Following Orlando City SC‘s gutting 0-2 defeat to rivals Atlanta United in the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semi-final, James O’Connor‘s Lions now head to Toronto FC away – a game Orlando City UK is attending live.
Facing the Canadian side for the second and final time this season, the stakes are ultra high with games running out for The Reds and Lions who are both scrapping it out for a place in the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
There is absolutely no room to stay downhearted following Tuesday evening’s bitterly disappointing cup exit to The Five Stripes with qualification to the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs now our sole focus.
A painful truth to admit, there was still a huge gulf in class between a Josef Martínez-less Atlanta United and Orlando City SC who failed to take their chances when they presented themselves.
With Dom Dwyer and Sacha Kljestan getting the best looks on Brad Guzan’s goal throughout the ninety minutes, the difference was that Atlanta United took their chances when they presented themselves – and we didn’t.
Now unbeaten in eight head-to-heads, Atlanta United’s sheer dominance over the Lions is becoming as painful as a bad tooth that needs removing – it’s simply excruciating to bear.
Orlando City SC can, in part, make up for their cup exit with a positive result at Toronto FC who’ve endured a less than spectacular 2019 campaign so far.
Used to being one of the top dogs in the Eastern Conference, TFC head coach Greg Vanney is edging perilously close to the axe falling on his illustrious five-year spell in charge of The Reds.
Replacing Sebastian Giovinco was never going to be easy but Alejandro Pozuelo has tried his best to make up for the Italian hero’s loss with nine goals and nine assists in an impressive debut season.
Nevertheless, with Toronto FC dangling around the red line for much of this season – and currently placed below the line in eighth – this form is viewed as simply not good enough by fans of the 2017 Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup champions.
Enduring a stop-start season so far, it will be Orlando City SC‘s job to sit in, stifle and capitalise on a Toronto FC side who aren’t their usual free-flowing selves.
2015/19 head-to-head stats
Reflecting on our 2019 campaign so far, Orlando City SC have been disgraced far fewer times than in previous seasons but a game we simply failed to show up in was Toronto FC at home.
With Greg Vanney’s side travelling to Exploria Stadium at the start of May, Lions fans were hopeful the Canadians would struggle in the Central Florida heat but it was actually our own performance that looked laboured.
The scorching daytime heat made for a low intensity and rather drab encounter with a first-half lacking any real highlights.
Unfortunately, it was the away side who stepped on the gas in the second 45 as goals from midfielders Jonathan Osorio and Jay Chapman took the game out of Orlando City SC‘s grasp after the hour mark.
Orlando City SC 0 Toronto FC 2 – Highlights – May 4, 2019 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
No single Major League Soccer side has inflicted defeat on Orlando City SC more than Toronto FC.
In almost five full MLS campaigns, The Reds have defeated the Lions on EIGHT separate occasions with City picking up just ONE draw in 990 minutes of head-to-head action.
Orlando City SC‘s last victory over the Ontario side came back in July 14 (2-1) representing James O’Connor‘s first ever win as City head coach.
As the season panned out, this win proved to be a false dawn and was depressingly Orlando City SC‘s only victory in 23 consecutive MLS games – a simply horrible streak lasting five entire months!
Orlando City SC 2 Toronto FC 1 – Highlights – July 14, 2018 (Credit: Toronto FC)
Anything but a prolific goalscorer from midfield, Jay Chapman has managed to be a thorn in Orlando City SC‘s side over the past three league head-to-heads.
The Canadian international didn’t only score against Orlando City SC earlier this season but also struck the last time the Lions visited BMO Field in May 2018 (2-1).
With Cristian Higuita cancelling out Jay Chapman’s opener in the 73rd minute, what looked like a hard-earned point on the road was snatched out of City’s grasp late on by Ryan Telfer who struck a cruel 87th minute winner.
Toronto FC 2 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – May 18, 2018 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Toronto FC form
While Toronto FC has failed to recapture the form of previous seasons so far in 2019, one man trying his utmost to boost them up the Eastern Conference is Jozy Altidore.
You don’t need us to tell you about the United States international’s brute strength and power but the 29-year-old has been hitting his stride in recent weeks.
Scoring in FOUR of TFC’s last FIVE Major League Soccer fixtures, the former Hull City and Sunderland man scored in each of these results – Montreal Impact (0-2), New York Red Bulls (3-1), Houston Dynamo (1-3) and FC Cincinnati (2-1).
Boasting a handsome goalscoring record against Orlando City SC since the Lions entered MLS in 2015, he will be the man to stop as has often proven the case.
Orlando City SC form
One of the key components of Orlando City SC‘s improved 2019 season has been our road form.
Not disgraced away from home before a disappointing 4-1 thrashing at New England Revolution on July 27, more road points has led to the Lions surpassing last season’s desperate points tally of 28 already with ten league games to go.
Nevertheless, Orlando City SC need to help themselves by not conceding early on the road while giving themselves a mountain to climb.
It’s true, in THREE of the Lions’ last FIVE away fixtures in MLS, James O’Connor‘s side has conceded a goal in the first ten minutes at D.C. United (1-0), Philadelphia Union (2-2) and New England Revolution (4-1).
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Don’t forget, Orlando City UK will be attending Toronto FC vs Orlando City SC live.
Find out what we’ll be getting up to on matchday by clicking here.
NEW #OrlandoCityUK blog | We’re off to watch @TorontoFC 🆚 @OrlandoCitySC LIVE on August 10! 🇨🇦🦁
This ‘local game’ is now just a 15-minute walk down the road for me in Toronto! 🚶🏽♂️😁🙌🏽
Here’s what we’ll be up to! ⬇️
READ 📕: https://t.co/vQfSShHO9X#TFCLive #FaceOfCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/KQ7d5bSUyg
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) August 2, 2019