The second MLS is Back Tournament quarterfinal takes place on Friday night as tournament favorites LAFC face the feel-good-story of the tournament Orlando City SC. The Black and Gold started the tournament as the favorites at +500, and despite not winning their group, they are now +185 to win the whole thing. Orlando City shocked MLS by winning Group A at +600, and they have gone from +5000 to win it all to +1000.
These teams met one-time last year as they play in different conferences. Rossi scored in the 78th minute to earn LAFC a 2-2 draw at Orlando City Stadium. When LAFC was an expansion team in 2018, they beat Orlando City 4-1 at home in July.
Orlando City SC Outlook: Play Cinderella
Orlando City has played loose and free all tournament lone while playing closer to home than any other team in the bubble. The pressure for this game will be all on LAFC, and the Lions can take advantage of that if they can keep playing loose and aggressive and not let LAFC capitalize on mistakes. Tesho Akindele scored the only goal of the game in the 60th minute as Orlando City beat Montreal Impact 1-0 in the round of 16 Saturday night.
In the group stage, the Lions won their first two games as Christopher Mueller scored three goals in two games, and Nani had the game-winner against Inter Miami. Akindele also scored in the 3-1 upset of NYCFC, and Mauricio Pereyra scored the game-tying goal in the 1-1 group finale against Philadelphia. Pedro Gallese has made 11 saves and allowed three goals in the four tournament games.
LAFC Outlook: Non-Stop Attack
LAFC has played this tournament without 2019 MLS MVP Carlos Vela, but it hasn’t slowed them down at all. In the round of 16 game, they took it to defend MLS Cup Champions Seattle from the start and won 4-1 to avenge last year’s playoff loss. Rossi scored in both halves, Latif Blessing scored in the first half, and Bryan Rodriguez scored the finale as LAFC peppered Stephen Frei with 23 shots.
LAFC started the tournament with a come-back 3-3 draw against Houston Dynamo after falling behind by two. They pounded El Trafico rivals LA Galaxy 6-2 and finished second in the group with a 2-2 draw against Portland Timbers. So far in the tournament, Rossi has seven goals, Bradley Wright-Phillips has three, Rodriguez has two while Blessing, Mark-Anthony Kaye, and Mohammed El Monir have one each.
LAFC/Orlando City SC Betting Lines
- LAFC -119 to win
- Orlando City SC +256 to win
- Draw +307
- Over/Under 3 goals (O -116, U -114)
This tournament has been full of surprises, and Orlando City has been on the winning end of a few of those surprises as coach Oscar Preja has them playing great soccer. However, asking them to beat the highest-scoring team in the league that is firing on all cylinders may be too much. Orlando City likely needs at least three goals to win this game, something they have done just once in the last ten matches.
FREE PICK: LAFC to win (-119)
