Orlando City have a chance to put together their first three-game winning streak of this MLS campaign when they welcome New York City FC to Exploria Stadium on Sunday.
The Lions were a perfect 2-0 on their recent road trip, edging Charlotte FC 2-1 last Sunday, while the reigning champions ended a three-match losing run with a 2-0 win in Chicago against the Fire.
Match preview
Orlando may not be the most exciting MLS squad to watch, but for whatever they lack in skill and creativity, the Lions make up for it with a tireless work ethic and determination.
Those qualities have helped Oscar Pareja's side to numerous victories this season as they find themselves well positioned to make a third consecutive trip to the postseason.
While they sit in a playoff position for the moment, the table is still extremely tight, and one slip-up could drop them out of the top seven, as they currently sit fifth, just two points above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.
Overall this may not be the most dynamic side in the league, but they know how to find an extra gear when it matters most, winning eight of their 10 regular-season affairs this year by a single goal.
With one of their best chance creators out for the foreseeable future, we can expect a much more significant commitment from this group to stay back and defend as a collective unit.
It has been over five years since the Lions have managed to win a fixture against the Pigeons, beating them 2-1 in the Bronx in 2017.
The Pigeons got their campaign back on track last weekend in a match that manager Nick Cushing called a real team performance.
A side who are usually in control of most of their games, had fewer than 50% possession against the Fire last weekend, the first time they had less of the ball than their opposition since a 0-0 draw against CF Montreal at the end of July.
They have now posted six clean sheets away from home this year and a total of 13 in 2022, currently sitting third in the Eastern Conference when it comes to goals against (30).
New York may are sitting in a comfortable position, currently third in their conference with an 11-point playoff cushion, but they do not look as threatening since the departure of former MLS Golden Boot winner, Valentin Castellanos, who was loaned to Girona in La Liga.
Their creativity may have dropped a little recently, but the Pigeons did a commendable job at breaking up opposing counters last week, holding Chicago to zero shots on target.
In three of their last four games, the Boys in Blue have drawn first blood, though last Sunday was the first time since a 2-0 win against Inter Miami on July 23, that they went on to win a game in that scenario.
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Team News
Ercan Kara picked up his team-leading eighth of the season for Orlando in their previous encounter, with Tesho Akindele putting home the winner, while Facundo Torres assisted for the fifth time in 2022.
Junior Urso earned his 90th cap, and Kyle Smith recorded his 100th appearance across all competitions as he, Rodrigo Schlegel, Jake Mulraney and Kara were the four newcomers who entered the fold.
Mauricio Pereyra will have to sit out of this upcoming match because of a yellow card suspension, while Joey DeZart and Alexandre Pato will be sidelined with right knee injuries.
Sean Johnson did not have to make a single save in the Pigeons shutout victory against the Fire, picking up his league-leading 13th clean sheet of the year, and Santiago Rodriguez had a goal and an assist.
Gabriel Pereira notched his sixth of the campaign for New York in that encounter, putting him into a tie with Heber and Talles Magno.
Maxi Moralez has four goals against the Lions in his NYCFC career, including a goal and an assist in their 5-0 triumph last year.
Rodriguez is suspended for this encounter after receiving another caution in their previous match, Alfredo Morales has a lower-body injury, Alexander Callens has an issue with his MCL and Keaton Parks has a calf strain.
Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Moutinho, Jansson, Carlos, Ruan; Araujo, Cartagena; Mulraney, Urso, Torres; Kara
New York City FC possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Amundsen, Martins, Chanot, Tinnerholm; Haak, Acevedo; Andrade, Heber, Pereira; Magno
We say: Orlando City 1-1 New York City FC
Four of the last five matches between these sides have ended in a draw, and with the Pigeons missing one of their top chance creators (Rodriguez) and Orlando also missing one of their best (Pato), this might not be a fast-paced game with a lot of opportunities for either side, especially given the Florida heat.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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