It’s MLS Week 3 and we’re 3-2 on the year in the MLS predictions so let’s try to keep a winning record with 3 more best bet parlays covering 6 games.
MLS Picks #1
Columbus Crew vs Chicago Fire Prediction
Columbus hasn’t won yet, but their games have been interesting having lost 3-2 away to Portland and drawing 2-2 away to SKC. Now they’ll get their home opener on Saturday. Rossi and About Ali are prime prop bet contenders with 2 goals each and a combined 15 shots/7 on target.
Chicago fell 2-1 say to Houston in Week 1 but rebounded with a 3-0 win over Montreal in Week 2. The win was more impressive given they played most of the 2nd half down a man but still limited Montreal’s chances, created plenty of their own and scored 2 late goals while down a man too.
Last year both won at home, Columbus 4-2 and Chicago 2-0. There’s been 3+ goals in 5 of their past 6 meetings.
- MLS Picks: BTTS & Over 2.5 (-138 + Ali 1+ shot on target (+100)
MLS Picks #2
DC United vs Inter Miami Prediction
Miami won 3-2 in their last match but it was 1-1 when they played in DC last year. DC hasn’t beaten Miami since 2023, a run of 5 games, but they’ve scored in 10 of 11 all-time matches, have drawn 2 of their last 3 when playing at home and have only lost by more than 1 goal once in all of their matches vs Miami. There’s been some bad DC teams out there, so considering they’ve kept it competitive before and this team is probably slightly better than last year’s, maybe we get a competitive match.
This year’s DC has won 1-0 and lost 1-0 vs Philly and Austin, so offensively there’s still not much to get excited about, but they haven’t been bludgeoned yet like last season.
DC may get an extra boost in front of an expected huge crowd at M&T Bank Stadium which holds 71,000, instead of Audi Field.
Meanwhile, Miami allowed 5 goals across their first 1.5 games, losing 3-0 to LAFC and then going down 2-0 to Orlando at half last week. But they exploded in the 2nd half with 4 goals, 2 from Messi, and 1 each from Segovia and Silvetti to win 4-2. While Messi had 0 shots on target in Week 1, he now has 12 shots and 4 on target after Week 2, both team highs. Despite the big-money contract he signed this offseason, Berterame has yet to get off the mark.
Should Miami win? Of course. But with a big CCC match vs Nashville coming up there is always the chance of overlooking DC or some squad rotation and Miami has already conceded 5 goals. You always assume Miami scores, but let’s bet DC doing so as well.
- MLS Picks: BTTS
Charlotte FC vs Austin FC Prediction
Charlotte has yet to win, while Austin has yet to lose.
The Crown drew 1-1 with St. Louis and lost 3-0 to the LA Galaxy, giving up 3 goals in the opening 13 minutes—they’ll surely aim for better defense this time around. Both of those were on the road and they’ll play their home opener this weekend where they’re usually solid at the Bank. Last year they won a league-high 13 home MLS games and had a league-high 9 clean sheets. In their final 8 home games they won 7 and kept 6 clean sheets.
Still, 1 goal in 2 games isn’t great.
Austin drew Minnesota 2-2 and then edged out DC 1-0 with a late goal from the newly signed Ramirez. Both of those were at home, so they’ll get their first road test here.
They didn’t play last year but in the only two meetings, they drew 2-2 in 2024 and Austin won 1-0 in 2022. Little to go off there.
- MLS Picks: Under 3.5
SKC vs San Diego Prediction
San Diego is one of 5 perfect teams with 2 wins and they’re the highest scorers with 7 GF, while still not conceding any, just 1/4 teams with 2 straight clean sheets. That puts them 1st in the West and they’ll travel to 15th in the conference SKC who first lost 3-0 to San Jose on the road and then drew 2-2 at home with Columbus, backed by 2 goals from Jovelic.
Even with no more Chucky Lozano, SDFC have 6 different scorers, led by 2G/2A from Ingvartsen and 1G/3A from Dreyer. The team has also won 4-1 and lost 1-0 in the CCC, and the loss came in a game they didn’t need to win after the big Leg 1 win. They do need to look ahead to Wednesday’s Round of 16 game though hosting one of Mexico’s top sides in Toluca.
In the 2 meetings last year the teams drew 0-0 in San Diego and San Diego won 2-0 in KC.
- MLS Picks: Over 1.5
- Parlay Picks: DC vs MIA btts / CHA vs AUS under 3.5 / SKC vs SD over 1.5 (+133)
MLS Picks #3
LAFC vs FC Dallas Prediction
LAFC are 1/5 perfect teams who have started with 2 wins, beating Miami 3-0 and Houston 2-0. Count the CCC and they’ve also won 6-1 and 1-0.
They do though need to play LD Alajuelense in the CCC 3 days later on Tuesday.
5 players have scored in MLS, but none of them are Son. He had 7 shots and just 1 on target. Bouanga always takes a ton of shots and he has 11 and 4 on target.
Dallas hasn’t lost yet, beating TFC 3-2 and drawing Nashville 0-0. I thought last week’s game could have some goals with so many big-time strikers in the lineup. Though Surridge sat out for Nashville and it was ugly with a combined 3 shots on target and 1.5 xG for both teams. Musa had 2 goals for Dallas in Week 1.
Last year LAFC won 2-0 in LA and they drew 1-1 in Dallas. This has been close in past seasons with Under 2.5 going 4-1 and Under 3.5 going 6-1.
- MLS Picks: Over 1.5
Portland Timbers vs Vancouver Whitecaps Prediction
Vancouver is undefeated in 4 in this matchup and last year won 4-1 in Portland and drew 1-1 in BC. The BTTS is 6-2 and simply Over 1.5 is 8-0 in recent matchups.
The Caps have yet to lose this season or concede a goal, drawing 0-0 and winning 2-0 in the CCC, and winning 1-0 over RSL and 3-0 over TFC in MLS. Muller leads them in MLS scoring with 2 goals.
The Timbers had an entertaining 3-2 win over Columbus in Week 1, but lost 2-0 away to Colorado in Week 2, put only 1 shot on target saw defender Cory take a red, so he’ll miss out here. They’ll be back home here in Week 3. Antony, Mora and Lassister have all scored once and while Velde hasn’t scored yet, he and Mora have taken the most shots with 5 each / 2 on target. Key midfielder Da Costa is still injured which is a big hole, but he has returned to training.
While it’s hard to bet against Vancouver given their strong start, they do have CCC coming up (albeit on Thursday) and at home at Providence Park, the Timbers could at least score.
- MLS Picks: BTTS
- Parlay Picks: LAFC vs DAL over 1.5 / POR vs VAN btts (-133)
Sunday Games
There’s 2 Sunday games and on paper it looks like good home team wins with the young and impressive Red Bulls hosting Montreal who has looked like the worst team after 5-0 and 3-0 losses. I’d lean NY who held NE to 0.5 xG last week, but Montreal have to improve even slightly after these two awful showings.
And then Cincy hosts another winless team in Toronto who have given up 3 goals in back-to-back games, but they’re missing Evander and Sergeant could play for Toronto. They also added a new defender in Kuscevic. I’d like to see how that works before betting on or against TFC.
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Ryan Métivier is a seasoned editor, writer and communications professional with years of experience in all fields. When it comes to covering sports, he’s written for numerous outlets and organizations including the OHL, CHL, SportsXpress, Sports Betting Dime, Cleveland.com, MassLive, FanSided and others.
While he’ll always cheer for his hometown Toronto teams, when it comes to betting, his only allegiance is his bankroll. Ryan specializes in global soccer, the NFL and the NHL, but if there is a bet to be made, he’ll make it. As the founder of Shred The Spread, Ryan focuses on combining storylines, trends, analytics and good bankroll management to creating simple bets that make sense.
When not making a case for why both teams will score in an MLS soccer match, he can be found focusing his efforts on fitness, attempting to learn Spanish, cooking or planning his travel adventure.
