Columbus Crew v New England Revolution
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Sunday 24th July – 0:30AM KO
Two Eastern Conference teams meet in Ohio in the early hours of Sunday morning when the Columbus Crew host the current holders of the Supporters’ Shield, New England Revolution, in an entertaining-looking match.
Importantly for those of us who are neutrals hoping for a good match here, neither of these two teams were in marquee-friendly action in midweek which means that the star talent on offer for both sides should be suitable rested to entertain us here.
One of those talents, Cucho Hernandez, has significantly pepped up the Columbus Crew attack and already he is forming a decent partnership with Lucas Zelarayan, a pairing which could fire the 2020 champions back into the play-offs this term and potentially have them as title challengers.
Carles Gil has the most assists in MLS this term, as he did last season, and he is another who has the potential to light up this stage. With Gustavo Bou improving by the game there is plenty to like about New England Revolution even though they go into this match without a win in four.
That has seen Bruce Arena’s men drop out of the play-off zone in the East so he will be eager for his team to be at 100% here. While they are without a win in four matches, the Revs have scored five times in their last three outings.
Columbus have visibly improved offensively in front of our eyes so I think there is the potential for this one to have many more than 2.5 goals.
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Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals, 1.73 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Orlando City SC v Philadelphia Union
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Sunday 24th July – 0:30AM KO
Orlando City have lost half their 10 matches at home, where there’s pressure to take the attacking initiative. And the Lions have struggled especially against skillful pressing and countering sides. That’s bad news for the Lions when the Philadelphia Union come to Central Florida this weekend.
The Union echo the New York Red Bulls and pre-Wayne-Rooney-managed D.C. United in terms of how high they keep the line of contention. Those two teams issued Orlando arguably their most embarrassing defeats at their Exploria stadium, scoring a combined eight goals in the process.
Against the Red Bulls, Orlando did not even record a shot on target in a 3-0 defeat.
The Union are extremely comfortable executing a similar tactical plan, which is a big reason they are one of only three teams with an MLS-low two away defeats.
Their reconstructed front four appear at last to be generating chemistry after three wins in a row. Strikers Julian Carranza had a hat trick in a 7-0 win against D.C. United three matches ago. Mikael Uhre also has three goals in his last three games. Hungary international Daniel Gazdag still leads the team with nine goals from his attacking midfield position.
The Union have only lost twice away, and have the look of a club that could go on an extended run. They’re worth backing on a draw no bet wager at even money.
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Prediction: Philadelphia Union, Draw no Bet, Evens on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
DC United v CF Montreal
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Sunday 24th July – 01:00AM KO
Two more Eastern Conference teams meet a few minutes after that earlier match when CF Montreal are the latest travellers to Audi Field, where they will take on a DC United side who were entertaining a rampant Bayern Munich in midweek.
That didn’t go well for DC United as they lost 6-2 but to be fair to them Bayern played all their big guns so you would have expected a result like that. Their hard work starts now with the Wayne Rooney era about to really kick into life.
DC will need to play well here though because they host a Montreal side who sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, and go into this match off the back of a win over their rivals Toronto FC last week.
Djordje Mihailovic returned for that game which is significant for CF Montreal as he has been their standout player this term and his return could take them up to a much higher level once again.
If there is a positive for Rooney as he looks to turn the fortunes of DC around it is that he doesn’t need to delve too deep into what is going wrong. No team has conceded more goals than DC in MLS this term and until they tighten up they are going to remain at the bottom of the table.
They have scored 25 goals in 19 matches though so it isn’t all doom and gloom, but with the way they concede goals I worry for them against the second highest scorers in the east here. Montreal aren’t watertight themselves though so over 2.5 goals should come in safely here.
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Prediction: Over 2.5 Goals, 1.67 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Houston Dynamo v Minnesota United
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Sunday 24th July – 01:30AM KO
Hector Herrera may not be making explosive plays since joining the Houston Dynamo but the longtime Mexico international and former Atletico Madrid star has brought a presence to the Gulf Coast his teammates say has been missing. Since his arrival, Houston have twice taken points from losing positions, including a 2-1 victory at the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend and a 2-2 derby draw against FC Dallas the week before. The former marked the first time the Dynamo have turned a second-half deficit into a victory, as well as Herrera’s first start. Minnesota United are unbeaten in their last five matches. But the way they are winning games is not sustainable.
Essentially the Loons are as good as former Boca Juniors talisman Emanuel Reynoso. Of late, Reynoso has been absolutely exceptional, scoring as many goals in his last five matches (six) as in his previous one-and-a-half MLS seasons.
That won’t continue forever, and while there have been occasional contributions from Luis Amarilla and Franco Fragapane, the strikers in front of Reynoso still aren’t scoring consistently enough.
Add Minnesota’s 4-0 friendly midweek victory over Everton — which clearly meant a lot to former Toffee turned Loons manager Adrian Heath — and Houston has the feel of a trap game. Especially now that Herrera could steel them in midfield in a way they hadn’t been over the first four months of the season.
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Prediction: Houston to Win, 2.15 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Sporting Kansas City v Los Angeles FC
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Sunday 24th July – 01:30AM KO
The current leaders in the race for the Supporters’ Shield are in action in the early hours of Sunday morning when Los Angeles FC head to Sporting Kansas City with all eyes on whether Gareth Bale will make his full debut for the California outfit.
Los Angeles have been in fine form this term and go into this match having won four of their last five matches so they were playing well before Bale and Giorgio Chiellini turned up. It would make sense to expect them to be even better with those two adding to their depth chart.
Sporting Kansas City go into this match bottom of the pile in the Western Conference. Peter Vermes’ men have had to deal with a chronic injury list this term and it has resulted in the never wanted combination of scoring few and conceding plenty.
They have only scored 19 goals in their 22 matches this term and it is hard to see that record improving much against a team who don’t just have Chiellini added to their defensive ranks but also have Eddie Segura back too.
With Los Angeles set to improve at both ends of the pitch in the coming weeks, this has all the hallmarks of a tough night at the office for the home side.
SKC have scored just four goals in their last eight matches in MLS and against a team full of confidence in LAFC I’m expecting the hosts to struggle here. Los Angeles have six wins from their last eight and if there is to be a winner here I expect it to be them.
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Prediction: LAFC Draw no Bet, 1.50 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Vancouver Whitecaps v Chicago Fire
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Sunday 24th July – 3:00AM KO
One of the later matches to kick off on Sunday morning comes from BC Place as the Vancouver Whitecaps play host to poor travellers Chicago Fire in a clash in which the home side will be looking to continue their good recent form.
The Fire must dread every time they leave Soldier Field at present because they arrive in this part of Canada with just one point from their last eight away games. They will hope for a turnaround in their fortunes in this match.
They might struggle to get it though because the Canadians are going very well right now with just one defeat in six and with only two home defeats to their name this season.
Although they are much improved from last season, the Caps haven’t rested on their laurels and have done a positive deal to bring Julian Gressel to the club from DC United to help with their balance down the right and with their attacking prowess from wing-back.
So much was expected of the Fire this term with the signings they made ahead of the season but they haven’t really been able to find any consistency.
They have won their last two matches but they were both in front of their own fans, it is their away form that is holding them back and I fancy this will be another fruitless trip for the Fire.
Only Portland and Minnesota have left BC Field with three points this season. I don’t expect Chicago to add their name to the list. I think the home side looks good things without the draw in play.
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Prediction: Vancouver Draw no Bet, 1.60 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Portland Timbers vs San Jose Earthquakes
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Sunday 24th July – 3:30AM KO
The final match to kick off on Sunday morning sees the latest version of one of the most one-sided contests in MLS history taking place when the Portland Timbers welcome the San Jose Earthquakes to Providence Park.
These two have met 15 times on this ground and the Earthquakes are still to taste victory, a pretty shocking statistic for a team that have been in MLS for an eternity. They have only picked up four draws in that time too so to say this isn’t a happy hunting ground for the Quakes would be an understatement.
This fixture never comes at a good time for San Jose with their record on this ground but it might be that it is particularly ill timed this time around because Portland are just picking up speed and beginning to look like the side which competed in the MLS Cup final last term.
They are undefeated in six matches now and have moved up to the fringes of the play-off places in the Western Conference and will be looking to move into the top seven with a win here.
San Jose’s record here is terrible and although they won their last away game away to LA Galaxy, that is their only road win in 10 outings and the Galaxy were a mess going into that match.
I think this will be every bit the tough assignment history suggests it will be for San Jose. Portland are ticking along nicely and there is more to come from them. They can add three more points to their ledger here.
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Prediction: Portland to Win, 1.67 on Betfair (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
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