Orlando City vs Real Salt Lake Predictions

• Orlando City finished in 22nd position last season, amassing just 37 points in another disappointing season.
• Real Salt Lake were the surprised package of 2019, finishing in 6th place but losing in the playoffs to Seattle Sounders.
• Orlando scored 44 times last season but conceded 52 times with their games seeing an average of 2.8 goals.
• Real Salt Lake ended the season scoring 46 and conceding just 41 times, a rate of 1.20 goals per game.

Orlando will be hoping to avoid yet another poor campaign

Orlando City haven’t had much success in their relatively short MLS tenure, failing to make the playoffs at any point so far and often being disappointing. Last season was no exception with the side finishing third bottom overall, winning just nine times and ending the season winless in their last eight games.

They’ve performed well in pre season this year and will be hoping to move that form over to their league campaign as they try and make the playoffs for the first time in their history. There hasn’t been a lot of movement within the squad in the off season but the biggest change has come in the dugout with Oscar Pareja joining the club from FC Dallas. He’s got good pedigree in the league and begins his rebuilding process with a home game.

Last season saw Orlando score 44 times, a figure that wasn’t too bad overall in the Eastern Conference but only surpassed the total scored by one side in the Western Conference. Defensively they conceded a few too many with 52 goals being shipped in 34 games but the main issue the club faced was killing off games with the side often scoring two or more but still only taking a maximum of a point from the game.

Surprise package hoping to shock the league once again

Not many people would’ve backed Real Salt Lake to challenge at the top of the Western Conference and go deep into the MLS Cup but that’s exactly what happened with the team finishing sixth overall, missing out on the Champions League by three points, and making the quarter finals of the MLS Cup before being beaten by eventual winners, Seattle Sounders.

There have been a few changes within the squad with Nick Rimando retiring and the likes of Kelyn Rowe and Brooks Lennon joining rivals in the Eastern Conference but there’s been no big names coming into the squad with head coach, Freddy Juarez mainly keeping his faith in the side that impressed so much last season.

The side were relatively low scorers last season, finding the net 46 times, the lowest total in the Western Conference with the exception of bottom placed Vancouver Whitecaps. They were excellent in defence though with only Supporters’ Shield winners, LAFC, conceding less than Salt Lake over the course of a very successful season for the Claret and Cobalt.

Interesting seasons ahead for both clubs

Orlando City fans really will be hoping that this is the season that they finally break into the playoff picture instead of being at the wrong end of the table for much of the year. Real Salt Lake will find it hard to match their terrific season in 2019 but look focused and ready to take on the challenge.

This match could end up being a very close one but Orlando City still look to have the same problems as last year with a poor defence not hugely being improved whilst Real Salt Lake still have the same core that almost made the Western Conference final last year. With that in mind, we’re predicting Salt Lake will come away from Florida with something from this game and are backing them to pick up a win or draw on the double chance market.

The scoreline should be a relatively close one with Real Salt Lake facing a long trip east for this fixture whilst Pareja will likely shore up the Orlando shape a little, especially in the opening fixture of the season. We’re backing the spoils to be shared in this game and are predicting a 1-1 draw that gets both sides off to a reasonable start to the season.