Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Major League Soccer clash between Dallas and Orlando City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Dallas will be looking to record consecutive victories for the first time in over two months in Sunday’s encounter against Orlando City SC at the Toyota Stadium.
For Orlando, this weekend’s meeting offers them a chance to get back to winning ways off the back of a first defeat in four matches last time out.
Match preview
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Having gone three matches without a win prior, Dallas secured a much-needed victory over Los Angeles FC, running out emphatic 3-1 winners on Sunday to get their playoff pursuit back on track.
Unreplied goals from Petar Musa, Patrickson Delgado and Logan Farrington put Peter Luccin‘s men in the driving seat before Eduard Atuesta pulled one back four minutes from the end of normal time.
That was only a 10th win in 30 league matches for El Toros, but it was enough to see them move up to 10th place in the Western Conference of the MLS table, five points shy of Minnesota United in the race for the final playoff spot.
While their defensive frailties from earlier this season still exist, Dallas have upped the ante at the top end of the pitch of late, scoring 11 goals across their last five matches—only Portland Timbers and Los Angeles Galaxy have found the back of the net more times in the division.
Sunday’s hosts will back themselves to continue their hot streak in front of goal as they face off against an opposing outfit who have managed only one win from 10 previous editions of this fixture dating back to 2011, losing seven times during that span.
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Fresh from picking up three wins on the bounce by a combined score of 8-0, Orlando City just about came away empty-handed in Sunday’s seven-goal thriller against Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field.
Oscar Pareja‘s men left themselves with a mountain to climb after going three down and eventually fell to a 4-3 defeat in Ohio despite a late salvo that yielded three goals within the final 16 minutes.
Nonetheless, the Lions remain fifth in the East and are now just two wins from guaranteeing a place in the postseason for the sixth year running since finishing bottom of the conference back in 2018.
However, Orlando City have some tightening up to do at the back if they are to enjoy a deep playoff run having conceded the second-most goals of all teams currently on course to make it through to the title run-in.
Dallas Major League Soccer form:
Dallas form (all competitions):
Orlando City Major League Soccer form:
Orlando City form (all competitions):
Team News
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Geovane Jesus and Paxton Pomykal are both ruled out for Dallas through knee injuries, and neither will be back in time to play any part this weekend.
Long-term absentee Liam Fraser is still a considerable way off making his return to action for the hosts from an injury he picked up in late June.
Angola international Show missed the victory over Los Angeles FC last time out with an ankle injury but could return to the fold this weekend.
Goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar is still working his way back up to full fitness from a leg injury, ruling him out of contention for Orlando’s trip to Texas.
David Brekalo is set to miss a third game on the bounce for the away side and is yet to feature since returning from international duty with Slovenia.
Off the back of his two-goal haul as a substitute last time out, Luis Muriel could be rewarded with a place in the starting lineup for this one.
Dallas possible starting lineup:
Paes; Ibeagha, Gonzalez, Farfan; Ruan, Delgado, Illarramendi, Arriola; Ferreira, Farrington, Velasco
Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Santos, Jansson, Schlegel, Thorhallsson; Cartagena, Kocevski; Cortes, Ojeda, Torres; McGuire
We say: Dallas 2-0 Orlando City
Dallas’ record in this fixture suggests another victory for them this weekend, and while we expect Orlando City to put up a decent fight, we can see the home side coming away with maximum points in the end.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.