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Major League Soccer
Jun 20, 2024 at 12.30am UK
Bank of America Stadium
OC

Charlotte FC
2 - 2
Orlando City

Vargas (12'), Bronico (77')
Byrne (90+1')
Arfield (38')
FT(HT: 1-0)
McGuire (64'), Torres (81')
McGuire (27'), Torres (50')

Preview: Charlotte FC vs. Orlando City - prediction, team news, lineups

:Headline: Preview: Charlotte FC vs. Orlando City - prediction, team news, lineups:
Sports Mole previews Wednesday's Major League Soccer clash between Charlotte FC and Orlando City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Sports Mole

Looking to extend their winning run to three matches, an in-form Charlotte FC will welcome strugglers Orlando City to the Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday for a MLS clash of massive importance.

The Crown's stellar spell of results recently continued with a narrow success over DC United on the weekend, whilst the Lions were bested by Western Conference challengers Los Angeles FC.


Match preview

After ending their May schedule with a disappointing 3-1 defeat at the home of New York Red Bulls, Charlotte's mission to compete in the upper echelons of the Eastern Conference are back on track following successive wins in June so far, with the Crown beating Atlanta United in Georgia before defeating DC United on home soil.

For the fifth match in succession at the Bank of America Stadium, the well-drilled hosts managed to keep a clean sheet, meaning that Kerwin Vargas's third of the MLS campaign was enough to secure maximum points for Charlotte, who are now firmly cemented in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Having tasted defeat in just one of their last eight league matches, the Crown are currently occupying fifth position in their section, possessing a nine-point buffer over 10th-placed DC United, although the gap to Lionel Messi's conference-leading Inter Miami stands at 10 points.

With only Columbus Crew (15) conceding fewer goals than Charlotte's 18 so far in the 2024 campaign, it is clear to see the positive effects of Dean Smith's leadership in North Carolina, with the former Aston Villa and Norwich City boss bringing a large dose of English pragmatism to the United States.

The Crown's record at their Bank of America Stadium is nothing short of sensational, with Wednesday's hosts winning six and losing just one of their opening 10 contests in front of their home faithful, collecting more points from home games than any other club in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando City extended their winless run in MLS to a worrying four matches on Saturday night, when Supporters' Shield contenders Los Angeles FC rocked up at the Inter&Co Stadium and collected maximum points, with the Lions conceding three goals in a match for the first time since the CONCACAF Champions Cup defeat to Mexican giants Tigre in March.

That statistic should act as a compliment to the attacking powers of Steve Cherundolo's troops, who secured three points in Florida thanks to a Denis Bouanga brace and a late strike from Mateusz Bogusz, meaning that Mason Stajduhar was a long way off earning his second clean sheet of the term.

Although a record of just three wins in their last 11 MLS contests will not instil belief into Orlando ahead of a daunting trip to the Bank of America Stadium, the visitors will draw confidence from the fact that all of those victories have arrived on the road, with the Lions particularly poor on home soil.

In fact, Orlando's collection of six points from nine home matches so far in 2024 is the fewest in the entire division, so Oscar Pareja's side will be pretty content with playing away from Florida on Wednesday night, regardless of how formidable Charlotte tend to be at their North Carolina base.

After a move to English Championship side Blackburn Rovers comically collapsed in the final stages of the January transfer window - even after he had undertaken media duties with his prospective new employers - Duncan McGuire has been a brilliant professional back in the United States since, netting five goals in 14 MLS appearances.

Charlotte FC Major League Soccer form:

Orlando City Major League Soccer form:


Team News

After keeping another clean sheet on home soil last time out, Charlotte are fully expected to stick with a centre-back pairing of Adilson Malanda and Andrew Privett.

Jere Uronen provided the assist for Vargas's winner against DC United, and the Finnish full-back should retain his spot on the left, with Englishman Nathan Byrne operating at right-back.

Due to the quick turnaround from the weekend, Charlotte boss Smith could opt to rotate some of his attacking options, meaning that Brecht Dejaeghere and Tyger Smalls might be promoted from the bench.

Having cemented himself as a first-team regular in 2023, Michael Halliday has endured a stop-start opening to 2024 due to a troublesome knee injury.

Expect a couple of changes from the Lions following defeat on the weekend, but winger Facundo Torres is set to keep his spot in the XI despite missing a penalty last time out.

Martin Ojeda found the net against LAFC off the bench and should be brought in from the start on Wednesday, meaning that Ivan Angulo could have to settle for a place amongst the substitutes.


Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Byrne, Malanda, Privett, Uronen; Bronico, Westwood, Urso; Abada, Vargas, Agyemang

Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Stajduhar; Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Santos; Torres, Lodeiro, Araujo, Ojeda; Lynn, Muriel


We say: Charlotte FC 2-1 Orlando City

With a sensational record at the Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte will be overwhelming favourites for Wednesday night's clash, but we feel that Orlando could cause the hosts some issues.

That being said, we do not expect the Crown to suffer only their second MLS defeat in nine matches, with Smith's side having enough quality to secure maximum points.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Premier League Table

Eastern Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Inter MiamiInter Miami34228479493074
2Columbus Crew34199672403266
3FC CincinnatiCincinnati341851158481059
4Orlando City34157125950952
5Charlotte FCCharlotte FC34149114637951
6New York City FCNY City34148125449550
7New York Red BullsNY Red Bulls34111495550547
8CF MontrealMontreal341110134864-1643
9Atlanta UnitedAtlanta341010144649-340
10DC United341010145270-1840
11Philadelphia UnionPhiladelphia34910156255737
12Toronto34114194061-2137
13Nashville SCNashville3499163854-1636
14New England RevolutionNew England3494213774-3731
15Chicago Fire3479184062-2230

Western Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Los Angeles FCLos Angeles34197863432064
2Los Angeles GalaxyLA Galaxy34197869501964
3Real Salt LakeSalt Lake341611765481759
4Seattle SoundersSeattle34169951351657
5Houston DynamoHouston34159104739854
6Minnesota UnitedMinnesota Utd34157125849952
7Colorado RapidsColorado34155146160150
8Portland TimbersPortland341211116556947
9Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver34138135249347
10Austin FCAustin34119143948-942
11Dallas34118155456-241
12St Louis City34813135063-1337
13Sporting Kansas CityKansas3487195166-1531
14San Jose EarthquakesEarthquakes3463254178-3721
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