Orlando City will look to continue their unbeaten start to their Major League Soccer campaign when they host Charlotte FC at the Exploria Stadium on Saturday.
The visitors, meanwhile, have lost all three of their opening matches to begin the new season, so they will be eager to put that right this weekend.
Match preview
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Oscar Pareja will be pleased with his side's start to the 2023 MLS campaign, but their attention turned to the CONCACAF Champions League in midweek when the Lions pushed 2020 champions Tigres to the brink before being eliminated on away goals following a 1-1 draw at Exploria Stadium in the last-16 second leg.
The two teams came into the match level at 0-0 on aggregate following the scoreless first leg in Monterrey, and with the away goals rule in effect, Tigres scored the all-important first goal courtesy of Sebastian Cordova before Orlando equalised through Ercan Kara's stunning bicycle kick in the 90th minute.
Duncan McGuire then squandered a golden chance for Orlando at the death, and the result will be a bitter pill to swallow for Pareja, but his side can now turn their attention to building on what has been a promising start to their MLS season.
After winning their opening fixture against New York Red Bulls, the Lions have since followed that victory up with back-to-back draws against FC Cincinnati and DC United to remain unbeaten, and leave them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
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As for the visitors, Charlotte will be eager to claim their first victory of the season when they make the trip to Florida on Saturday, after a woeful start to their MLS campaign.
The Crown have lost all three of their fixtures so far, only registering one goal, and Christian Lattanzio's side will enter this match rock-bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Charlotte were dismantled by Atlanta United last time out, courtesy of a brace from Caleb Wiley and Luiz Araujo's strike, meaning Lattanzio's men have now lost a club-record four straight matches dating back to last season.
It does not get any easier for the Crown this weekend, as they come up against a side they lost home and away to last season, and they only picked up 11 points on their travels in the 2022 campaign.
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Team News
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Oscar Pareja may be tempted to make changes to his team with this match against Charlotte being the Lions' fifth in 15 days.
However, one mainstay for Orlando will be Pedro Gallese, who has kept three clean sheets across all competitions so far this season, conceding just two goals.
Ramiro Enrique got the nod to lead the line against Tigres, but Pareja could opt to start Duncan McGuire or Facundo Torres on Saturday.
As for the visitors, both Guzman Corujo and Adam Armour are expected to be sidelined for Charlotte while they recover from knee surgery.
Charlotte's first-choice goalkeeper, Kristijan Kahlina, is set to miss the first six weeks of the season after undergoing an operation on his back - Pablo Sisniega has started the first three games of the new campaign between the sticks.
Enzo Copetti has scored the Crown's only goal of the campaign so far, so we expect him to lead the line again in Florida.
Orlando City possible starting lineup:
Gallese; Halliday, Schlegel, Jansson, Petrasso; Pereyra, Araujo; Torres, Ojeda, Angulo; McGuire
Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Sisniega; Byrne, Tuiloma, Malanda, Bronico; Westwood, Jones, Shinyashiki; Swiderski, Copetti, Jozwiak
We say: Orlando City 2-0 Charlotte FC
Orlando won this fixture home and away last season, and we think they will extend Charlotte's miserable start to the new campaign when the sides meet on Saturday.
The Lions have been excellent defensively, and we do not think Charlotte have the attacking firepower to trouble the hosts.
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