Orlando City SC‘s 2022 MLS regular season seems to be unravelling fast after a bitterly disappointing 0-3 home loss to New England Revolution.
With only one win in eight MLS games, the Lions have been flirting with the red line in recent weeks and now find themselves beneath it with a huge turnaround in form required to reach the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Still within reach of the post-season and level on points (30) with seventh-placed Chicago Fire, there’s huge pressure on Oscar Pareja.
With rumours that the Colombian has lost the locker room, Saturday’s 0-3 loss to Revs didn’t look good on the field.
After Matt Polster, Wilfrid Kaptoum and Henry Kessler’s goals, there seemed to be an heir of resignation in the Orlando City SC players’ body language.
With longtime Lions Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson looking to the heavens despondent, there was a rare smattering of boos at full-time.
It’s all rather depressing, especially after the recent high of reaching the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
In truth, that cup run has papered over the cracks of a really disappointing MLS campaign.
After our 5-1 demolition of New York Red Bulls in the semi-final, you wondered whether City’s attack had finally turned the corner.
But suffering three consecutive MLS defeats in and around this game, we’re seemingly back to square one.
Now visiting New York Red Bulls, the side we saved our best performance of the season for, Orlando City SC are desperate for a victory.
With just eleven points separating fourth-placed Red Bulls and thirteenth-placed Toronto FC, consistency is key at this stage of the season.
Unfortunately for Orlando City SC, we’ve been consistently inconsistent all season long.
New York Red Bulls vs Orlando City SC – 2015/22 head-to-head stats
Last meeting on July 27, Orlando City SC triumphantly thrashed New York Red Bulls 5-1 to reach the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
Struggling for consistent results in MLS throughout 2022, this fixture looked mighty daunting on paper.
But Orlando City SC laughed in the face of the form book and produced their best performance of the season on their biggest night as an MLS club.
After Lewis Morgan opened the scoring, a César Araújo brace and strikes from Mauricio Pereyra, Facundo Torres and Benji Michel left Red Bulls completely shell-shocked.
It was bedlam at Exploria Stadium that would soon be hosting Orlando City SC‘s first championship game as an MLS club.
Orlando City SC 5 New York Red Bulls 1 – Highlights – July 27, 2022 (Credit: MLS Videos)
Winning the last THREE MLS head-to-heads, New York Red Bulls now hold NINE MLS wins to City’s FIVE.
The last time Orlando City SC faced New York Red Bulls in MLS, the Harrison, New Jersey-based side achieved their third consecutive win over the Lions.
Comfortably winning 0-3 at Exploria Stadium on April 24, City passed up a huge opportunity to go top of the Eastern Conference.
After the high of defeating Columbus Crew and Tampa Bay Rowdies within just five days, this City performance was incredibly tepid.
With Alexandre Pato, Facundo Torres and Ercan Kara completely nullified throughout the game, the Orlando City SC defence were poor too.
Luquinhas, Cristian Cásseres Jr. and Lewis Morgan (penalty) grabbed the goals in a completely one-sided affair.
Orlando City SC 0 New York Red Bulls 3 – Highlights – April 24, 2022 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
As an all-action central midfielder, Cristian Cásseres Jr.’s main job is to help with transitions.
However, when the Venezuelan international faces Orlando City SC, he continues to find the scoresheet.
Scoring TWELVE career goals in MLS, THREE of these goals have come against the Lions.
Finding the net in each of the last THREE head-to-heads, the 22-year-old has been a menace to City over the course of 2021/22.
New York Red Bulls form
The bad news heading to Harrison, New Jersey is the fact New York Red Bulls know where the goal is.
Currently the fourth highest goalscorers (38) in the Eastern Conference, Gerhard Struber’s side have been free scoring at Red Bull Arena.
Scoring AT LEAST TWO GOALS in FIVE of their last SIX home fixtures in MLS, the Orlando City SC defence will need to bring their A-game.
In their last home game, New York Red Bulls played out a crazy 4-5 defeat to Colorado Rapids on August 2.
New York Red Bulls 4 Colorado Rapids 5 – Highlights – August 2, 2022 (Credit: New York Red Bulls)
Orlando City SC form
Right now, Orlando City SC have picked up the same amount of points on the road (15) as they have at home in 2022.
Going 3-6-3 in 12 away fixtures so far, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions have depressingly gone 5-0-7 at home.
Frustratingly unable to make home advantage count at Exploria Stadium, City have looked way more resilient on the road.
Strangely, it appears Orlando City SC aren’t handling the pressure of playing in front of their home crowd.
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Don’t forget, New York Red Bulls vs Orlando City SC will be shown LIVE on Sky Sports Football at 23:00 (GMT) on Saturday evening.
You can view our TV Fixture Tracker by clicking here.
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @NewYorkRedBulls 🆚 @OrlandoCitySC will be shown LIVE on @SkySports Football at 11PM on Saturday. 😄📺⚽👏🏽
VIEW TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpAA0o#OCTwitter #RBNYvORL #RBNY #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/meD5XxpRJa
— Orlando City UK (@Orlando_CityUK) August 8, 2022
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