Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew Betting Preview – MLS, October 11, 2020

This matchup brings together two teams flying high in the Eastern Conference. A remarkable ten-game unbeaten streak has seen Orlando cement fourth spot in the standings, while Columbus is one point and one place ahead.

The Crew suffered their first home defeat of 2020 as they lost 2-1 to Montreal Impact last time out. The Lions were held to a goalless draw by Atlanta United in their previous outing, so both sides will be eager to return to winning ways at Exploria Stadium on Sunday, October 11.

This is destined to be a thriller! Read on to see my Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew prediction and betting pick.

The bookmakers clearly think that Orlando (2.25) has the upper hand here. However, the high odds for the home win suggest the Lions won’t have it all their own way on Sunday.

Oscar Pareja’s men are enjoying an outstanding unbeaten run, but it’s important to remember that Columbus (2.90) has only lost three of their 11 games since the regular season resumed, with five clean sheets coming along the way.

I assess both sides’ chances below.

We are now 16 games into the 2020 MLS campaign, but Orlando and Columbus are yet to face each other this year. The two teams are enjoying successful years up to now, with both sides firmly in contention for the Supporters’ Shield.

Orlando made it all the way to the final of the MLS is Back Tournament, only to fall at the last hurdle. But the Lions clearly haven’t let the disappointment of losing to Portland Timbers affect their campaign. In fact, it feels like they have grown from the experience.

Pareja’s side suffered a shock defeat to Florida-rival Inter Miami when the regular season resumed. But since then, Orlando has been almost unstoppable. Six wins and four draws have kept the club battling at the top end of the table, with conference-leader Toronto FC just three points ahead.

The Lions are the joint-top scorers in the division, and they also boast one of the best defensive records in the East. Consistency at both ends of the pitch means Orlando is sitting comfortably in the top six – 10 points clear of seventh-place New York Red Bulls.

Talking of defensive records, Columbus has the best in the division. Remarkably, the Crew has only conceded 12 goals in 16 regular-season outings this term, with five clean sheets coming in their first seven games after the MLS is Back Tournament.

However, Caleb Porter’s men have failed to keep a shutout in each of their previous four games, and they have only managed to win once during that period. Columbus beat Minnesota United 2-1 at the end of September but has claimed just one point from a possible nine since then.

The Black & Gold’s three-game winless run is a slight cause for concern, although I don’t think Porter will be overly worried about his side’s recent downturn in form. The Crew is already in a very strong position and could even go top of the Eastern Conference this weekend.

Yes, Orlando heads into this clash on a ten-game unbeaten run. But I think the Lions have been riding their luck a bit recently. All good things must come to an end, and with two goalless draws coming in their last three games, it feels like a defeat is on the horizon.

Porter’s men haven’t been in the best form of late, but they are more than capable of beating Orlando. I’m backing Columbus to end their barren spell this weekend.