Orlando City Vs DC United
Orlando City Vs DC United Tuesday, 5 July 2022 – 00:00 (BST)
US Major League Soccer
Pick: Orlando City to WIN
Odds: 20/23
Bookmaker: PaddyPower
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 3 July 2022)
Preview: Exploria Stadium is the setting for this all Eastern Conference tussle between Orlando City, who are still perched prominently in fifth place, and DC United, the latter propping up the entire 28-team division after failing to win for the sixth league game running recently.
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Table of Contents
Orlando City – Lions not roaring so much anymore?
Formed eight years ago, becoming at the time the 21st franchise in the MLS with that since being expanded to 28 teams, could this be the year silverware adorns a vacant Orlando City trophy cabinet? Into the last four of the US Open Cup, where they will host New York Red Bulls for the right to face Sacremento Republic of Sporting Kansas City in the final in September, The Lions are also prominently place in the East.
Although their form remains patchy after a promising start, Orlando are still fifth in the Eastern Conference – four points clear of eight-placed Columbus Crew who are on the outside looking in as far as the MLS Play-Offs are concerned. That form we eluded to, though, is disconcerting. Oscar Pareja’s side went down 1-0 to FC Cincinnati last time for their ninth consecutive different result (form since April 24: LWLWDLDWL).
Key stat: Orlando City have alternated between winning and losing across their last six MLS home games, winning 1-0 vs Houston Dynamo last time out at Exploria Stadium.
DC United – Hard to find many positives in Washington?
This league can be very unforgiving at times, as DC United are discovering for themselves after prolonging their miserable spell of form with another limp display in a 3-1 home loss to Nashville SC last time around. That made it no win in six in the MLS for interim head coach Chad Ashton, securing two of a possible eighteen points since a scrappy 2-0 victory over Houston Dynamo, in Washington, on May 7.
No team has accrued fewer points than their 14 in 15 matches, though they have completed at least one game less than the rest of the division. Even so, these are bleak times. However, their underlying numbers suggest they should be higher up the Eastern standings than they are currently, and it is worth noting that they would only lose the xG battle decisively once in the last nine fixtures – and that to a slick New York City.
Key Stat: DC United haven’t produced an away win in MLS since prevailing in their opening away encounter at FC Cincinnati, way back in the first week of March. Since then they have accrued one point from five away games, scoring 4 and allowing 12.
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Orlando City Vs DC United Betting Advice
Not the easiest of contest to dissect, as one look at the respective forms almost compels you to find a case to oppose them. Orlando City certainly look the classier act when judging solely by the standings, perched all the way up in fifth place in the East on 25 points, with DC United languishing in stone last, in 14th, on 14. But, can we truly trust this Orlando side? Their volatile form (last nine: LWLWDLDWL) suggests not.
Orlando City Vs DC United – Key Facts:
- DC United had gone unbeaten in four MLS head-to-heads, from March 2018 to June 2019, but are now bidding to avoid a third consecutive loss after twice losing by a single goal in 2021 (1-0 at home and 2-1 away).
- That leads rather nicely into a value bet on the hosts winning by a single goal margin. Three of the four Orlando City victories here at Exploria Stadium in MLS 2022 came via single-goal margins.
- Meanwhile, 50% of DC United’s four away defeats this season were by the slenderest of margins. This includes their latest road fixture, a 1-0 loss to the second worst team in the Eastern Conference – after themselves – in the form of Chicago Fire.
Then again, what positives are there for DC United? Four losses in six coming into this game, they would collect one point from the last 15 on offer away from home, even finding a way to succumb 1-0 last time out on their travels to Chicago Fire – a side that had won once in 12 league games prior. I’ll support the hosts, then, but it’s a tentative selection based loosely on DC United’s atrocious record outside Washington.
Best Betting Odds – Orlando City Vs DC United
Orlando City – 20/23 (PaddyPower)
Draw – 14/5 (Bet365)
DC United – 3/1 (Coral)
