Orlando City SC vs. Philadelphia Union | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Orlando City SC vs. Philadelphia Union
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 27
Orlando City Stadium — Orlando
Sept. 1 — 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN+, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

After defeating D.C. United at Audi Field on Wednesday night, the Philadelphia Union are trying to move up the Eastern Conference table with a fifth straight win, while Orlando City SC are seeking to halt a six-match winless streak following a 2-1 defeat to Atlanta United, their fifth loss in their last six games.

This is the second meeting this season, with Orlando City SC winning, 2-0, at Talen Energy Stadium on April 13 on goals by Dom Dwyer and Chris Mueller seven minutes apart late in the first half.

The series between these teams is evenly split (3W-2D each), per Opta.

Orlando City SC

Orlando City SC (7-16-2) battled back from an early deficit, but conceded the decisive second-half goal in a 2-1 home loss to Atlanta United.

Scott Sutter canceled out Leandro Gonzalez Pirez's opening goal with a 39th minute equalizer, his second goal of the season, but Josef Martinez struck for the winner, his historic 28th goal of the season to break an MLS record that stood for 22 years.

“I think there’s been games we can point and say we were a little unlucky, but at the end of the day, I’m not into that. I want to win games,” James O’Connor said. “Going forward we want to make sure the intensity is right and that we start to capitalize on the big moments in the games and take opportunities and cut out the silly errors.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Sacha Kljestan, F - Dom Dwyer
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: GK - Mason Stajduhar (Localized Ewing Sarcoma), D - Lamine Sane (quad injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Joe Bendik — Scott Sutter, Jonathan Spector, Shane O’Neill, PC — Uri Rosell, Yoshi Yotun — Cristian Higuita, Sacha Kljestan, Chris Mueller — Dom Dwyer

Notes: Orlando have not won this year in games in which Will Johnson didn’t start (5L-1D). They’ve only picked up one point in those six gams and conceded 3.2 goals a game. … Orlando have taken just four points of 48 available in the last 16 games. They’ve conceded 45 goals in that time, an average of 2.8 per game.

Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia (12-11-3) keep on rolling, becoming the second visiting team to win at Audi Field, beating D.C. United, 2-0, Wednesday night.

CJ Sapong crashed the net to latch onto a rebound Bill Hamid parried in front of goal and he slid in to put the Union ahead in the 29th minute. Sapong then provided the cross on Fafa Picault’s insurance goal just past the hour mark.

“I could talk about a lot of different things, but I do have to say, I love my players right now,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said. “I love each and every one of them. The effort that they’re given. There’s something special going on with this group. Player one through 30 has been pushing things along the right way.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Jack Elliott
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Matt Real (left knee sprain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-2-1, right to left)
GK: Andre Blake — Keegan Rosenberry, Jack Elliott, Auston Trusty, Raymon Gaddis — Haris Medunjanin, Alejandro Bedoya — CJ Sapong, Borek Dockal, Fafa Picault — Cory Burke

Notes: Since the start of July, Andre Blake has 40 saves and three clean sheets, which ranks as the fourth and tied for fifth most in MLS in that time, respectively. … The Union have won six of their last eight MLS matches (2L), keeping clean sheets in their last three matches – one off the franchise record for most consecutive shutouts in MLS play.

All-Time Series

Overall: Orlando City SC 3 wins, 10 goals … Philadelphia Union 3 wins, 13 goals … 2 draws
At Orlando: Orlando City SC 1 win, 4 goals … Union 0 wins, 3 goals … 2 draws
Last meeting at Orlando: Orlando City SC 2, Philadelphia Union 1 (March 18, 2017)