Philadelphia Union will host Orlando City SC this Friday at Talen Energy Stadium. Kick-off for this Eastern Conference clash is set for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN. This will be the first nationally broadcasted match for Philadelphia this season.
The Union enter this match with a record of 1-1-2 and five points. Philadelphia is coming off a home draw against San Jose Earthquakes last week, where Captain Alejandro Bedoya found the equalizer from Fafa Picault late in the second half.
A key for the Union in this Friday’s match will be their ability to keep their home form up. Since May 6, 2017 Philadelphia owns a home record of 11-2-3. During that same stretch, goalkeeper Andre Blake has been outstanding.
The 2016 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year has been sensational, owning a home record of 9-1-3 with a goals against average of 0.62 since last May. In 2018 Blake has allowed four goals this season, tied for the second least amount given up by qualifying goalkeepers in the Eastern Conference (minimum three starts). Blake also ranks in the top five in all of MLS in save percentage coming in at 75 percent.
Orlando City enters this contest with a record of 2-2-1 and seven points. Orlando is coming off a thrilling home victory in which they scored in the dying moments to beat Portland Timbers at home.
Orlando will travel north with a new arsenal of weapons at their disposal that the Union will need to be on high alert for.
MLS veterans Sacha Kljestan and Justin Meram joined the club in 2018 to accompany Dom Dwyer in the Orlando attack. The three-headed monster for Orlando has combined for four goals and three assists so far this season.
Philadelphia will look to keep Orlando in check and continue their run of superb home form this Friday night. Kick-off for this match at Talen Energy Stadium is set for 8 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
