Back home after a dramatic 1-1 draw at FC Cincinnati on Sunday night, Orlando City (14-7-10, 52 points) will host the Columbus Crew (13-8-11, 50 points) Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
“I think this will be a good test for us. It’s basically like playoff games, the [three] games that we have left,” Orlando City winger Tyrese Spicer said. “We need to trust the technical staff with whatever things they give us behind the scenes. We go out there and we perform it, we perfect our craft on the field, and then we do it on game day.”
While the Lions already have clinched a playoff berth, they’re in seventh place in the MLS East. With a game in hand and just four points between seventh and third, a win could see Orlando City rocket up the standings toward securing homefield advantage in the playoffs’ opening round.
Similarly, Columbus has secured a postseason berth but sits ninth in the final playoff spot. The Crew have won just once in the last five matches.
Primary threat Diego Rossi (16 goals, 3 assists) is questionable for Columbus with a thigh injury. If he is unable to go, Orlando City stands a likelier chance of keeping a clean sheet for the first time in six matches. Daniel Gazdag (5G, 5A) and Max Arfsten (4G, 5A) are also playmakers for Columbus.
Orlando City will be aiming to get Martin Ojeda (16G, 9A) back on the scoresheet after he was kept quiet against Cincinnati. Duncan McGuire and Alex Freeman scored late goals in the last two games to earn results, but the Lions need talisman Ojeda to be at his best to earn three points.
