Orlando City hopes to start resurgence vs. NYCFC (Jul 25, 2018)
Despite a months-long tailspin and upheaval in the coaching ranks, Orlando City SC is not about to give up on its season.
Looking for only their second win since early May, the Lions take on red-hot New York City FC on Thursday night at Orlando City Stadium.
Orlando (7-12-1), which fired Jason Kreis in the midst of a nine-game skid earlier in the season, now looks to avoid its second straight MLS setback after giving up the game-winning goal deep into second-half stoppage time and losing 3-2 to the Columbus Crew last Saturday.
"It is just really, really disappointing for the players because the players didn't deserve that tonight, they really didn't," head coach James O'Connor told the team's official website. "I am exceptionally proud of the players and that's the main point that I want to get across."
Pride aside, a signature win -- especially against one of the league's top teams in NYCFC (12-4-4) -- would provide a boost to O'Connor's club. The Lions have fared well at Orlando City Stadium, posting a 5-4-1 record, while the Pigeons have surrendered the fourth-fewest goals in MLS this year (24).
"I think we have a very big week coming and we've got to get this out of our minds as soon as possible and be ready for the next game because there's nothing we can do now," said Lions midfielder Sacha Kljestan, who has 10 assists in his last 11 matches versus NYCFC.
Orlando City is ninth in the Eastern Conference and only six points in back of the New England Revolution for the sixth and final playoff spot in the East. NYCFC is unbeaten at home and in second place in the Eastern Conference behind Atlanta United FC.
The Pigeons are looking for their fourth consecutive clean sheet after defeating Columbus 2-0 on July 14. NYCFC's three straight shutouts -- all courtesy of Sean Johnson -- came in a seven-day span at Yankee Stadium. The Georgia native has a league-leading and career-best eight clean sheets this season.
"We have a good goalkeeper. I'm very happy with him. He's an amazing person. For me it's very important when a player is like Sean," coach Domenec Torrent told the team's official website.
Torrent's team is also potent on offense with forward David Villa logging eight goals in 13 games (10 starts). Midfielder Ismael Tajouri-Shradi also has eight goals 15 games (11 starts), while fellow midfielder Maxi Moralez has seven goals and a team-leading 10 assists.
But success on the road has been hard to come by for NYCFC. Since beating the San Jose Earthquakes on March 31 in the Bay Area, the team is 0-4-2 away from home.
The Lions are 3-1-1 all-time at home against the Pigeons, including a 3-0 loss in May 2017.
