Defense won't keep up with the pace: prediction for New York Red Bulls vs Orlando City
Red Bull New York
Orlando City
The eighteenth round of the MLS brings us a clash between the New York Red Bulls and Orlando City on August 1 at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey. The two sides are separated by just two spots in the Eastern Conference standings: the hosts sit eighth, while the visitors are tenth and could leapfrog their rivals with a victory.
New York Red Bulls: post-break slump and lingering defensive woes
Michael Bradley's squad has yet to recapture the form they showed before the World Cup break. Since the season resumed, the Red Bulls have fallen to the Philadelphia Union 1-3 and Charlotte 0-2, despite collecting ten out of a possible twelve points before the pause.
The hosts' defense is especially concerning. Their last clean sheet in MLS dates back to February, and in recent games they've consistently allowed opponents far too many chances.
Scoring has also dipped: for the first time since spring, the team has failed to net more than a single goal in two straight matches. Yet prior to the break, the Red Bulls had dispatched Chicago Fire 3-1, Columbus Crew 3-2, and Kansas City 2-1, so the squad's attacking potential is still there.
Orlando City: back-to-back wins, but away form remains a worry
Since Martin Perelman was appointed as interim head coach, Orlando has shown clear improvement. The team posted consecutive wins over the San Jose Earthquakes (4-0) and Nashville (1-0), keeping their first clean sheets of the season.
Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau played a key role, racking up nine saves across those two matches. Seven of those came against San Jose, so the visitors' defensive reliability owed much to his heroics between the posts.
However, things are far trickier on the road. Orlando has conceded 31 goals away from home - the worst record not just in the Eastern Conference, but in the entire league. The absence of Martín Ojeda, who has scored 11 goals, adds to their woes. Antoine Griezmann found the net in his debut against San Jose, but failed to produce any goal contributions against Nashville.
Match facts and head-to-head
- New York Red Bulls haven't kept a clean sheet in MLS since February.
- Orlando have won their last two matches by a combined score of 5-0.
- The visitors have conceded 31 goals away - the worst tally in the league.
Fireworks expected at both ends: New York Red Bulls vs Orlando City prediction
Orlando come into this matchup riding a wave of confidence, but their two recent shutout wins shouldn't be misleading. Their defense remains fragile on the road, and without Ojeda, their attack may lack its usual punch.
The Red Bulls are also far from solid and have looked inconsistent since the break, but at home they'll be expected to push forward more aggressively. Given both sides' defensive issues, this game has all the makings of an open, end-to-end contest with plenty of goals.
