Tough one to call as both clubs have had a poor run of late. Six points separate the two MLS sides, with Orlando in 7th and Montreal at 10th. Both will be looking to compete in the playoffs this season, but they’ve failed to convince in recent weeks.
Montreal suffered a string of heavy defeats, including a thumping by the New York Red Bulls, Houston Dynamo and Dallas. Defensively they look weak, they’ve unable to keep a clean sheet and conceded nine goals in just three games.
Orlando haven’t done much better, taking just a point from their last four matches. Both teams’ have a poor away record, but Montreal have performed better on their home turf, winning 4 of their last 5 games at the Saputo.
The two clubs last met in June, drawing 3-3. Out of the last seven head-to-head games, Orlando have won three while Montreal have won twice. The two sides have drawn twice, scoring an impressive total of 24 goals between them.
Montreal Impact
Impact are still having a rough time in the MLS league. They’ll be licking their wounds after a 4-0 battering by the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.
That defeat pushed them further down the Eastern Conference table to 10th place, with the playoffs looking increasingly out of reach. It’s possible that their recent strong home performances could save them on Sunday.
Argentinian midfielder Ignacio Piatti is expected to pose the main threat to Orlando, having scored eight goals this season — five of them at home. Victor Cabrera is still out and left-back Ambroise Oyongo picked up a knee injury, clearly weakening Impact’s defence and contributing to their poor record of conceding goals.
Orlando City
The Lions aren’t doing particularly well either. After a good start to the season, they’ve recently drifted below the top six and are reducing their chances of making the playoffs.
They’ve won just one game out of their last ten, with zero wins in the last four. Their away record is poor, winning just once away from home in the last 16 games.
At the moment they look poor defensively, and have an increasing tendency to concede in the last five minutes. Defender Rafael Ramos is out with a hamstring injury and Kevin Alston is still uncertain.
Hope will be pinned on City’s newest forward Dom Dwyer, who arrived at Orlando last week for a record $1.6 million and debuted in a 1-1 draw against Atlanta last weekend.
It’s uncertain whether or not Dwyer and Kaka will start, since they played in the MLS All Stars tie on Thursday. This will leave the Lions relatively limited in options up front. They’ve already failed to score in 4 out of 10 away games.
Top Betting Tips
Montreal have a fortunate two games in hand, so they’ll be looking to capitalise on those and push back towards the playoffs for the remaining third of the season.
Orlando have a slight edge on previous meetings, but with such a poor away record and Montreal’s general consistency at home, they don’t look like a good back for the win.
Orlando are missing key players and there’s an obvious hole in the Montreal defence, so this one should be a bit of a goal fest. Stats show a high average of 3.6 goals per game between the to two sides, with 78 percent of Montreal’s MLS home games over 2.5 goals. Orlando have scored in 60 percent of their away matches.
Montreal are 10/11 to win, so adding in the Over 2.5 Goals market would be advisable.
Montreal for the win and both teams to score is low at ½, but it will start to drift out to 1 if there are no goals early in-play. 7/1 Orlando lose and both teams to score looks to be the most profitable of all the options.