As eleven games are scheduled over the weekend in the MLS, we’ll take a closer look at the most interesting matchups, including a derby of the Eastern Conference between Atlanta United and New York City set for this Sunday, April 15th, 2018, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, so let see which are the teams to look after this weekend in the MLS.
MLS HOT STREAKS
- DC United is winless after their first five games
- FC Dallas is unbeaten in their first four games of the season
- Seattle Sounders lost all their three games without scoring
- Portland Timbers are without a win after the first five matches
- Atlanta United won four games in a row
DC UNITED vs. COLUMBUS CREW
3-Way: 1: DC United +160; X: +235 Draw; 2: Columbus Crew +165 at
Spread 0: DC United -110; Columbus Crew -105
Total +2.5: Over -120; Under -100
DC United recorded two draws and three losses at the start of the new MLS season, including a 3-1 defeat against Columbus Crew on the road on March 24th, 2018, so they will get a chance for a payback this Saturday on the home soil. The visitors have recorded two losses in a row after earning seven points out of their first three matches, and their self-confidence is certainly damaged a bit, so DC United will have a nice opportunity to grab their first win of the season.
MY PICK: DC United AH 0 (-110)
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION vs. FC DALLAS
3-Way: 1: New England Revolution +110; X: +255 Draw; 2: FC Dallas +225 at
Spread -0.5: New England Revolution +110; FC Dallas -135
Total +3: Over +105; Under -125
In the first four games of the season, FC Dallas has recorded one win over Seattle Sounders (3-0), and three identical 1-1 stalemates against Colorado Rapids, Portland Timbers, and Real Salt Lake, all three in front of the home fans. Now, they travel to Gillette Stadium to meet New England Revolution who started the season with a 2-0 defeat against Philadelphia Union, but after that, they recorded three victories and one draw with a 10:3 goal difference.
It is a pretty tricky job to bet on a three-way here, as both sides look very well on the pitch. FC Dallas won seven out of the last eight head-to-head duels, but the hosts are slight favorites in this one, so the fans could easily see a draw at the end of the match.
MY PICK: Draw (+255)
PORTLAND TIMBERS vs. MINNESOTA
3-Way: 1: Portland Timbers -245; X: +385 Draw; 2: Minnesota +580 at
Spread -1.5: Portland Timbers +115; Minnesota -135
Total +3: Over -130; Under +110
The bookmakers set the hosts as big -245 favorites to get a win here, their first of the season after two draws and three losses in the previous five games. During the last weekend, Portland Timbers had a 2-0 lead against Orlando City on the road, but it wasn’t enough to earn a draw, as Orlando City scored three goals in the second 45 minutes. On the other side, Minnesota lost two games in a row without scoring a single goal, so we should see an open-flow game with plenty of scoring chances.
MY PICK: Over 3 Goals (-130)
ADDITIONAL PICK: Portland Timbers AH -1.5 (+115)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY vs. SEATTLE SOUNDERS
3-Way: 1: Sporting Kansas City -135; X: +265 Draw; 2: Seattle Sounders +375 at
Spread -0.5: Sporting Kansas City -135; Seattle Sounders +110
Total +2.5: Over -110; Under -110
Although the hosts are set as clear favorites to win this MLS match by the bookies, the visitors are defending vice-champions who couldn’t find the net in their first three games of the new season, so don’t write off Seattle Sounders here. They will try their best to finally break the deadlock after 270 minutes of drought, and they certainly possess the quality to do it.
On the other side, Sporting has beaten Los Angeles Galaxy 2-0 on the road in the previous round, while they’ve suffered only one defeat in their first six games of the new season, so the match against Seattle should be a pure classic.
MY PICK: Both Teams to Score YES (-125)
ATLANTA UNITED vs. NEW YORK CITY
3-Way: 1: Atlanta United -120; X: +290 Draw; 2: New York City +275 at
Spread -0.5: Atlanta United -115; New York City -100
Total +3: Over -140; Under +115
Atlanta United started the 2018 season with a heavy 4-0 defeat against Houston Dynamo on the road, but since then, the Five Stripes have recorded four consecutive victories with a 13:2 goal difference. On last weekend, they hammered Los Angeles FC 5-0 in front of the home fans, completely outplaying the newcomers, especially in the second half when Atlanta United scored four goals.
New York City should be a tough rival, as they’ve recorded four wins and one draw in their first five matches with a 10:4 goal difference, keeping the clean sheet on two occasions, while three out of these five tilts had at least three goals in the total. Their fans are hoping for another good result at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and they could easily see some goals on both sides of the pitch. However, I believe the visitors can put an end to Atlanta’s winning streak.
MY PICK: New York City AH +0.5 (-100)
