Orlando City's new home has been christened with a pair of wins in MLS action. The Lions will look to make it 3-for-3 against the New York Red Bulls, who are shaping up to be one of the better teams in the MLS once again this season.
Don't miss the MLS action from Orlando City Stadium at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 9, 2017. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Orlando City +120
New York Red Bulls +200
Draw +230
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
The biggest problem the Red Bulls have had this season is their defense. They've conceded eight times in five matches and are -3 in goal difference. They do have a 2-1-2 record, but they've been playing a slew of over matches.
OCSC has only been on the pitch three times thanks to the canceled matched in New England thanks to inclement weather. This is going to be three home fixtures in four, and the Lions know they need to make this home pitch advantage count. Not surprisingly, they're +120 favorites to take three points for the third time at home.
Key Injuries
Luis Gil will likely be signed by Orlando City by the time this match kicks off, but it's hard to imagine him in the fold by Sunday. Tony Rocha, Seb Hines, Rafael Ramos, Jose Aja and most notably, Kaka are all on the shelf for the Lions. Needless to say, they'll need all the help they can get at this early stage of the season.
The Red Bulls are playing without both Gideon Baah and Aurelien Collin at the back, while Gonzalo Veron has a hamstring injury and is out for the foreseeable future.
Recent Form
City's lack of depth really showed against Columbus last weekend. The team looked flat from the start at MAPFRE Stadium and never mounted much offense in a 2-0 defeat. That erased the memories from the two home wins over Philadelphia and NYCFC to start the campaign, though the hometown fans are far more concerned with the team's home form than how it plays away from the City Beautiful.
The Red Bulls were 4-1 losers in Houston in their last effort, and that stretched their run without a win to three matches after starting 2-0-0 against Atlanta and Colorado. As we alluded to earlier, the biggest concern is allowing seven goals in three fixtures, and that includes a clean sheet against Real Salt Lake in a scoreless draw on March 25 at Red Bull Arena.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
These two teams both have some issues at the moment, and with a talent like Cyle Larin on the pitch for Orlando City against a team that has struggled to keep the ball out of the back of its own net, it's hard to not fancy at least a goal or two for the hosts.
That said, the better play might be on the over in this one. Orlando City has struggled mightily at times at the back, and Joe Bendik has had to be a hero in the posts time and time again. The club has been so impressed with his play early on in the season that it locked him up for the next three years. It's just too bad the defense in front of him hasn't been great.
It's tough to picture the Red Bulls coming on the road and getting three points, but we wouldn't be shocked if the two clubs split four goals, or maybe even more by the time this one is said and done with.
MLS Odds: Orlando City 2, New York 2
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
