After the high of beating Florida rivals Inter Miami 2-1, Orlando City SC move into the next phase of MLS play with another home game – this time against Chicago Fire.
A game originally scheduled for March 14 pre-COVID-19, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions are confident right now after taking 11 points from a possible 18 in the six-game regional resumption.
Losing only a single game (3-2 at Inter Miami) during this streak, Orlando City SC have proved that their run to the #MLSisBack Tournament Final wasn’t a fluke.
Playing attractive attacking soccer without sacrificing defensive principles, expectations have increased tenfold now Pareja is waving his magic wand.
Still transitioning from an Eastern Conference also-ran to one of the conference’s better sides, several first team players are flourishing at Exploria Stadium.
In Mauricio Pereyra, the Lions have a clever and experienced number 10 who is getting better by the game.
Elsewhere, Chris Mueller‘s decision making and all-round attacking play now has even more soccer fans calling for USMNT recognition.
Then there’s Daryl Dike. The 20-year-old is the first rookie to win MLS Player of the Month (August 2020) since current Fire player Jonathan Bornstein did it for Chivas USA in 2006.
As a collective, Orlando City SC have now collected 19 points from their first 11 MLS matches, just one point behind the best 11-match start in the club’s MLS history (20 points in 2017).
So what of our next MLS opponents, Chicago Fire?
Now managed by Swiss head coach Raphaël Wicky, the rebranded Illinois side sit twelfth from fourteen in the Eastern Conference.
Moving back into Chicago at Soldier Field this season, Wicky had a big job on his hands and results-wise, it’s been tough.
Winning just two games so far this season, 2-1 against Seattle Sounders at the #MLSisBack Tournament while beating FC Cincinnati 3-0 at Solider Field, the team isn’t living up to heightened expectations.
Orlando City SC vs Chicago Fire – 2015/19 head-to-head stats
Everybody connected with Orlando City SC will want to forget the last time the Lions faced Chicago Fire, a simply horrible game to close out 2019.
The final fixture of a bitterly disappointing campaign under James O’Connor, Fire won 2-5 to notch only their second away victory of the season.
A game with nothing to play for bar pride, Orlando City SC headed into the off-season embarrassingly with James O’Connor relieved of his duties less than 24 hours after the full-time whistle.
Orlando City SC 2 Chicago Fire 5 – Highlights – October 6, 2019 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
An Eastern Conference clash that is 11 head-to-heads old, Chicago Fire hold a two-win advantage over Orlando City SC.
Before a ball was kicked in anger this season, most Orlando City SC supporters put the Lions on a par with a side of the calibre of Chicago Fire.
But since then, Orlando City SC have improved tenfold while a much-changed Chicago Fire still languish as one of the Eastern Conference’s weaker sides.
Given the current standings, and where City want to be this season, anything less than three points would be considered disappointing here.
The bad news for Orlando City SC is that Chicago Fire are one of the Lions’ bogey sides.
Unbeaten in their last EIGHT head-to-heads with City, the Lions last defeated Fire way back in our inaugural 2015 campaign.
Travelling to Toyota Park in September 2015, a single 86th minute strike from Bryan Róchez was enough to steal all three points.
Way too long ago from an Orlando City SC standpoint, it’s high time the Lions broke this poor streak against Chicago Fire.
Chicago Fire 0 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – September 19, 2015 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
What better way to showcase that Orlando City SC are trending in the right direction than this?
Right now, Orlando City SC‘s current points total of 19 is their second highest tally at this stage of any MLS season so far.
Only bettered by our scintillating start to 2017 where Jason Kreis‘ City side claimed 20 points from their first eleven games, Oscar Pareja has been a breath of fresh air for our franchise.
Orlando City SC 2 Inter Miami 1 – Highlights – September 12, 2020 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Chicago Fire form
The good news is that Chicago Fire is officially one of the worst travelling sides in all of Major League Soccer.
Failing to win 35 of their last 39 road fixtures, they’ve only claimed 23 points from the last 117 road points available.
The bad news however is that TWO of just FOUR road victories came at Orlando City SC‘s Exploria Stadium home.
For whatever reason, Chicago Fire upset their own form guide when facing the Lions in Central Florida.
Besides the aforementioned 2-5 loss in October 2019, Veljko Paunović’s Fire side also won 1-2 in the 407 in May 2018.