Orlando City vs. Austin FC: Preview & How to Watch

Welcome to your match preview and reside thread for a Sunday night time inaugural match-up between Orlando Metropolis (6-4-2, 20 factors) and Austin FC (7-3-2, 23 factors) at Q2 Stadium (8 p.m., FOX 35 Plus). That is the one scheduled assembly between the groups this season.

Right here’s what you might want to know forward of the match.

Historical past

There isn’t any historical past. This would be the first assembly between the groups. The Lions haven’t fared effectively general of their historical past when enjoying within the state of Texas. Orlando Metropolis received its first MLS match the state — and acquired its first ever victory in Main League Soccer — again on March 13, 2015 with a 1-0 win at Houston, however the workforce is simply 1-4-1 within the Lone Star State. The Lions are winless of their final 5 journeys to Texas (0-4-1).

Match Overview

Orlando Metropolis enters this match having received its final two video games in all competitions, together with its final away MLS match at Toronto FC final Saturday, defeating the Reds, 1-0, on Kyle Smith’s late header. Whereas the Lions are a powerful 3-1-2 away from dwelling on the season to this point, the final two outings — each in Canada — haven’t seen the very best Orlando Metropolis performances. Orlando dominated the Toronto recreation however struggled within the ultimate third within the final away match and acquired blown off the sphere within the earlier highway recreation, a 4-1 loss at Montreal.

Austin entered the weekend with the very best document in Main League Soccer after a 2-1 win at LAFC through the midweek. The second-year membership has been the most important shock within the league over the primary third of the 2022 season, opening the marketing campaign with 10 targets within the first two matches. Though Austin has outperformed anticipated targets and anticipated targets in opposition to, the Texas aspect has performed disciplined soccer underneath Josh Wolff and have made Q2 Stadium a tricky place for guests, compiling a 4-1-1 dwelling document this yr. However the lone lack of the season at Q2 got here within the workforce’s most up-to-date dwelling match, falling 1-0 to the LA Galaxy on Could 8. Austin had misplaced two straight coming into the LAFC recreation.

The first job for Orlando Metropolis received’t be a simple one — shutting down the potent Austin offense. Designated Participant Sebastian Driussi entered the weekend tied for second on the MLS Golden Boot race, with seven targets. Winger Diego Fagundez leads Main League Soccer in assists (7). Austin leads MLS in targets (25) and assists (31). The workforce has scored 24 of its 25 targets from contained in the 18-yard field, so Orlando’s again line and midfielders can have the tall job of retaining the world clear in entrance of Pedro Gallese if he’s going to earn a outcome, not to mention add to his league-leading six clear sheets. Orlando has a fair larger proportion of its targets come from contained in the 18, scoring all 14 targets on the yr from contained in the field.

The scoring-challenged Lions — solely 10 groups within the league have scored fewer targets — merely can’t afford to get in a shootout in Austin.

DP midfielder Alex Ring is a former New York Metropolis FC star that Austin selected to construct round and it has labored out effectively. Ring is adept at profitable the ball again within the midfield, turning defending into offensive probabilities. He’s additionally not afraid to get ahead into the field, contributing two targets and three assists on the season.

“Austin is a recreation that’s going to deliver completely different expressions from a workforce that we haven’t competed [against],” Head Coach Oscar Pareja stated forward of the match. “It’s alternative to match a workforce that has been enjoying effectively through the season to this point. They’ve excellent gamers, however we’re proud about ours too and we’re able to compete.”

Orlando Metropolis might be with out heart again Antonio Carlos (hamstring), Benji Michel (decrease leg), and Silvester van der Water (decrease leg), though the workforce did take away Tesho Akindele from the supply report forward of this match. Austin’s damage checklist is a brief one, with simply Freddy Kleemann (ACL) listed as out.

Necessary Match Content material

Projected Lineups

Orlando Metropolis (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Ruan.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Andres Perea.

Attacking Midfielders: Facundo Torres, Mauricio Pereyra, Junior Urso.

Ahead: Ercan Kara.

Austin FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Brad Stuver.

Defenders: Zan Kolmanic, Ruben Gabrielsen, Julio Cascante, Nick Lima.

Midfielders: Owen Wolff, Alex Ring, Daniel Pereira.

Forwards: Diego Fagundez, Sebastian Driussi, Maxi Urruti.

Referees

Ref: Joe Dickerson.

AR1: Corey Rockwell.

AR2: Jeremy Kieso.

4th: Elijio Arreguin.

VAR: Rosendo Mendoza.

AVAR: Claudiu Badea.

How one can Watch

Match Time: 8 p.m.

Venue: Q2 Stadium — Austin, TX.

TV: FOX 35 Plus (native solely).

Radio: FM 96.9 The Sport (English), Acción 97.9 FM and 810 AM (Spanish).

Streaming: The match could be streamed on ESPN+ (out of market solely) and the LionNation app (in market solely).

Twitter: For speedy response and reside updates, comply with alongside at @TheManeLand, in addition to Orlando Metropolis’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).

Benefit from the match. Go Metropolis!

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