After drawing 1-1 at Nashville SC, Orlando City SC now face Atlanta United in their penultimate game of the MLS regional resumption.
Finally earning a first ever win over The Five Stripes last Saturday, confidence is sky high as the Lions seek a first home victory against their Georgia rivals.
Openly and honestly, Orlando City SC have despised facing Atlanta United ever since they joined Major League Soccer in 2017.
Winning MLS Cup in only their second season, The Five Stripes have succeeded to the scorn of Orlando City SC supporters everywhere.
Unbeaten in their first NINE meetings with the Lions (MLS and U.S. Open Cup), winning SEVEN of these games, City have finally torn up a tiring script.
Right now, in 2020, Orlando City SC have nothing to fear when facing their neighbours to the north.
Suffering without talismanic captain Josef Martínez and yet to name Frank de Boer’s true successor, all is not well at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
On Wednesday, The Five Stripes also agreed to sell Pity Martínez to Al-Nassr FC after a disappointing 19 months.
Consequently, Orlando City SC is a Major League Soccer franchise reborn.
Under the pragmatic, yet exciting playing style of Oscar Pareja, Orlando City SC are currently the highest goalscorers in the Eastern Conference (16).
All in all, the Colombian head coach has managed to make years’ worth of progress in a relatively short space of time.
With Nani rested in midweek, perhaps this is the year in which Orlando City SC finally defeat Atlanta United at Exploria Stadium?
Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United – 2017/20 head-to-head stats
Only facing Atlanta United seven days ago, Orlando City SC finally defeated The Five Stripes in MLS at the ninth attempt.
After years of falling short and getting baited by rival supporters on social media, this 1-3 victory was incredibly sweet.
Not only that but it was completely merited too.
With Júnior Urso and Chris Mueller goals putting City into a 0-2 first-half lead, it was the perfect road performance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
When Brooks Lennon cut the deficit to one, Lions fans were fearing the worst. However, this team is different.
In the 86th minute, Urso took advantage of some sloppy Atlanta United defending to lay in Nani who crucially made the game safe.
Atlanta United 1 Orlando City SC 3 – Highlights – August 29, 2020 (Credit: Atlanta United FC)
In a stop-start 2020, Oscar Pareja has made years’ worth of progress in a relatively short space of time.
Defying all odds to reach the #MLSisBack Tournament Final, he’s now righting the wrongs of previous City campaigns.
While Atlanta United are still way ahead in this game series, getting our first win over the Georgia side was so important.
With The Five Stripes’ domination being a huge psychological barrier to Lions teams of old, Papi is changing the culture.
We’ll now be eager to repeat the feat of seven days ago by earning a first ever home victory over Stephen Glass’ side.
Pre Oscar Pareja, it’s simply been a horror show when Orlando City SC have faced Atlanta United.
Of The Five Stripes’ FIVE visits to Exploria Stadium (MLS and U.S. Open Cup), the Georgia side have won all FIVE of these games.
Not only that but FOUR of these wins were by a ONE-goal margin too. Looking back, our August 2019 losses to Atlanta United were probably the hardest to take.
With Frank de Boer’s side visiting Central Florida twice within 18 days, they dumped Orlando City SC out of the U.S. Open Cup semi-final. Then they effectively ended our hopes of qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Inflicting so much pain on Orlando City SC since 2017, this Oscar Pareja side is more than capable of changing this tiring narrative at home.
Orlando City SC 0 Atlanta United 1 – Highlights – August 23, 2020 (Credit: Atlanta United FC)
Orlando City SC form
Including our deep #MLSisBack Tournament run, Orlando City SC‘s 2020 campaign is now 13 games old.
In that timeframe, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions have only managed to keep TWO clean sheets.
They came in both the 2020 home opener against Real Salt Lake (0-0) and the #MLSisBack Round-of-16 win over Montreal Impact (1-0).
While Pedro Gallese‘s arrival has been a huge upgrade on City keepers of old, we need to be keeping way more clean sheets.
Sure, this Orlando City SC side has managed to fight back from losing positions. However, when it comes to keeping opposition sides out, there’s still plenty of room for improvement
Atlanta United form
Right now, this is the lowest moment in Atlanta United’s four-and-a-bit year Major League Soccer history.
Playing out a dull and unconvincing 0-0 draw at home to Inter Miami on Wednesday, The Five Stripes are a shadow of their former selves.
The problem?
There’s many but ultimately, Josef Martínez long-term injury and the current lack of goals is the biggest problem.
Indeed, Atlanta United have failed to score in FOUR of their last SIX MLS fixtures.
Exiting the #MLSisBack Tournament with zero points and zero goals scored, all three defeats were by one-nil margins.
With Erick Torres recruited mid-season to support Adam Jahn, there simply isn’t the same quality in Atlanta United’s attacking ranks right now.
Atlanta United 0 Inter Miami 0 – Highlights – September 2, 2020 (Credit: Atlanta United FC)
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Don’t forget, Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United will be shown LIVE on FreeSports in the early hours of Sunday morning at 01:20 (GMT).
You can view our TV Fixture Tracker by clicking here.
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @OrlandoCitySC 🆚 @ATLUTD is LIVE on @FreeSports_TV in the early hours of Sunday morning. 📺⚽️👍🏽🦁
That’s 11 City games live on English telly so far this year. 👏🏽👏🏽
VIEW TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpAA0o#ORLvATL #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/Z2myaU20ve
— Orlando City UK 🎗 (@Orlando_CityUK) September 3, 2020