is currently the highest goalscoring record in the East with Orlando City SC in for a tough game despite Union losing 4-2 at New York City FC on Saturday, plus having home advantage.
Thankfully, Orlando City SC return to Central Florida full of vigour and renewed optimism following a positive stretch of two clean sheet victories away from home in the recent three-game road streak.
Defeating Montreal Impact 0-3 on June 1 before Saturday’s 0-2 win at Columbus Crew, the central defensive partnership of Robin Jansson and Lamine Sané is starting to blossom, giving the Lions a solid foundation to achieve results.
Even in the 1-0 loss at D.C. United, there was plenty to be proud of in the Orlando City SC performance despite a lack of clinical finishing.
With seven games to play over the next 25 days including the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarter-final against New York City FC, Orlando City SC are displaying great mental strength as we enter a busy and crucial stage of the campaign.
2015/18 head-to-head stats
Last meeting in September 2018, both sides enjoyed a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw – but only just!
Orlando City SC saved their skins in the nick of time courtesy of a 90th minute Scott Sutter equaliser, just three minutes after Fafa Picault struck what he thought was an 88th minute winner.
With Orlando City SC entering this game winless in six and desperately seeking any victory to allay a quite awful mid-season, this Sutter equaliser did at least bring some joy to the Lions’ suffering fanbase.
The English-born Swiss full back struck a well-placed shot beyond Andre Blake and was earning a reputation as a stoppage time specialist.
Indeed, Scott Sutter scored an even later 93rd minute equaliser against New England Revolution three games earlier.
Orlando City SC 2 Philadelphia Union 2 – Highlights – September 1, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Facing Philadelphia Union NINE times in Major League Soccer prior to this fixture, everything is even right now.
With both sides sharing THREE victories, draws and losses each, both sides have largely been viewed as also rans in an ever-competitive Eastern Conference.
This season however, Philadelphia Union have built on last season’s appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs by taking their game to another level.
While Jim Curtin’s Union roster looks rather ordinary on first glance, there has been nothing ordinary about the way in which they’ve racked up 32 points, scoring 34 in the process – the highest goalscorers in the Eastern Conference and the second highest in all of MLS behind Los Angeles FC (39).
Having been one of Philadelphia Union’s key attackers for quite a while now, Fafa Picault seems to come alive when facing Orlando City SC.
Scoring in TWO of the last THREE head-to-heads in MLS, the twice-capped United States international has scored THREE goals in this streak.
Typically starting as the left winger in a front three for Jim Curtin, Ruan will have to time his surging forward runs carefully to ensure Picault isn’t afforded too much time to hurt the Lions on the counter.
Philadelphia Union 6 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – October 22, 2017 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
Cast your minds back across late May and June and you’ll find that Orlando City SC‘s last four Major League Soccer fixtures have ended ‘to nil’.
With one side or the other registering a clean sheet, the Lions won two of those games at Montreal Impact (0-3) and Columbus Crew (0-2) while losing the others to LA Galaxy (0-1) and D.C. United (1-0).
We’ve seen a huge improvement in Orlando City SC’s defensive discipline so far this season with the squad seemingly buying into James O’Connor‘s workmanlike approach.
Indeed, the central defensive partnership of Robin Jansson and Lamine Sané is now looking really strong with positive performances from Kyle Smith and Danilo Acosta at Crew away in place of regular starters Ruan and João Moutinho.
Columbus Crew 0 Orlando City SC 2 – Highlights – June 29, 2019 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Philadelphia Union form
Experiencing only their fifth MLS defeat of the season at New York City FC (4-2) on Saturday, Jim Curtin’s side will be asking his Philadelphia Union team for a reaction.
Putting in a tremendous effort to usurp some of Major League Soccer’s more illustrious names to top the Eastern Conference so far this season, Union are unbeaten in TEN of their last TWELVE MLS fixtures.
While The U have rightly received plaudits for their goalscoring from multiple sources so far this season, young centre back pairing Auston Trusty and Jack Elliott have been vital, learning quickly as a crucial factor in Union’s success.