Smith Seeks Orso’s Expertise in Leading Charlotte FC to Victory Over His Faltering Former Team, Orlando City
Charlotte FC is keen to perpetuate their stellar performance as they play host to Orlando City, currently grappling with their position near the tail end of the Eastern Conference standings.
Dean Smith is set to capitalize on the expertise of ex-Orlando City ace Junior Orso, now with Charlotte FC, in their upcoming MLS clash on Thursday.
Encapsulated by the wisdom Orso brings, Charlotte’s head coach Smith noted, “His deep-rooted understanding about Orlando’s tactics can significantly sway the odds in our favor.”
About his team’s stellar run, he added, “Knowing their playbook could indeed tip the scales for us.”
The Crown, with a robust defense, stands fifth in the Eastern Conference and ninth in the Supporter’s Shield rankings.
“A stout defense lays the groundwork for triumphs,” voiced midfielder Brandt Bronico, highlighting Charlotte’s successful strategy this season. “Once the backline is solid, the rest is just about creativity and enjoyment on the field.”
And the team’s unified approach? “It’s all about defense first, and that’s what keeps us tight in the locker room.”
Orlando, meanwhile, wallows at the bottom, just a whisker away from New England Revolution, who boasts a game in hand.
A 3-1 defeat against Los Angeles FC further stretched Orlando’s winless saga to four matches, admitted head coach Oscar Pareja, “We must delve deeper to understand our shortcomings on the field, but mere insights won’t suffice. We need to clinch victories, something we haven’t lately achieved.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte FC – Kristijan Kahlina
Five consecutive home-match clean sheets have been secured, a first for the club, thanks to goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina’s prowess.
Should he shut out Orlando, Charlotte would mark history with six successive home clean sheets in a single season, inching closer to an MLS record.
Orlando City – Nicolas Lodeiro
In his recent game against LAFC, Lodeiro set personal and club records with a whopping 107 successful passes from 115 attempts, though controlling the game against Charlotte might prove more taxing.
PREDICTED OUTCOME – CHARLOTTE FC TRIUMPH
The odds are tipped in Charlotte’s favor for this match-up, reflecting their past dominance over Orlando last season (W2 D1), where they went unbeaten.
The fixture promises intensity. Each of the last five encounters were tightly contested or drawn.
Charlotte’s home field advantage is formidable, evidenced by losing just one out of their last 19 regular-season home encounters since early June 2023 (W9 D9).
While Orlando’s away form shows some resilience, their overall season struggles cast a shadow on their potential performance.
OPTA ODDS
Charlotte FC – 42.8%
Orlando City – 30.5%
Draw – 26.7%
