Orlando City will attempt to keep their four-game unbeaten streak alive when they face the visiting New York Red Bulls on Saturday afternoon.
The game, contested by two projected playoff teams, could have huge implications for the Eastern Conference down the line. A win for either Orlando or New York, who have the same 3-2-2 record for 11 points, could send them as far up the standings as a tie for second place.
New York beat Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals last season but drew the Lions 2-2 a month ago.
New York must lean on its stubborn back line to carve out a win against Orlando. Led by Omar Valencia and Noah Eile, the Red Bulls can frustrate any offense in the league. Yet, facing a relatively slow start, they need their lackluster offense to find their form in Saturday’s marquee matchup.
“We know how talented they are, and that showed in the conference finals last season,” Eile told media on Thursday. “They have so many good players, up top and also defending.
“It will be a tough game, but hopefully we can keep building on the performance we had last week, and that will get us the results.”
Orlando City are coming off a barren 0-0 draw at Philadelphia, where they found themselves defending on the back foot for most of the game. They struggled to develop out of the back and maintain possession throughout the game, making for a long, frustrating 90 minutes.
“Remember in the last game (against Philadelphia) they came here, they took four shots on goal, and the result was negative,” manager Oscar Pareja told media on Thursday. “I see a lot of positives from what we achieved in Philadelphia (last Saturday).”
Facing another conference heavyweight in New York will require another solid performance from star players like Marco Pasalic (four goals, one assist) and Martin Ojeda (four goals, three assists).
“Coming into this next rivalry, we’ll prepare like always,” Pareja said. “We’ll play with the same energy, understanding that this is a different (game). We’re good. The boys are in good shape.”
Orlando will welcome the return of midfielders Cesar Araujo and Eduard Atuesta. Their presence should help Orlando in the playmaking department, with the aim of making the link from defense to offense seamless.
–Field Level Media
