With their offense performing at a high level, the Columbus Crew hope to extend their recent positive stretch against a club that struggled in the back its last time out.
Four of the league's top scorers will be on the field as the Crew try to earn a point for the eighth time in nine matches Saturday night against slumping Orlando City SC at the Citrus Bowl.
Columbus had one goal in its previous two matches before breaking out with a 3-1 home win over Chicago on July 19 and in a 3-all draw with visiting Toronto FC last Saturday.
The Crew (8-7-7), second in the Eastern Conference with 31 points, have gone 4-1-3 in their last eight. However, they're looking to bounce back after their two-game winning streak ended when the Reds' Jozy Altidore drew a penalty in the box and converted the kick in the 89th minute.
Kei Kamara opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Ethan Finlay added a goal to give Columbus a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 advantage. Kamara has scored in each of the last three games, though only four of his league-leading 15 goals have come on the road.
Finlay has a goal in each of the last two games and five in the past six.
The Crew hope to keep Orlando City scuffling defensively as they go after their first back-to-back road victories. After allowing five goals over their previous four matches, the Lions spoiled Cyle Larin's first hat trick in Sunday's 5-3 loss at New York City FC.
Larin has eight of his nine goals over his last 10 matches. He's tied for the fourth-most goals by a rookie in MLS history and just two away from the record.
Kaka, tied with Larin for fourth in the league in scoring, has a goal in four of his last five home games. Kaka and Larin have accounted for 18 of Orlando's 26 goals.
Kaka and Kamara have each scored twice over the teams' three physical meetings this season.
Columbus rolled to a 3-0 home victory in the first-ever matchup April 18 before the clubs played to a 2-all draw at the Citrus Bowl on May 30. Kaka and Carlos Rivas scored in a 2-0 home win in U.S. Open Cup play June 30.
In the two MLS matchups, the Crew and Lions totaled eight yellow cards, two reds and 64 fouls.
"They have one of the better players in the League in Kaka, who's extremely dangerous now," coach Gregg Berhalter told the Crew's official website. "With Larin scoring like he is, he's dangerous and a big threat as well."
The Lions (6-9-6), in a three-way tie for the sixth and final playoff spot in the East with 24 points, will try to end a season-worst four-game losing streak across all competitions. They haven't had much success at the Citrus Bowl, winning three of 11 league matches.
"Obviously this isn't the run of form you want in the summer, but it's still summer," goalkeeper Tally Hall told the team's official website. "There's still opportunities for us to rally and finish the season the way we always planned to."
