Philadelphia Union
Struggle buses clash as the Union face Orlando
The scoring and the scoreless. Orlando City and Philadelphia could not be more different in their recent form. Two, 4-3 thriller victories propelled Orlando to victories in three of their last five matches.
The Union is winless in five, blanked in two of their last three matches. Both teams sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Who will break through before the World Cup break?
Orlando Finding Goals Despite Defensive Woes
Orlando’s first twelve matches have been a roller coaster. After a single win in their first six, the Pride found their footing, tallying 14 goals and nine points in their last five matches.
The issues remain with consistency. A drop of their most recent match to Montreal, after defeating the club earlier in March, had the Orlando faithful scratching their heads.
The culprit may lie within their backline. Orlando concedes more than any club in the league, allowing 34 goals across twelve matches. This is the most in the Eastern Conference by six goals.
However, fault does not lie between the sticks. Maxime Crépeau ranks third across the league in saves. The 32-year-old Canadian remains solid after returning from a fractured right leg suffered against the Union in the 2022 MLS Cup, which followed a stint with the Portland Timbers before finding a home in Orlando.
On the offense, scoring comes in bunches for the Purple and Gold. Martín Ojeda is just four goals from catching Cyle Larin for second in club history at 44 and seven from tying Facundo Torres’ club record of 47. Meanwhile, Duncan McGuire sits just a goal away from passing Nani as fourth all-time.
Other players to watch include center back Robin Jansson, who has played 245 matches with Orlando City SC, and midfielder Tyrese Spicer, who has two goals on the season.
Through 24 meetings since Orlando’s introduction to the league, the Pride has eight wins to the Union’s nine, with seven draws between the sides.
Keys to Success
Relentless pressure and defensive consistency will propel Orlando to victory in this match. The goals are coming in waves, and the Union struggles to keep teams off the board. If they score enough, this struggling Philadelphia offense will be unable to keep up with the attacking prowess of the Lions.
Union Need Answers Before the Break
The Union has a single win in their last five away matches. Match it with a short week, and it’s not a combination I would want. The Union looks much more consistent in the back, but offensive struggles still plague a team that can’t turn the corner through 90 minutes.
Defensively, the Union sits in the middle of the Eastern Conference with 19 goals conceded across 12 matches. Only conceding four in their last three matches, they aim to keep this consistency against an Orlando team that has found its offensive rhythm. The big question mark falls on the health of Japhet Sery-Larsen, who was absent in the Union’s 2-1 defeat to the New England Revolution.
Offensively, struggles. The Union sits above only Sporting Kansas City in goals this season at 10. The highest conceding team meets the lowest scoring team this evening, and with how this Union side has created thus far, my money would be on the defense.
Some call it bad luck, others call it victims of circumstance, but lack of creativity, inconsistencies on capitalization, and overall issues with formation cohesion plague a team that cannot seem to put it all together in 90 minutes.
My players to watch, and ultimately where I believe all the pressure lies for this side, are with the forwards. Bruno Damiani and Ezekiel Alladoh seem snake-bitten, and no one has the antivenom. If the Union can get their forwards going, preferably against a struggling defense. Not only will this put points on the board, but it will also build confidence in young players just before a month-long World Cup break.
Keys to Success
If there was a time to turn it around, it would be Wednesday night. A short week provides its own challenges, but the Union needs to beat the teams within its grasp. If they can get things going on the offensive side of the ball, the defense can hold its own enough to propel the team to victory.
There’s plenty of season left, and the Union sits just nine points behind the playoff line.
You can catch the match on Apple TV+ at 7:30 p.m.
