On Sunday afternoon, two of four MLS Cup semifinal games will be played. Orlando City SC gets to host the first match after surviving a wild quarterfinal match against New York City FC. Orlando City defender Rodrigo Schlegel would become an unlikely hero, stepping in admirably for goalkeeper Pedro Gallese in the penalty shootout. They’ll get the New England Revolution, a team that handled its business against the Philadelphia Union, winning two-nil in the quarterfinal.
To round out the Sunday doubleheader, Nashville SC will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face the No. 3-seeded Columbus Crew. To get here, Nashville overcame a highly-favored Toronto FC squad, securing a one-nil victory in extra time.
The selections have been broken down between forward, midfield, defender, goalkeeper, and utility. Best of luck to everyone with their lineups this weekend.
Forward
After getting himself off the snide against Atlanta United two weeks ago, Zardes responded with an explosive performance against the New York Red Bulls. He also supplied the Crew with an insurance goal in the 68th minute by way of a long, curving header. Zardes would connect on four of six shots. Now cemented as the club’s leading forward option, Zardes will receive chances to find himself on the scorer’s sheet. Expect him to crack double-digit points.
Midfielder
Arguably the reason New England is in this position, Gil has been heavily involved in the two-lead up meets. This past week, Gil was crucial in the two-nil win against the Union, involving himself on both Revolution goals. Gil also managed to offer help in other ways, chipping in with four corners, two interceptions, and a number of created chances to his loaded stat sheet.
Since returning from surgery in early October, Gil’s stats have steadily increased as he has gotten better situated into his role with New England. Having combined for 62 points in the two prior games, expect Gil to continue pouring it on this Sunday as he looks to make his first ever MLS finals visit.
Defense
Coming into this game against Columbus Crew, Lovitz has undoubtedly been one of the top-tier fantasy defenders over the last number of matches. Lovitz has produced no less than double-digit fantasy points in six of the last eight games played. That’s incredible production for a defender.
Where Lovitz gets a good chunk of his point production is through set pieces. He’s taken 77 set piece opportunities for Nashville, which leads all club players by a hefty margin. Considering how crucial this upcoming match is, you can expect Lovitz to be involved heavily against the Crew.
Goalkeeper
Sitting behind a Revolution offense that is supplying him with serviceable offensive support over the past four games, Turner should have a solid opportunity to add to his pair of recent showings. Turner comes into this game having racked up back-to-back double-digit point performances.
Look for Turner to get plenty of work in net against Orlando City considering he has racked up four saves in each of the last two games. Additionally, over 22 matches this season, Turner has not posted a single negative point performance. That’s quality consistency no matter how you slice it. As you go shopping for a quality goalkeeper that will not hurt your team’s bottom line, consider giving Turner a hard look.
Utility
Nani was a key contributor in Orlando City’s path to the semifinals; just five minutes into the match, Nani broke open the scoring through a penalty opportunity. Along with the goal, he would add six shots, two tackle wins, and two drawn fouls. This impressive stat line ultimately produced 27.8 DraftKings points, good for Nani’s second-highest points haul this season. A key cog in this offensive attack, the Lions have put a lot of trust in Nani’s gifts as a playmaker. He has taken 62 of the 152 set pieces, including all three of their penalty attempts, of which he converted all three.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @ptsportstalk
Follow Dale Money on Twitter @packerd_00
Main Image Credit:
