MLS Week 31 is a small card with just 6 games on Saturday, September 7 as we’re in the middle of an international break. Be sure to check out all of the internartional call-ups on the MLS site, but I’ll touch on the main ones here too.
Let’s dive into this small card for this weekend’s MLS predictions.
New York Red Bulls vs Sporting Kansas City Prediction
4th in the East New York hosts 12th in the West SKC.
New York has some key absentees in keeper Carlos Coronel, plus Noah Elie and Lewis Morgan. SKC only sees Stephen Afrifa playing with Canada.
There’s been no meetings since a 1-0 NY win in 2022, but the previous 6 all saw both teams scoring. It’s little relevance here years later though.
Most SKC games see goals though this season. And usually from both teams.
They were off last weekend so they should be fresh, having last played in the US Open Cup semis on August 27. That was a 2-0 home win over the Indy Eleven.
They won 3-0 in MLS before that.
SKC have scored in 26/29 and conceded in 26/29 MLS games. BTTS bets for SKC this season have gone 26-7 in all comps but 0-3 of late. But had been 8-0 prior to that. The Over 2.5 simply has gone 18-4 in their past 22 in all comps though.
When it comes to wins and losses they’ve improved being 7-1-4 of late.
New York is not in good form. It was a 2-0 home loss to Philly last weekend giving them 0 wins in 4, only 1 win in 9 and 2 wins in 13 in all comps. Prior to last game though, the Red Bulls had been the only team yet to lose at home this season.
Had you bet draws on Red Bulls’ games though you’d be cleaning up as they’ve drawn at the end of regulation in 9/12 games.
So who do you trust. New York draws a ton. Most SKC games see goals at both ends.
- MLS Predictions: Draw
Columbus Crew vs Seattle Sounders Prediction
This could be the highlight match of the small weekend card with 3rd in the East Columbus hosting 8th in the West Seattle.
Some big names are away for Columbus in two keepers Schulte and Hagen, plus Moreira, Farsi and the biggest loss of them all Cucho. Meanwhile, the Sounders lose Tolo and Vargas.
Nothing seems to slow down Wilfried Nancy’s side though. Not an MLS Cup hangover, not Champions Cup or Leagues Cup.
They won the Leagues Cup final, had a quick turnaround with a game 3 days later they won 1-0 in Philly and then won 3 days after that 4-2 at home to NYCFC. That game was 2-2 though until the 93’ minute with the Crew scoring 2 late goals.
So they’ve won 7 straight (1 in PKs) and are 17-1-4 in their past 22. In this 7-game winning streak they’ve outscored opponents 19-7. So it’s hard to really ever bet against the Crew. They have conceded a goal in 8/10 so BTTS bets have also been a good way to go as well. But if you’re picking a winner. Consider this stat.
Under Nancy when Columbus is playing at Lower.com Field, they are 30-12-2 in all comps with a +63 goal differential. The 2 losses have come vs Miami last season and Cincinnati this season.
The Sounders had a run of just 2 losses in 18. But more recently they’re just 4-0-5. Even more recently, and they’ve lost 2 recent games, both 1-0. But then of their last 4 losses, 3 have to LAFC, which seems to be their bogey team.
Columbus has been LA’s bogey team themselves.
The Sounders have been shut out in 3 of their past 4 so I gotta go Crew at home here in scorching hot form even minus some players. Or perhaps the Under.
- MLS Predictions: Under 2.5
Houston Dynamo vs LAFC Prediction
Houston basically has no international call-ups, but LAFC have been gutted with Bogusz, Bouanga, Campos, Chanot, Martinez and Olivera all called up. Now they still have solid backups including Kamara and Giroud, but that is a lot of talent not in the lineup.
These teams just played last week and this is make up game that got cancelled due to weather. Last week it was two newcomers to the Dynamo in Ezequiel Ponce and Lawrence Ennali powering the Dynamo to a 2-0 road win in LA. Houston held 63% possession, led in shots 16-14 and both had 6 shots on target. But, in a huge blow, Ennali’s time in Houston this season will be short-lived as he suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
That snaps 2 losses for Houston, though 1 came in PKs in LEC. In regulation they’re 7-5-3 in their past 15.
Oddly, they’re better on the road than at home this season being 4-5-3 (2nd worst home record in the West), and 7-2-5 (2nd best road record in the conference).
LAFC came up short in the Leagues Cup Final losing 3-1 to Columbus, but then beat Seattle 1-0 in the US Open Cup Semis.
You’d expect some pushback from a team this week who is 19-2-4 in their past 25 in all comps. Getting shut out last game is the only time in their past 32 games they’ve failed to score.
None of the past 4 meetings between the teams have seen BTTS, but that could change here.
If I’m picking a winner, I’d pick Houston again, or BTTS.
- MLS Predictions: Houston to win
Vancouver Whitecaps vs FC Dallas Prediction
The Caps are out Ahmed, Cubas, Gauld, Picault and Vite, plus Brian White missed last week with a concussion. They did sign Scottish international DP midfielder Sturart Armstrong who played with Southampton last season. Dallas are out keeper Paes, plus Cafumana, Delgado and Sainte.
Back in March Vancouver beat Dallas 3-1 in Dallas and the Caps usually find success vs Dallas being 5-3-1 in the past 9 meetings.
Vancouver beat Austin 1-0 last week and Pacific 1-0 a few days prior in the Canadian Championship. Those clean sheets are rare. They now have just 4 in 26 games. And oddly, 2 versus Austin and 2 versus Pacific.
This week Ryan Gauld is out, being called up to Scotland.
Dallas has been more entertaining under Peter Luccin but that hasn’t translated to many wins. They have just 4 in 12 games lately and followed up a 4-3 win after Leagues Cup with a 3-2 home loss to Colorado last weekend.
They’ve given up multiple goals in 4 straight but have scored in 9/10. BTTS has also hit in 8 of those 10 games.
Dallas saw Petar Musa, Jesus Ferreira and Alan Velasco come off the bench last week so are getting back some big players.
I could maybe see a shootout here, but then the Caps are missing so many.
- MLS Predictions: BTTS & Over 2.5
MLS Picks and Parlays
Chicago Fire vs DC United Prediction
14th Chicago and 11th DC are only separated by 3 points so this game could bring the two level.
Chicago has limited absentees with Georgios Koutsias and Ariel Lassister, while DC is out Boris Enow, Aaron Herrera and Matti Peltola. I don’t think that is too much to still back goals in this game.
Needless to say, it’s been a poor season for both. Worse for Chicago overall and last week. Last weekend they lost 4-1 at home to Miami, which makes them winless in 5 in all comps, with only 4 wins in 22 and 6 in 29. Those last 5 games have seen scores of 4-1, 2-2, 3-1, 2-1 and 2-1.
DC had a better result last week going to Toronto and winning 3-1. Other recent DC games have been a 4-3 loss, 2-1 loss, 3-0 win, 3-3 draw, 4-0 loss, 3-2 win, 2-1 win, 5-0 loss, 3-2 loss, 2-2 draw and 4-1 loss. So, they too have seen plenty of goals in their recent games. But at 3.6 GPM, DC’s game average the 3rd most in the league as well. One 3-0 win over Santos Laguna in LEC is their only clean sheet in 25 games in all comps
Chicago’s games overall average 3.0 GPM.
Coming into this season there had been a clean sheet for one or both teams in 5 straight meetings but in May this season, it was a 1-1 draw.
This time I think you have to bet goals, so BTTS or up it to BTTS & Over 2.5.
- MLS Predictions: Both Teams to Score
New England Revolution vs St. Louis City SC Prediction
13th in the East New England, hosts 13th in the West St. Louis. This will be the first-ever meeting between the teams.
The Revs are out 3 players to international duty and St. Louis none, so this is one of the more straightforward games when it comes to missing players.
After a 5-0 beatdown of Montreal coming out of Leagues Cup, the Revs came back to Earth losing 2-0 away to RSL last week. While they didn’t have tons of chances, they had some, and Vrioni himself was in alone more than once with good scoring chances, including a shot off the post in the dying minutes.
The Revs haven’t been good but that is their only regulation loss in 6 games and it snapped a run of 7 games where they had at least gotten on the scoresheet. Go further back and they’ve scored in 13/15 as well. But then it’s only 2 clean sheets in their past 13 games defensively.
St. Louis is in decent form themselves with only 1 regulation loss in 7, which came to Club America in the Leagues Cup, and they had been leading in that game. The new additions have basically made this a new team. Last week, it was two new additions again getting on the scoresheet in Teuchert and Hartel lifting City to a 2-1 win over Western Conference leaders LA Galaxy.
Prior to that St Louis drew Portland 4-4 and other recent scores have been 4-2, 3-1, 1-1, 2-1 and 1-1. So goals at both ends of the pitch have been the story of late.
Which is how I see this game unfolding as well. Bet the BTTS or BTTS & Over 2.5.
- MLS Predictions: Both Teams to Score
- Parlay Picks: CHI vs DC btts / NE vs STL btts (+133)
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.
