Preview: Toronto vs. Orlando City

Sports Mole previews Wednesday’s Major League Soccer clash between Toronto and Orlando City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Toronto can end a lengthy losing run in Major League Soccer when they return to BMO Field on Wednesday to face Orlando City.

Over the weekend, the Reds lost 2-1 to Atlanta United, their fourth straight defeat in this competition, while the Lions saw a two-match unbeaten run end, losing 4-2 at New York City FC.

Match preview
© Imago

Little has gone right for TFC over the past few weeks as the 2017 MLS Cup champions find themselves on a seven-match winless run in league play.

Time and again this season, the Reds have lost their composure in the latter stages, conceding a winning goal in the 85th minute or beyond in four separate league fixtures this year.

On their current winless run, John Herdman’s men have failed to triumph in three domestic encounters when scoring first, dropping eight points in the process.

Because of this, Toronto are barely holding onto a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, just two points above that line, though CF Montreal have played one fewer match than them (20).

Their last three league contests played at BMO Field wound up in defeat for the Reds, equalling their longest losing run at home in MLS from a year ago.

Thanks to a dramatic 2-1 come-from-behind victory in late April, TFC ended an eight-match winless run against Orlando City in league play.

That winning feeling was short-lived for the Lions, who followed up a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Fire with a defeat by that same score on Saturday.

Oscar Pareja’s men are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference with 21 points, three below the post-season line heading into their 21st encounter of the campaign.

The Lions have only won one of their previous seven matches played in this competition, claiming five points over that stretch.

Despite netting multiple times in back-to-back MLS away contests, Orlando City have not emerged victorious from a league fixture as the visitors since May 18 (1-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes).

On three occasions this year, this side have failed to win a domestic encounter when netting the opening goal, dropping eight points as a result.

Orlando City have won four of their previous five league contests against Toronto, claiming points in three of their last four visits to BMO Field.

Toronto Major League Soccer form:

Orlando City Major League Soccer form:

Team News
© Reuters

On Saturday, the Reds were once again without Tyrese Spicer, who is recovering from a lower back issue, Brandon Servania is out for the year with an ACL rupture and Alonso Coello is not expected to return from his thigh injury for 10-12 weeks.

Kevin Long will be suspended for this match due to yellow card accumulation, Richie Laryea and Jonathan Osorio are still with the Canadian team at the Copa America and Sean Johnson is with the American squad.

Federico Bernardeschi equalised early into the second half of their match with Atlanta, only for goalkeeper Luka Gavran to throw it away deep into second-half stoppage time when Jamal Thiare took the ball off him for a tap-in.

Ramiro Enrique sat out of another match for Orlando City this past weekend due to personal reasons, Michael Halliday is out with a knee injury, Tahir Reid-Brown has a sore thigh and Mason Stajduhar is not expected to return this season after breaking a tibia in his right leg.

If he is back in time, Pedro Gallese will reclaim his place in goal after Peru were eliminated from the Copa America on Saturday, with his fellow countryman Wilder Cartagena expected to return as well, while David Brekalo is unlikely to be available with Slovenia playing Portugal on Monday in the round of 16 at the Euros.

Dagur Dan Thorhallsson scored his second regular season goal this past weekend, and Duncan McGuire put home his team-leading seventh of the campaign in second-half stoppage time.

Toronto possible starting lineup:
Gavran; Gomis, O’Neill, Rosted; Thompson, Longstaff, Flores, Etienne; Bernardeschi, Insigne; Owusu

Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Thorhallsson, Schlegel, Jansson, Smith; Lodeiro, Cartagena; Torres, Muriel, Angulo; McGuire

We say: Toronto 2-2 Orlando City
Neither side have been very convincing on the back end or proven they can put a game to bed, which is why we project an exciting stalemate in this one.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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