Real Salt Lake vs Orlando City SC: Bet on both surging sides to score

Sixth in the East play fourth in the West this weekend in a game between two sides in a rich vein of form. 

Orlando travels to Salt Lake City with an impressive road record, while the hosts have their unbeaten streak to maintain. 

Jack Collins here from The Game Day to look at a matchup that promises so much between two teams who feel on a robust upward trajectory in this campaign. 

Real Salt Lake vs Orlando City SC Odds

Real Salt Lake vs Orlando City betting lines are current as of Thursday, July 6, at 12 p.m. ET and were found at bet365 Sportsbook.

• 3-Way Handicap: RSL (+105) • Tie (+250) • Orlando (+220)
• Total Goals: Over 2.5 (-138) • Under 2.5 (+107)
• Both Teams To Score: Yes (-163) • No (+120)

Real Salt Lake vs Orlando City SC Match Prediction

Real Salt Lake 2:2 Orlando City SC

It’s hard to split these two right now. Orlando makes the trip across to Utah, having lost just twice on the road in this entire MLS campaign and unbeaten in their last four games. 

Their hosts, though, boast an unbeaten streak of six and haven’t lost at America First Field since the Galaxy came to town at the start of June. 

RSL will be grateful to Damir Kreilach, who appears to have rediscovered the best version of himself. The skipper struck twice in the win at St. Louis, and even at 34 years old, the veteran has been the heart of the Claret and Cobalt midfield in recent weeks.

The emergence of Diego Luna has been a shining light too. The 19-year-old has been sensational of late in his all-round game.

The goal against St. Louis and the assist against Minnesota were impressive in their own right. Still, his pressing and passing to keep things ticking over in both phases of the game have been crucial to this RSL unbeaten streak.

The defensive shape has been important too. RSL are not keeping all that many clean sheets, but their resilience has been on display in not letting games slip away from them and has given the side a platform to kick on from, which the attacking unit has taken with aplomb.

They are tough to crack, with creativity in attack, and have a spirit about them right now that suggests that this team does not know when it is beaten.

It might be a tad cliché to talk about character, but their fightback against Minnesota and that win in St. Louis are the hallmarks of a team with guts by the shedload.

• Read the rest of The Game Day's MLS Matchday 24 previews and picks.

Orlando doesn’t lack spirit, either, though. If we gloss over a loss to a flying Revs side in New England, the Lions have been on a simply sensational streak of form, winning five of their last nine games and picking up 18 points from that time period, a run which has seen them explode up the table in the East.

Duncan McGuire continues to light things up from a purple perspective. The first-round SuperDraft pick has struck three times in his last five games, keeping Austrian Erkan Kara out of this side and taking his total for this season to seven. The Daryl Dike comparisons continue to play out in abundant fashion for the rookie.

Orlando’s road record is still imposing, picking up five wins and four draws from their twelve away trips in this campaign, and some of their best football has been played on the road - taking advantage of home expectation to dominate games to cut sides apart in transition.

Orlando’s 4-0 demolition of an admittedly weak Toronto side last time out was a harbinger of where this side is right now. Yes, their opposition was in shambles in many ways, but Orlando was ruthlessly efficient and made light work of their Canadian opponents.

This has the makings of one of the best games in MLS this season, but with so little between the two teams, you’d be hard-pressed to pick a winner - so we’ll split them evenly.

Real Salt Lake vs Orlando City SC Best Bet

Both Teams To Score: Yes (-163) • bet365 Sportsbook

Two teams in form and two teams with real ability to make things count at the sharp end. This feels like a game where both sides will fancy their chances of making their opportunities count, and of late, there’s a real sense of optimism in both camps.

Duncan McGuire: Anytime Goalscorer (+250) • bet365 Sportsbook

The rookie hotshot feels like scoring every time he walks onto a pitch at the moment, and given that we’re predicting goals in this encounter, it feels like a strong bet to back him to write his name on that scoresheet once again.