Verdict: Both teams to score
Best Odds: 4/7
Bookmaker: Luckster
Seeking an immediate MLS response in the early hours of Sunday, Orlando City will welcome Chicago to Florida.
Orlando City
Starting with the hosts, suffering a dramatic late collapse away at Atlanta earlier in the week as they eventually fell to a pulsating 3-2 defeat, Orlando are desperately seeking an immediate response here. Nevertheless, still sat firmly in the driving seat to punch another play-off ticket this season, the Lions have lost just one of their previous 13 MLS appearances – a run that stems all the way back to March 9th. Despite watching their US Open Cup adventure come to an abrupt end last week, Oscar Pareja’s side have not suffered a single MLS defeat in front of their own supporters since the end of February. Landing a 4-2 victory when they welcomed Chicago to Florida last season, the former Dallas boss will be seeking a repeat performance here.
Orlando City Team News
Yet to make a single appearance this season and still sidelined with a long-term knee injury, Orlando will once again be without Japanese youngster Yutaro Tsukada. Likewise, Peru international Wilder Caragena will not feature due to an Achilles tendon issue.
Shown a second-half red card away at Atlanta in midweek, Cesar Araujo will miss out through suspension on Sunday. Notching four goals in his previous seven appearances across all competitions, ex-Banfield starlet Ramiro Enrique should keep his spot leading the line.
Chicago Fire
As for the visitors, watching their purple patch come to an abrupt end last weekend as they slumped to a 3-1 drumming at the hands of New York City, Chicago find themselves in an almost identical position to Sunday’s opponents. However, extending on their respective US Open Cup adventure on May 21st as they clinched an eye-catching 3-1 victory away at New England, the Fire now have their sights firmly set on skyrocketing into the play-off places. Despite winning four of their previous five appearances across all competitions, Gregg Berhalter’s men know the importance of finding some defensive steel. In fact, Sunday’s guests have failed to notch a single clean sheet from any of their last nine consecutive showdowns outside of Illinois – a run that stems all the way back to February 15th.
Chicago Fire Team News
Shown their own respective red cards away at New York City last week, the duo of Brian Gutierrez and Dje D’Avilla will miss out through suspension here. Likewise, Polish youngster David Poreba remains on the sidelines with a long-term knee injury and will not feature on Sunday.
Enjoying what has been a real flurry and finding the net in all of his previous three consecutive appearances, one-time Watford star Philip Zinckernagel could play a leading role. Making a cameo appearance off the bench against NYCFC last week, Leonardo Barroso should get some more minutes under his belt.
Orlando City vs Chicago Fire Key Factors to Consider
- When Orlando City and Chicago Fire last met on May 4th, Sunday’s opponents played out a 0-0 stalemate in Illinois.
- Orlando are unbeaten in all of their previous eight meetings against Chicago (five wins, three draws).
- Chicago have failed to record a single clean sheet from their previous nine straight matchups outside of Illinois.
- Likewise, all of those nine consecutive away outings have finished with both teams finding the net.
- Former Watford star Philip Zinckernagel has found the net in all of his last three straight appearances.
Conclusion
While Orlando and Chicago might have played out a 0-0 stalemate when they met on May 4th, we are expecting a fair more enjoyable showdown here. With both camps seeking their own respective boosts, chances could fall at both ends of the pitch this weekend. It should be highlighted, with Chicago seeing all of their previous nine consecutive matchups outside of Illinois finish with both teams getting on the scoresheet, we are expecting a similar outcome in the early hours of Sunday.
Verdict: Both teams to score
Best Odds: 4/7
Bookmaker: Luckster
