MLS Betting Advice for Aug. 19

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MLS Betting Advice for Aug. 19
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We’re 25 games down and only nine left before the end of the regular season, and we head into this week after some massive results in the MLS in both conferences.

We’ve put together out MLS betting advice for this weekend’s action.

Game of the Week

New York City +190 at Chicago Fire +120

New York City will be aiming to remind the rest of the league that it is the defending champions of the MLS Cup after its worst run of form in 2022. Philadelphia Union has moved even further ahead of it in the Eastern Conference, but against Chicago, New York should finally get back to winning ways.

After losing in midweek, it’s now four games without a victory for the Pigeons. A 0-0 tie with Montreal started the run. Losses to the Columbus Crew and Inter Miami have kept them third in the Eastern Conference table. New York was previously on a six-game unbeaten run before this winless stretch, and we're expecting it to now bounce back.

As for Chicago, despite its turnaround in form this past month, it still lags behind New York a lot in both offense and defense. It has let in 34 goals already after 25 games and scored only 28 goals compared to New York’s 46.

New York has to return to the form shown this past year. The gap is increasing on the top two, so we’re backing the MLS Cup champions to win here.

New York to win 2-0 +1800 with FanDuel.

Best Bet of the Week

Philadelphia +115 at D.C. United +200

Despite a loss to Dallas during the week, Philadelphia is still the overall leader in the Supporters' Shield standings and has another tough test against D.C. United this weekend.  

Before the recent loss, the Union has been sensational in 2022. It defeated the Chicago Fire 4-1 last weekend, where four different players scored a goal. This result came after registering wins against Orlando City, New England, Inter Miami and Houston since the start of July.

After losing to Dallas 1-0 in midweek and a 3-1 loss to Cincinnati two weeks back, they are now +115 to beat a D.C. team that is struggling. It hasn’t won a game in the last four attempts, and things have barely improved since Wayne Rooney took charge of the team.

The Union has scored 19 goals in their last five wins and conceded two, so if they can recapture this form against Rooney’s men, there is only one winner here.

Philadelphia to win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 against D.C. is +340 at BetMGM.

Team of the Week Last Week 

Charlotte

If you get a win against the MLS Cup champions, you probably deserve to be voted as the team of the last week. Charlotte did just that, as it defeated New York City 3-1 at the Yankee Stadium.

Charlotte saw the ball 35% of the time that day against the Pigeons, but with it scoring three times in six efforts, it was a clinical performance. 

Karol Swiderski scored after just four minutes, but Brand Bronico scored with 13 minutes to give Charlotte a 2-1 lead, before Christian Fuchs netted from the penalty spot in the 91st minute.

It was Charlotte’s best performance of the season, and by winning at New York, its next move will be to eye up the playoff spots when it meets with Orlando City this weekend.

Charlotte to beat Orlando City 2-1 is +800 with FanDuel.

Player of the Week Last Week

Alejandro Pozuelo, Inter Miami

Inter Miami's charge up the Eastern Conference table continued with a victory over New York City last weekend to make it four unbeaten games in a row for Phil Neville. However, Alejandro Pozuelo stole the show with two goals and an assist in the victory over the Pigeons.

Pozuelo famously won the 2020 Landon Donovan MLS MVP award, and this performance was a reminder of what he can do. The former Toronto man scored the first-half equalizer in the 39th minute and scored the winning goal in the 84th minute. In between, Pozuelo assisted Ariel Lassiter’s 63rd-minute strike in a sensational performance from the Spaniard.

Miami to beat Toronto and over 2.5 goals in the game is +210 with DraftKings

Hardest Game to Call

Toronto +120 at Inter Miami +165

According to the odds, barely anything separates Miami and Toronto heading into their showdown in Florida. Toronto has been on the rise in the past month since the signings of Serie A stars, Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, and it has gone unbeaten in the five MLS games in this time.

As for Miami, after beating New York at the Yankee Stadium, its confidence is as high as it's ever been since moving into the MLS in 2020. It makes this game very tough to call, and we think a tie could go down in Florida.

A tie in this game is +210 with FanDuel.

Throw Ins

These are some other bets worth a look at on this week’s schedule:

  • New York Red Bulls to win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 against Cincinnati is +250 at BetMGM.
  • Montreal to win and over 2.5 in the game against New England Revolution is +160 PointsBet.
  • Gareth Bale to score first for LAFC against SJ Earthquakes is +200 at FanDuel.
  • Real Salt Lake to beat Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 is +750 at DraftKings.
  • A draw at half time and Austin to win at full time is +700 at Caesars.

Power Rankings

  1. LAFC ↔
  2. Philadelphia Union ↔
  3. Austin FC ↑
  4. Montreal ↑
  5. Minnesota United ↑

This Week’s Schedule with Moneylines (All Times Eastern)

Friday

  • Seattle Sounders (+250) at LA Galaxy (-125), 10 p.m.

Saturday

  • Cincinnati (+340) at New York Red Bulls (-150), 6 p.m.
  • New England (+320) at Montreal (-145), 7:30 p.m.
  • Philadelphia (+115) at D.C. United (+200), 7:30 p.m.
  • Austin (+200) at Minnesota United (+105), 8 p.m.
  • Toronto (+120) at Inter Miami (+165), 8 p.m.
  • Houston Dynamo (+330) at Colorado Rapids (-155), 9 p.m.
  • Los Angeles (-125) at San Jose Earthquakes (+230), 10 p.m.
  • Vancouver Whitecaps (+410) at Real Salt Lake (-180), 10 p.m.

Sunday

  • Atlanta United (+290) at Columbus Crew (-125), 5:30 p.m.
  • New York City (+190) at Chicago Fire (+120), 6 p.m.
  • Orlando City (+195) at Charlotte (+120), 7 p.m.
  • Portland Timbers (+230) at Kansas City (+100), 7:30 p.m.
  • Dallas (+280) at Nashville (-115), 8:30 p.m.