MLS Cup Playoffs Picks and Predictions

MLS Cup Playoffs continue. We’re halfway through the Game 1, Round 1 games and now we have 4 more. 2 on Monday, 1 on Tuesday and the final game on Wednesday.

Let’s cover all four to wrap up our Game 1 MLS Cup Playoffs predictions. 

Cincinnati (2) vs Columbus (7)

Hell Is Real takes centre-stage here in this Round One Ohio rivalry. Cincy hasn’t won any of the last 3 meetings which includes a 1-1 draw and 4-2 loss this season. 

But, this season has been far better overall for Cincy, being 2nd in the East. They also come in with solid form being undefeated in 5 at 4-1-0. Their last 2 matches were 1-0 and 3-0 wins so confidence should be high. 

Brenner had a goal last game and has a shot on target or more in 4/5 and goals in 3/5. Evander also scored last game and has a shot on target or more in 8/9. In Denkey;s last 3 games he has a A, G and G and shots on target totals in his last 5 of 1, 2, 2, 3 and 1. 

Meanwhile, Columbus got a big 3-1 win over the Red Bulls on Decision Day, but that’s their only win in 5 games and just their 2nd in 9. The Crew got 3 goals without some key offensive players with injuries to Rossi and Ali. Without them, they may not have enough to go to Cincy and win. With them, there’s a chance as the Crew have scored in 5/6 and a total of 12 goals. But they have just 1 clean sheet in 9 games. Getting Zawadzki back on defense will help. Head coahc Wilfriend Nancy said he’s still monitoring Rossi’s hamstring injury but that he could have played on Decision Day. That sounds somewhat hopeful that maybe he plays some part. 

I’d give the edge to Cincy at home vs a Crew team that has been stumbling but Cincy rarely wins big. 16 of their 20 wins have been by 1 goal. 

• MLS Picks: Cincinnati to win (+140)

Minnesota (4) vs Seattle (5)

In past years Seattle had gotten the better of the Loons going undefeated in 8 meetings. But things have turned this season with 3-2 and 1-0 Minnesota wins. 

To end the season both are in somewhat mixed form but the edge has to go to Seattle.

Minnesota’s only win in their last 5 games came against the 28th-ranked team SKC. Then they lost to the team just above SKC, the LA Galaxy, 2-1 on Decision Day. Without that win, LA would’ve ended 29th. They did welcome back a key attacked in that game for 12 minutes in Kelvin Yeboah which is a boost going into the playoffs. But counting on him, to make an instant impact after being out for over a month may be too soon. 

The SKC shutout is Minnesota’s only clean sheet in 8 games. But their next one came when they played Seattle back in August. Offensively, just once time in 10 games have they not found the back of the net. 

Let’s switch ti Seattle, who were scorching hot all the way through Leagues Cup and eventually won the title. They then went winless in 4 games, but to end the year have wins of 1-0, 1-0 and 2-1. In each of their last 10 games they’ve scored, but they will be without a key player in Pedro de la Vega who’s injured. 

• MLS Picks: Draw +240

Charlotte (4) vs NYCFC (5)

Both teams won at home this season by 2-0 scores. New York’s win was recent in September while Charlotte won back in July. In that win, they got goals by Toklomati and Vargas and not from star Zaha. That’s something they’ll need to do again as the forward took a stupid red card last week at the end of the game and is suspended. They’re also without key creator Biel who is 3rd in goals and 1st in team assists. So the Crown are a bit short-handed here.

They can lean on the best home record in their league though as they’re 13-1-3 (40 pts) and have outscored opponents 33-16 at The Bank. 

Charlotte got a win at home on Decision Day, beating Philly 2-0. That gives them back-to-back shutout wins (1-0, 2-0) in their final 2 and wins in 8 of their last 10. Oddly, the two losses came to weaker sides in Montreal and DC. 

While Charlotte are missing players, they get a NYC team with all of their stars, but one that has lost 2 straight and 3/4. Their one win came vs a non-playoff teams in the NYRB in that rivalry game, while they lost to Miami, Philly and Seattle. NY has scored just 4 goals in 4 games and have 1 clean sheet in 8, but it did come vs this Charlotte team.

• MLS Picks: Draw +250

LAFC (3) vs Austin (6)

These teams didn’t play on Decision Day, but they did play just 2 games back during the international break. Both had players missing and LAFC had both stars in Bouanga and Son away, and that saw Austin win 1-0. Austin also won 1-0 back in March and they drew a game last year 1-1.

So it’s been low-scoring and mostly Austin results lately. 

But Bouanga and Son are back and LAFC are at home for Game 1, Round One. 

Son was back on the scoresheet on Decision Day, but LAFC could only draw Colorado 2-2. Still, that leaves LAFC 6-1-1 in 8, with only 2 losses in regulation in 15 games. Only Seattle had more home points in the West than LAFC who were 11-2-4m outscoring opponents 31-13. 

One thing Austin doesn’t do on the road is draw. They were 6-1-10 in road MLS games. But home or away, they haven’t drawn since way back on August 16 (no draws in 11). 

They’ve also rarely been winning lately with only the win over this LAFC team, being their 1 win in 5 games. That’s their only clean sheet in 15 games. They’ve scored in 14/15 and the BTTS is 13-2. Uzuni was away in the last LAFC meeting, but he has 5 goals in 11 games. 

LAFC could struggle to break Austin down as they prefer to play a counter-attacking style and s does Austin, but Austin will likely be the team that sits back. But I’d still tip LAFF to win here at home. 

• MLS Picks: LAFC win and Bouanga goal or assist (-143)
  • Add under 5.5 for -105 or Under 4.5 for +130

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