Orlando City recently ended a run of four straight defeats, and are favourites to register back-to-back wins for the first time since June when they travel to face the Eastern Conference's bottom side, FC Cincinnati, on Sunday.
The home team have only won once in their last 19 games, and new manager Tyrone Marshall has seemingly not had the positive impact, in terms of results, he would have wished for since arriving at the club at the end of September.
Match preview
Cincinnati's last two games have come against two of the Eastern Conference's top three teams, and the 14th-placed side only missed out on a draw by one goal in each of those outings.
Last time out, Marshall's team dominated possession of the ball against Philadelphia Union, but the hosts were not as efficient in front of goal and only managed to net one of their six shots on target, while Union scored twice earlier in the game.
Hope of avoiding a bottom-placed finish is fading away for Cincinnati, who are now five points behind Toronto in 13th with six games to play, and collecting any points on Sunday will be a tough task for the home side, given Orlando's better league position.
Cincinnati have only won once at the TQL Stadium this season, but they have conceded 22 more goals away from home, suggesting that Orlando are not going to run riot in Ohio this weekend.
Orlando have far from clinched a playoff spot with six games still to play as they are only three points ahead of Atlanta United in eighth, but victory against fellow top-seven rival DC United was a massive boost for the squad.
Oscar Pareja's side went behind earlier on in that game against DC United; they quickly equalised through centre-back Robin Jansson but it was a long wait for the home side to find a winner at the Exploria Stadium.
Striker Daryl Dike was the hero on that day, scoring a 97th-minute winner to ensure Orlando leapfrogged DC United in the Eastern Conference, and that was the third consecutive match in which the 21-year-old has found the back of the net.
Orlando are favourites for Sunday's encounter against Cincinnati, and there is pressure on the team to win, considering dropping points this weekend will allow Atlanta the opportunity to draw level on points with Pareja's side.
The Lions have not actually won away from home in the MLS since the end of June, failing to collect three points in nine attempts away from Florida, but they are expected to end that run on Sunday.
Cincinnati will be looking to copy the performance and result of the last time these two teams met in August, when Orlando could only manage a 1-1 draw at the TQL Stadium, but Pareja's side did secure a 3-0 win the first time they faced Cincinnati this season.
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
- D
- W
Team News
Maikel van der Werff has not featured for Cincinnati this season, and he will continue to be absent on Sunday as he suffers from a hernia.
Joseph-Claude Gyau is also expected to remain sidelined this weekend, having not played since the beginning of August when he picked up a heel injury, but the 29-year-old could return to action later this month.
Both Yuya Kubo and Gustavo Vallecilla were forced off after just 31 minutes last time out, but they are not certain to miss this weekend's clash having had a week to recover from their injuries.
Orlando's Alexandre Pato and Oriol Rosell are the only absentees for the visitors on Sunday, as Joseph Dezart was fit enough to be named as a substitute last time out after exiting the field due to injury against Philadelphia Union in September.
Dike is sure to be one of the biggest attacking threats for Orlando, and he will be keen to extend his scoring run as he attempts to catch Orlando's top goalscorer Nani by the end of this season.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Tyton; Castillo, Blackett, Vallecilla, Bailey; Stanko, Medunjanin; Barreal, Acosta, Kubo; Silva
Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Moutinho, Jansson, Carlos, Ruan; Mendez, Urso; Nani, Pereira, Michel; Dike
We say: FC Cincinnati 0-1 Orlando City
Despite Orlando's superior league position and Cincinnati's poor form, it is not expected to be a straightforward task for the visitors, given their not so great away record.
However, with a playoff place not yet secured, Pareja will be keen for his side to ensure their finish in the top seven as soon as possible and three points on Sunday is vital for that to happen.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
The 2023 MLS season is now up and running, and you can watch every game live with the MLS season pass on Apple TV. Click here for more details on how to subscribe.
