We’re back with more MLS picks this weekend, as there’s 13 games on Saturday and 1 on Sunday for this weekend’s MLS Week 30 from August 31 – September 1.
During the week, Philly played Columbus on Wednesday with the Crew winning 1-0 after also winning Leagues Cup last Sunday.
The US Open Cup saw SKC play the Indy Eleven on Tuesday winning 2-0 and Seattle hosting LAFC on Wednesday, losing 1-0 to LAFC again.
Toronto played Forge FC and Vancouver played Pacific in the Canadian Championship on Tuesday as well with both winning 1-0. So there could be some tired legs to consider when making your weekend MLS predictions.
MLS Picks and Parlays #1
FC Cincinnati vs CF Montreal Prediction
Cincy has been burning up money for their backers of late and couldn’t even get on the scoresheet last week against Miami despite playing up a man for a large part of that game in what ended in a 2-0 loss. After picking up yellow cards, both Luciano Acosta and Deandre Yedlin will be suspended here.
It was 3 straight losses heading into Leagues Cup before a 1-0, 4-2 and 1-1 (pk win) in the tournament before getting knocked out 4-2 to Philly in the Round of 16. After the Miami loss it’s 4 straight MLS losses now.
But this is still 2nd vs 11th.
And Montreal hasn’t been much better. They just got run off their own pitch last week 5-0 to a struggling New England team, lost 2/3 Leagues Cup games, have 4 wins in all comps across 24 matches and have been outscored 13-4 in their past 4 games.
Montreal did win 2-1 in Montreal back in April and before that it was 1-1. Their last meeting in Cincy was 3-0 for FCC last year. This one could be a good spot for Cincy to get back on track.
Cincy has been down of late and don’t have a good record without Acosta, but Montreal hasn’t won on the road since March 10 and in their past 35 road games they only have 5 wins.
- MLS Predictions: Cincinnati to win
Chicago Fire vs Inter Miami CF Prediction
Let’s go to that Miami team that just took down Cincy 2-0 last week. This looks, on paper, like a layup against Chicago, 13th in the East.
Miami became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs with their 2-0 win over Cincy. They’re without Tomas Avilas who took a red card in that game. And, likely still without Messi who remains injured. But they haven’t missed a beat without Messi. Last week it was Luis Suarez scoring 2 goals within 6 minutes. Their 58 GF are tops in the league and they’re 56 points are 4 more than the Galaxy’s 52 for the Supporters’ Shield race.
Miami at +155 to win any game could be a gift. Even being able to include Miami to simply score in a parlay at -500 is an option. Miami to score 2+ at -110 also looks good. Of course they’re always capable of conceding so the BTTS or BTTS & Over 2.5 is also in play.
Miami just won 2-1 in Miami on July 20 when they last met. But then Chicago won 4-1, 3-2 and 3-1 in previous meetings. 2/3 of those 3 were in the pre-Messi era though.
Miami has scored multiple goals in 12/15, but BTTS and Over 2.5 is 13-2 in that time.
Starting with that 2-1 loss to Miami, the Fire then lost 2-1, 3-1 and then drew 2-2 last week to NYCFC.
They’ve allowed 2+ goals in 4 straight have only 4 wins in 21 games in all comps.
- MLS Predictions: Miami double chance
- Parlay Picks: CIN to win / MIA double chance (+109)
MLS Picks and Parlays #2
Orlando City SC vs Nashville SC Prediction
It’s 7th vs 14th here.
Orlando won in Nashville 3-0 in July and past seasons also saw them win 1-0, 1-0 and 1-0.
The Lions let me down last week not being able to score vs SKC in a 3-0 loss, but I’m hoping that’s a blip on the radar as that was their first regulation loss in 8 games and just their 2nd in 11 games.
Nashville changed coaches to BJ Callaghan but the losses keep coming. They lost 2-0, and drew 1-1 (pk loss) in Leagues Cup and then lost 2-0 at home to Austin last weekend back in MLS. They added a new midfielder in Pat Yazbek, but subbed him out for allegations of use of offensive language. No word yet if any sort of suspension could be coming.
So it’s now 9 straight losses where they’ve been outscored 21-4.
- MLS Predictions: Orlando to win
Toronto FC vs DC United Prediction
I never know what to expect from TFC. They had been winless in 10. Then won 4/5 inclduing Leagues Cup wins over the Red Bulls and Pachuca, then went toe-to-toe with Miami in a 4-3 loss. And then in Houston, a tough place to play, won 1-0 last week. That came withut Insigne and with Bernardeschi only playing part of the game. You never really know if or how much the two Italian stars will play on a week-to-week basis.
And in fact, Bernardeschi’s yellow card last week will see him miss out of this game, which is the same for Osorio as well.
On Tuesday they played in the Canadian Championship Leg 2 semis vs Forge FC and won 1-0 advancing to the final.
At 3.5 GPM, DC’s game average the 6th most in the league. A 4-3 loss to Dallas last week bumped at the number. But other recent DC games have been a 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.
That 3-0 win over Santos Laguna in LEC is their only clean sheet in 24 games in all comps and the DC has lost 22 points from winning positions in MLS this season, the worst in the league.
One thing you can usually count on when TFC and DC meet is goals. It was 2-2 in DC in June and other scores have been 2-1, 3-2, 2-2, 2-1, 3-1, 7-1, 2-2, 2-2, 5-1 and 1-1.
- MLS Predictions: Toronto to score
Austin FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps Prediction
Only 4 points separate 6th Vancouver and 9th Austin.
Austin had surprising 3-2 and 2-0 wins over big Mexican sides like Pumas and Monterrey in LEC before getting knocked out 2-0 by LAFC. Last week they went to Nashville and won 2-0. They’re 3-1-1 in 5 scoring multiple goals in 4/5.
The Caps drew LAFC 2-2 and won in PKs, then beat Tijuana 3-1, before losing 2-0 to Pumas in the LEC. And then they were off since August 3 with no game last week.
They did play Wednesday in the Canadian Championship semis vs Pacific and won 1-0. They got Ryan Gauld back who scored, but saw leading scorer Brian White leave with a concussion.
That makes them 10-1-4 in their last 15 in all comps with just 2 losses in 11.
Their record is good and they usually score but they’ve also conceded in 20/22. Those 2 shutouts? Both vs the lower level CPL side Pacific.
Head-to-head, they drew 0-0 in Austin in May. Last year it was 2-1 Vancouver at home and again 0-0 in Austin.
- MLS Predictions: Austin to score
- Parlay Picks: ORL to win / TOR to score / AUS to score (+123)
MLS Picks and Parlays #3
Real Salt Lake vs New England Revolution Prediction
For much of the season RSL has been in Supporters’ Shield contention and they sit 3rd in the West. For much of the year New England has struggled and are 12th in the East.
That makes RSL big -200’ish favs here and the Revs +525.
But RSL have not been the same team of late. They have 1 win in 6 games and just lost 2-0 to Spoon leaders San Jose at home last week. They’ve conceded in 10 straight 14/15. They sold Andres Gomez in the transfer window and Chicho Arango left last week’s game injured.
The Revs aren’t in great form either, but did just go to Montreal and win 5-0. Carles Gil came back from injury and new DP Luca Langoni even got on the scoresheet too in his first game with limited minutes.
The Revs haven’t lost in regulation in 5 games, but 3/5 have been tied and the Montreal game is the only time in 8 games they’ve scored more than 1 goal
But given the odds, New England to simply score 1 looks like a decent parlay piece.
- MLS Predictions: New England to score
FC Dallas vs Colorado Rapids Prediction
Both teams come in on highs here.
Dallas went to DC and got a 4-3 win last week, their first road win of the season. But in LEC they lost 2-1 and 2-0. But they’re 3-1-2 overall in 6. They’ve scored in 8/9 and 12/14 but conceded in 11/12 and 18/20.
Dallas will see Paul Arriola miss out through suspension, but the long-injured Alan Velasco made the bench last week so could return soon.
The win in DC was more impressive as Peter Musa missed out, meaning all 3 DPs were out of the lineup.
Colorado won the LEC 3rd Place Game over Philly winning in PKs after a 2-2 draw. That earns them a spot in Champions Cup. They won 5/7 LEC games but 3 needed PKs. In all matches they’re 11-1-4 counting LEC PK wins as wins. But only once in 14 games and three times in 20 have they kept a clean sheet.
Dallas games have averaged 3.2 GPM and Colorado’s 3.6.
Their last 3 meetings were 2-1 Colorado in April and 1-1 and 2-1 Colorado last season.
- MLS Predictions: Both Teams to Score
- Parlay Picks: NE to score / DAL vs COL btts (+125)
MLS Picks and Parlays #4
San Jose Earthquakes vs Minnesota United Prediction
The Quakes actually made an impressive LEC run reaching the Round of 16 before a 4-1 loss to LAFC. Then they came out of the break and upset one of the league’s top teams and on the road, beating RSL 2-0.
San Jose only has 4 wins (1 in PKs) in 19 but 3 have come in their past 5 and they’ve scored in 5 straight.
Minnesota was in and out of LEC with a 2-0 loss and 1-0 win. Back in MLS last weekend and they lost 3-2 at home to Seattle. They welcomed some new players, CB Jefferson Diaz was poor in his debut, but DP striker Kelvin Yeboah scored twice.
So it’s only 2 wins for the Loons in 13 games and only 2 clean sheets in 20 games.
Minnesota has seen 25/26 games with 2+ goals, while San Jose 23/26. Only 3 teams (SKC, MIA, POR) have seen more BTTS games than Minnesota’s 73%.
This is an easy Over 1.5 or BTTS or maybe BTTS & Over 2.5. San Jose did just shut out RSL though and on the road. Because I want to make sure, hopefully, this parlay is alive going into Sunday’s game, let’s just go Over 1.5
- MLS Predictions: Over 1.5
St. Louis City SC vs LA Galaxy Prediction
This one looks like goals to me. But even BTTS & Over 2.5 is -175 at Bet365.
LA is 1st in the West and St. Louis 13th, but St. Louis may have turend a corner during Leagues Cup, bringing in some new faces and reaching the Round of 16 and almost knocking out Club America before ultimately losing 4-2. Still, after last week’s 4-4 draw with Portland, they’re 2-3-1 in regulation in their past 6. They’ve scored 13, but allowed 12 and BTTS is 6-0.
The Galaxy added a new face of their own in Dortmund legend Marco Reus. Subbed on in a 0-0 game late vs Atlanta last week, Reus had an assist and goal and LA won 2-0. He could get an extended run this game with Riqui Puig suspended.
LA have lost only 5 times in 23 games, scored multiple goals in 15/23 and 5/6, but then they’ve given up goals in 8/9 and multiple in 6/9.
When they played in March it was 3-3. Last year it was 2-2 and 1-1.
- MLS Predictions: Both to Score & Over 2.5
- Parlay Picks: STL vs LA btts & O2.5 / SJ vs MIN over 1.5 (-132)
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.
