It’s a jam-packed Friday of Leagues Cup action as the Round of 32 serves of 10 games, with 6 having been played on Wednesday and Thursday.
Let’s break down each game on Friday and come up with our top Leagues Cup predictions, picks and parlays.
Leagues Cup Picks and Parlays #1
FC Cincinnati vs Santos Laguna Prediction
Cincy lost 3-1, 1-0 and 3-1 entering Leagues Cup but they’ve bounced back with 1-0 and 4-2 wins over Queretaro and NYCFC, doing so without Luciano Acosta and storming back from a 2-0 deficit against New York to get the win.
They meet a Santos side who has just 1 point and 1 goal scored through 4 games in the Apertura. They’re 0-1-3 and outscored 6-1, sitting in 16th.
In Leagues Cup they lost 3-0 to DC and then won in PKs over Atlanta after a 0-0 draw.
So they get a “win” by Leagues Cup standards but that’s their only win in 12 and none in regulation.
They also have just 4 wins in 23.
They’ve been held off the scoresheet in 8 of their past 9 and in 13 of the past 24, scoring just once in 9 games.
This is the first meeting between these teams and at home it should be a Cincy win for the reigning MLS Supporters’ Shield winners.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Cincinnati to win
Colombus Crew vs Sporting Kansas City Prediction
SKC beat Chicago 2-1 and then lost to Toluca 2-1 so far in this competition.
And I keep saying it, goals have been the story in SKC games.
SKC have scored in 25/28 and conceded in 26/28. BTTS bets for SKC this season have gone 26-5 in all comps. Plus the BTTS & Over 2.5 has gone 14-3 and 21-4 in recent SKC games.
They beat a rested Columbus team who had a bye through the Group Stage as MLS Cup champs.
The Crew are 6th in the Supporters’ Shield race, own the top defense in all of MLS, have only lost once at home and have only allowed 7 goals when playing at Lower.com Field.
So perhaps, this could be a spot to not back SKC to score. After all, these teams just played on June 22 in Columbus and the Crew routed SKC 4-0.
Columbus did go into the Leagues Cup break off a draw and loss, but then routed Aston Villa in a friendly 4-1 with Cucho netting a hat-trick.
They’re 5-1-1 in 7 outscoring the opponents 22-5 and should win and score 2 here.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Columbus to win
- Parlay Picks: CIN to win / CLB to win (+122)
Leagues Cup Picks and Parlays #2
Orlando City SC vs Cruz Azul Prediction
This is their first-ever meeting.
Orlando coasted on MD1 putting 4 past CF Montreal to go on to win 4-1.
In Game 2 they took a red card early in the 29’ minute but it didn’t stop them from taking the lead in 1st half stoppage time. It stayed that way until Atletico San Luis drew level in the 71’. It ended 1-1 and Orlando got the win in PKs.
That makes the Lions 6-1-0 in their past 7 with just 1 loss in 10 games. In those games they’ve scored 27 goals. In their last 11 games the goal totals in their games have been 2, 5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3, 6, 6, 4, 4.
Their offense welcomed back Duncan McGuire as well last game for a few minutes as he’s returned from the Olympics which is a big boost.
Cruz Azul advances after drawing Charlotte 0-0 and losing in PKs and then drawing Philadelphia 1-1 and winning on PKs.
Cruz Azul are currently 1st in the Apertura at 3-1-0, scoring 9 and conceding just 1 goal.
Include all comps and win or lose they’ve scored in 14/16. They bring with them ex-Atlanta United striker Giorgos Giakoumakis who recently joined La Maquina.
Let’s on at least a goal from both here to kick-off parlay number two.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Both Teams to Score
DC United vs Mazatlan Prediction
DC came out firing taking a 3-1 lead in Atlanta on MD. Then Atlanta fought back to draw 3-3. But it was DC winning in PKs. It was another 3-goal performance for DC on MD2 blanking Santos Laguna 3-0.
That’s a rare clean sheet though as that is their only clean sheet in 21 games going back to March 30, but they usually score, doing so in 7/8 for a total of 17 goals in 8 games.
They had been winless in 11 but now have wins of 2-1, 3-1 , 3-3 (PK win) and 3-0 so they’re rolling coming into this matchup.
Mazatlan lost to New England 1-0 and then beat Nashville 2-0.
Mazatlan have collected 1 point and scored just 2 goals in their first 4 games in the Apertura. They’re 17th out of 18 teams in LigaMX.
Scorelines have read: 1-0 loss, 2-2 draw, 3-0 loss and 2-0 loss. Go back to last season and the Nashville win is their only win and only clean sheet in 8 games.
Mazatlan rarely keeps clean sheets only doing so only 4 times in 23 games.
And they’ll likely be without top keeper Hugo Gonzalez who left injured vs Nashville.
A BTTS bet is an option, but then Mazatlan had been shut out in 3 straight prior to Nashville, plus in 5/7.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: DC to score
Philadelphia Union vs CF Montreal Prediction
In 2 meetings this season they drew 2-2 in Philly in June and Montreal won 4-2 in Montreal later that same month. 6 of the past 7 meetings have seen 3+ goals, each of the last 10 have seen 2+ and BTTS is 9-1.
Philly has struggled all season but had wins of 5-1, 3-0 and 1-0 going into their second Leagues Cup game vs Cruz Azul. There, they would draw 1-1 before losing in PKs. So that still makes them undefeated in regulation in 4 games. They’ve also scored in 7/8.
Montreal got rolled by Orlando 4-1 in Game 1 of Leagues Cup before responding with a 3-2 win over San Luis in Game 2 and both of Atletico’s goals came from PKs.
Montreal has only lost 4 times in 14 games, but they’ve also only won 4 times in 14 games. BTTS has hit in 9/13 and also in 15/20. In 8/10 their games have seen 2+ goals.
If I’m picking a winner I’d look to Philly. Option two would be BTTS. Or simply Over 15 to round out this parlay.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Over 1.5
- Parlay Picks: ORL vs CA btts / DC to score / PHI vs MTL over 1.5 (+100)
Leagues Cup Picks and Parlays #3
Houston Dynamo vs Toluca Prediction
Toluca beat Chicago 3-1 and SKC 2-1.
Houston lost 1-0 to Atlas then routed RSL 3-0.
Toluca are now on a streak of 7 games undefeated in all comps. Toluca are winning even without top scorer and new addition Paulinho who didn’t even suit up for the bench vs SKC.
They’re scoring a ton with 12 goals in 5 games but have given up goals in 4/5 making BTTS 4-1.
Go further back and it’s only 3 losses and to the likes of Chivas, Cruz Azul and America in their last 19 games.
But the Atlas loss, plus a 3-2 loss to RSL in July are the only defeats for Houston in 12 games and the shutout they suffered vs Atlas is the only time the Dynamo failed to score in 14 games.
Both Chicago and SKC found the scoresheet vs Toluca and I think Houston can too. But I think Toluca looks capable of scoring vs about anyone right now as well.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Both Teams to Score
St. Louis City SC vs Portland Timbers Prediction
St. Louis beat Dallas 2-1 and then drew Juarez 1-1 before losing in PKs.
The Dallas win, plus a win over Spoon Leaders San Jose are their only two wins in 16 games. They are at least undefeated in 3 games in regulation. St. Louis added two players in the transfer window, Cedric Teuchert and Marcel Hartel and both got on the scoresheet vs Dallas. They also brought back Simon Becher from Denmark and he got the goal vs Juarez. So the new additions have made an instant impact.
They face one of the hottest teams in MLS in Portland here. The Timbers were 8-2-3 in MLS coming into Leagues Cup and then added wins of 2-1 and 4-0 over Leon and Colorado.
Incredibly Portland has scored 2, 3 or 4 goals now in 9 straight games and in 14/16.
This season they drew 0-0 and last year each won on the road by 2-1 scores.
Portland is the much better and much hotter team right now, though they teams already drew this season, this one is in St. Louis and City have added some new pieces. Portland for the win in a straight bet or two score Over 1.5 team goals, or simply to score in this parlay.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Portland to score
Club America vs Atlas Prediction
Club America wo the 2023 Apertura and 2024 Clausura and then won the Campeon de Campeones.
Though this season in the Apertura they are 9th in the early stages at 2-0-2, scoring 6 and conceding 5.
Atlas is actually higher in 6th at 2-2-0 and undefeated scoring 6 and allowing 4.
While America routed Atlas in their last meeting in March 5-1, the 3 previous meetings have been 1-1, 2-2, 0-0 and a 2-0 Atlas win. America won 1-0 prior to that game, Atlas won 3-0 before that and America 1-0 before that.
Point being, take out the most recent win and this is not an opponent Club America usually easily defeats.
Atlas started Leagues Cup with a 1-0 win over Houston but then lost 2-1 to RSL. They have just 2 losses in 9 games going back to last season, but also only 4 wins in 19. They did just draw Tigres 1-1 in July and have scored in 10/11 as well.
America, is a little slow out of the gates. A loss to Tigres is not good but 1-0 to another top team is not terrible. A 2-1 loss to Atletico San Luis is a little concerning. Still they’re 14-7-6 in their past 27.
You’d expect a rested America team to get the win here but they could also be a little rusty.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Club America to score
- Parlay Picks: HOU vs TOL btts / POR to score / CA to score (+136)
Juarez vs Colorado Prediction
These teams have never met.
Juarez has surprisingly remained undefeated in Leagues Cup so far after a 2-0 win over Dallas and 1-1 draw, PK win over St. Louis.
Overall Juarez has yet to win this season in Mexico after a 2-2 draw, 3-2 loss, 2-1 loss and 2-1 loss. Go back into last season and they have just 5 wins in 31 LigaMX games.
A defense that was poor all season has continued this year giving up 10 goals in 4 games.
But in Leagues Cup, it’s just 1 GA in 2 games. Look at any competition though and they have only 3 clean sheets in 49 overall games.
Djordje Mihailovic is back for Colorado from the Olympics and when he came off the bench in their last game the Rapids’ offense was immediately improved.
They were down 1-0 to Club Leon but fought back to level in the 97’ minute from Rafael Navarro and went on to win in PKs. Their first game was a 4-0 loss to Portland.
This game could see goals being in Colorado. The Rapids score and concede, in allowing a goal in 9 straight and in 13/15 and Jaurez rarely keeps clean sheets themselves.
24/26 Rapids MLS games have seen 2+ goals, and so too have both Leagues Cup games.
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Both Teams to Score
New England Revolution vs NYCFC Prediction
This all-MLS matchup sees 15th New England hosting 5th NYCFC.
In two meetings this season NYC won 2-0 in NY in April and 1-0 in New England in May. Last year they drew 1-1 and 0-0, so this has not been a high-scoring matchup.
The Revs’ Leagues Cup games haven’t been high-scoring either with a 1-0 win over Mazatlan and a 1-1 draw with Nashville where they went on to win in PKs.
That makes New England undefeated in 3 overall games, but just 1 regulation win in 6 over one of Mexico’s weaker teams.
NYCFC drew Queretaro 0-0 and won in PKs and then coughed up a 2-0 lead to FC Cincinnati and lost 4-2. So take out a PK win and they too are lacking many regulation wins with 0 in 6.
While the Cincy loss is their only defeat in 5 as they have 3 draws in there, it’s just 3 wins (2 in reg) in the past 11 for the Pigeons.
I can’t trust either of these teams right now with my money. It could be an Under, or maybe a 1-0 or 1-1
- Leagues Cup Predictions: Under 2.5
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.
