Pick and Prediction for FC Cincinnati vs. Orlando City (Friday, June 24, 2022)

We have a whopping ten Major League Soccer games to enjoy on Saturday, June 25, with a further three scheduled for Sunday, June 26. Before the weekend’s action, though, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City go head-to-head in Ohio.

The two sides are separated by five points in the Eastern Conference, with fourth-place Orlando leading eighth-place Cincinnati. It is worth noting, however, that Cincy has a game in hand on Orlando.

You can find my FC Cincinnati vs. Orlando City prediction below, along with a free betting pick for Friday’s showdown. First, let’s check out the MLS odds before taking a closer look at the teams.

BetOnline favors FC Cincinnati (+125) to claim all three points on Friday. That said, the high price for the home win indicates that Orlando City (+215) should give the hosts a run for their money.

The juicy odds for the draw (+265) are bound to attract plenty of attention, but let’s not forget that Cincy has picked up just two draws in 15 MLS outings this year. Can the Lions frustrate the Orange and Blue?

As you can see, I have also included a couple of goal-based wagers for you to consider. Both sides have been involved in numerous high-scoring clashes this season, meaning we could see plenty of goals at TQL Stadium.

Orlando and Cincinnati have faced each other in MLS on six occasions since the latter joined the league in 2019. Unfortunately for the Ohioans, they have only managed to beat Orlando once.

The Lions have won two of the past four MLS clashes between the teams, although Cincy won the most recent meeting in March 2022 – registering a 2-1 victory in Florida.

It is worth pointing out that five of the six MLS meetings between Cincy and Orlando have produced over 1.5 goals, while three have dished up over 2.5 goals. The Lions have claimed 5-1 and 3-0 wins in recent years.

As expected, Cincinnati made a bad start to the 2022 MLS season – suffering five defeats across the first eight rounds. Having collected three consecutive wooden spoons, the Orange and Blue looked set for another difficult campaign.

However, they turned things around in style. Between late April and mid-May, Pat Noonan’s men notched a four-game winning streak to lift themselves up the standings.

Brandon Vazquez has played a pivotal role in Cincy’s rise, bagging eight goals and three assists this year. Only one player – FC Dallas’ Jesus Ferreira – has chalked up more MLS goal involvements in 2022.

That said, Noonan’s men must up their game at the opposite end of the field. Having conceded 26 goals in 15 games (1.7 goals per game), they have one of the worst defensive records in the Eastern Conference.

After suffering a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of New England in the US Open Cup, Cincinnati lost 3-2 to the Revs in MLS before losing 4-3 against CF Montreal. That tells you everything you need to know about the team’s recent form.

Orlando heads into Friday’s clash on the back of a 2-1 victory over Houston Dynamo. The Lions racked up 18 shots against the Texans, with Ercan Kara bagging a brace to seal the win.

Kara has registered six goals and two assists since his move from Rapid Vienna. Having netted four goals across his past four MLS games, the Austrian forward will be confident of finding the back of Cincy’s net on Friday.

Orlando sits fourth in the Eastern Conference – one point behind Philadelphia and New York Red Bulls. With first-place New York City just two points ahead, the Floridians have the chance to move to the summit of the standings on Friday.

Across the entire league, only six teams have picked up more points than Orlando in 2022. The Lions will fancy their chances of clinching the MLS Cup.

In all honesty, it is difficult to predict the outcome of this matchup. Although Orlando sits five points ahead of Cincinnati, the Orange and Blue has produced plenty of impressive performances this season.

With that in mind, it makes sense to steer clear of the moneylines for this clash. Instead, I recommend exploring the goal-based markets.

Nine of Cincy’s 15 MLS games have produced over 2.5 goals this year. On top of that, games involving Cincy have dished up an average of 3.2 goals. You get the picture, right? Friday’s clash should be a high-scoring encounter.

In my eyes, the over 2.5 goals wager is the best bet for FC Cincinnati vs. Orlando City. Three of Cincy and Orlando’s last four games have produced over 2.5 goals, so I can see them combining for at least three goals on Friday.

If you’re feeling brave, backing Orlando to win at +215 wouldn’t be the worst idea ever. But the over 2.5 goals wager makes a lot more sense – and you can still make a tasty profit.

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