Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Three Keys to Victory

Orlando City hits the road following the 3-0 beatdown of Atlanta United. This week, the Lions head to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Fire. Orlando City is coming off its best performance of the season, in my opinion, and has the opportunity to build on that. Standing in the way is a Chicago club coming off a 7-2 drubbing on the road at the hands of Nashville SC. The Fire will not want a repeat of that defeat. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points on the road from Chicago?

Contain Cuypers & Co.

Hugo Cuypers has seven goals and two assists for Chicago this season. Not only is that good enough for best at Chicago, that’s good enough to lead the league. The current leader for the golden boot will face a club that hasn’t given up a goal in four matches. We need the Orlando City defense to maintain the current level of excellence against Cuypers.

The Lions should have a full-strength lineup for Chicago. Cesar Araujo should be back in the defensive midfield, with David Brekalo and Alex Freeman at the fullback positions. Most importantly, Rodrigo Schlegel and Robin Jansson must be in top form. Cuypers isn’t the only one who is a threat, with Philip Zinckernagel — that is a very fun name — with three goals and four assists. It’s a potent attack that has scored the same number of goals as Orlando City.

All Ahead Atuesta

What a difference Eduard Atuesta made in Orlando City’s 3-0 victory over Atlanta United. He is the engine that drives the offense, the stirrer in Orlando’s cup of coffee, or any other metaphor you want to use. His ability to connect the defense to the offense is a previously underrated aspect of his game. We now know how important he is to this team.

Atuesta will be dealing with a defensive midfield of Kellyn Acosta and Mauricio Pineda. Both are quality defenders, but with the assistance of Araujo behind him, Atuesta can be successful against the Fire. If he can unlock the Chicago defense, the Fire are vulnerable to giving up goals.

Pepper the Goal

Last match, Orlando City took 16 shots with six on target, and the Lions put three in the back of the net. If the Lions can generate a similar number of chances and finish them, then a road victory is more likely. Of course, the Fire allowed Nashville SC 18 shots, with 12 on target, and seven went in the back of the net. They won’t want to do the same two weeks in a row.

Assuming Atuesta is feeding the offense, Luis Muriel, Duncan McGuire, and Marco Pasalic will need to be clinical in their finishing. The more shots on target generated, the more Chicago’s Chris Brady will be likely to let one in. Orlando City broke the scoring drought last week and that needs to continue against the Fire.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!