Published Mar 3, 4:55am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Mar 3, 4:55am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Eastern Conference rivals collide in the MLS on March 7, as New York City welcome Orlando City to Yankee Stadium. Find the odds and picks here.
It has been a reliable start to the season for The Pigeons, as NYC have avoided defeat in their opening two games, ensuring that they sit third in the conference standings.
Orlando will be aiming to respond after losing for the second weekend running last time out in an ill-tempered affair with local rivals Inter Miami.
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|
|---|---|
| New York City | -121 |
| The Draw | +286 |
| Orlando | +310 |
Pascal Jansen will take confidence from his side’s performances at the start of the new MLS season, as NYC sit in the lofty position of third after avoiding defeat in the opening two rounds.
A first victory in 2026 was achieved last time out, as they battled back to force a 2-1 win over Philadelphia. The game looked to be heading for a draw, before Tayvon Gray netted a dramatic winner in the ninth minute of injury time. Interestingly, the Pigeons have benefited from playing against ten men in their opening two games, with both LA Galaxy and Philadelphia having players sent off.
But, NYC’s possession-based style of play and creativity in the final third ensure that they have the ability to create chances against compact defensive units.
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It has been an underwhelming start to the season for Oscar Pareja and his Orlando City FC side. The Lions come into the third round of matches sitting eleventh in the Eastern Conference after suffering back-to-back defeats to start the 2026 campaign.
Orlando’s defensive approach frustrated Inter Miami for long periods last weekend, but after falling behind in the 85th minute after blowing a 2-0 advantage, ill-discipline reared its head. Colin Guske was sent off before Inter scored a game-clinching fourth in added time.
Orlando will likely look to play more offensively this weekend, as they have quality in the forms of Marco Pasalic and Martin Ojeda in the offensive areas who can trouble the opposing NYC.
| TOTAL | NYC | Orlando | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | 31 | 12 | 8 | 11 |
| Goals | 92 | 54 | 38 |
New York’s home form was a major issue throughout 2025, but their creativity has shone already in two away games this term. Therefore, we could foresee their winning run continuing against an Orlando side that are yet to find their feet this season.
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Pick
New York City
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