Philadelphia Union vs. Orlando City Prediction, Preview and Odds - 9/19/21

Philadelphia Union vs. Orlando City

The 2021 MLS season goes on Sunday, September 19, when the Philadelphia Union and Orlando City lock horns at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, so we have prepared the best betting pick and tips for this Eastern Conference showdown. Philadelphia meets Orlando for the second time this term, and the Union have suffered a 2-1 defeat at Exploria Stadium in Orlando.

The Union lost three in a row

The Philadelphia Union are coming off a 2-0 home loss to the Mexican side Club America in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals. It was their third straight defeat, as the Union have lost New England 1-0 and DC United 3-1 in their previous two MLS contests.

Philadelphia is sitting at the ninth spot of the Eastern Conference with 32 points from 23 games (W8, D8, L7) and a 28:24 goal difference. The Union continues their playoff battle, as the seventh-seeded Atlanta is only one point ahead of them.

The 28-year-old striker Kacper Przybylko commands the way for Philadelphia with 11 goals and three assists in 29 appearances in all competitions. He’s scored six goals in the MLS, while forwards Cory Burke and Sergio Santos have combined for eight goals and three assists. Midfielder Jamiro Monteiro is the team’s top assist-maker with four dishes in 18 MLS outings.

The Lions hope to snap a two-game skid

Orlando City SC is coming off a heavy 4-2 home loss to Montreal this past Wednesday. The Lions suffered their second straight defeat, conceding four goals for the first time since a 5-0 loss at New York City on July 25.

Now, the Lions are laying at the third spot of the Eastern Conference standings with 38 points from 24 contests (W10, D8, L6) and a 35:33 goal difference. They’ve been playing in a shaky form over the last few weeks, and the Lions are winless in six straight showings on the road, recording three draws and three losses in that stretch.

The 34-year-old winger Nani is the Lions’ best player, and the former Portugal national team superstar has accounted for nine goals and seven assists so far this season. Striker Benji Michel has five goals on his tally, while three different players have registered five assists each.

The Pick:Philadelphia Union to Win

Both Philadelphia and Orlando have been struggling lately, so I’m expecting a tight contest. The hosts certainly need three points more than their rivals, considering their current situation, and the bookies set Philadelphia at -130 to grab a win.

Frankly, this game could easily go three-way, but I hope the Union will regroup following an exit from the CONCACAF Champions League. Orlando City SC is way more dangerous when playing at home, while Philadelphia has won seven of its previous nine MLS games at home.

The Total Prediction: Both Teams to Score YES

The last seven encounters between Philadelphia and Orlando (including a couple of friendlies) saw both teams scoring, and I will follow this betting trend. Back in July, Orlando took a 2-1 win despite having just five shots on goal, while the Union netted once on a whopping 18 shots.

The Union have kept their net intact only once in their last seven outings in all competitions. Also, they’ve conceded in three straight showings at Subaru Park. On the other side, ten of the Lions’ previous 15 games produced goals on both sides, as well as seven of their last nine outings away from home.