Orlando City and D.C. United both ended scoring droughts in a big way on Wednesday night, each putting up a season-high four goals.
When the sides meet Saturday night in Washington, they’ll try to maintain the momentum for their newfound attacks.
After being outscored 13-1 in their previous four MLS matches, Orlando City broke out with a 4-1 home win against Charlotte FC earlier this week.
Martin Ojeda had a brace and 19-year-old Luis Otavio scored his first goal as a pro for the Lions (2-6-1, 7 points).
Orlando was efficient at the offensive end, hitting the back of the net on four of its six shots on goal. At the other end, goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau had four saves.
After starting the season with three straight defeats, Orlando dismissed coach Oscar Pareja in his seventh season and promoted assistant Martin Perelman to the interim head coach role. The Lions are 2-3-1 since the switch.
Ojeda (four goals) is the top scorer, while veteran Ivan Angulo (five assists) and newcomer Tiago Souza (three assists) are the top facilitators.
“We’re working. The team is growing. The players are doing an amazing effort,” Perelman said. “This is a long season. What matters is where we stand at the end. That is our mindset.”
D.C. United’s offense had failed to produce a goal in four straight MLS matches before playing the host New York Red Bulls to a 4-4 draw on Wednesday.
D.C. (2-4-3, 9 points) entered with a league-low four goals, but Tai Baribo notched a hat trick and Jackson Hopkins added a goal and an assist, fueling a rally from a 3-1 second-half deficit.
On Saturday, D.C. United will try to solve their woes at home, where they have won just one of their last 14 MLS matches dating back to May of last year.
“I think they will be more compact because of the change of the coach,” D.C. manager Rene Weiler said of Orlando. “The players, they want to show their best side to the new coach.”
Orlando has gone 3-0-1 against D.C. the last two seasons to square the all-time series 9-9-3.
— Field Level Media
