We have one more round of MLS action before Leagues Cup gets underway next week so let’s try to go off on a winning note with this weekend’s MLS predictions for Week 28 that sees a full Saturday slate of 14 games.
MLS Picks and Parlays #1
CF Montreal vs Toronto FC Prediction
Toronto routed Montreal 5-1 back in May, but Montreal won 3-2, 2-0 and 2-1 last year. Only once in 7 and twice in 12 meetings have there not been 2 or more goals in this rivalry.
TFC snapped a run of 10 games winless beating Philly last weekend, but fell back into the L column Wednesday losing 3-1 in Miami. That was to be expected, but it’s still the 9th time in 10 games they’ve given up multiple goals.
Toronto has at least scored in 8/10.
Montreal fell behind 1-0, drew level 1-1, let in an OG to be behind 2-1 then tied minutes later late in the 81’ on PK to draw the Red Bulls 2-2 Wednesday. Both MTL goals coming from Josef Martinez.
Montreal only has 3 wins in 11, but they also only have 2 losses in 11, being 3-6–2.
They’ve scored in 6/7 but conceded in 6/7 and this one could play out similarly.
- MLS Predictions: Both Teams to Score
Inter Miami vs Chicago Fire Prediction
Messi sat out injured and Busquets was suspended, but it didn’t matter on Wednesday as Diego Gomez opened the scoring and Federico Redondo added a brace to pace Miami to a 3-0 lead over TFC. Luis Suarez came on late in the game for a half hour when things were well out of reach. Toronto pulled one back in the 79’ but it was another Miami win, this time 3-1.
The Herons bounced back immediately after their 6-1 loss to Cincy and are 12-2-2 in their last 14. They’re rolling but often concede goals. The BTTS and Over 2.5 is on a 9-0 run.
The Fire went to Cincy Wednesday and came away 1-0 winners. That makes them 4-3-3 in 10, but it’s just their 2nd road win in 12. Cincy were without Acosta, and it could’ve ended 0-0. FCC defender Kip Keller headed the ball backwards and gifted the Fire a breakaway which ended with a Brian Gutierrez goal.
Then Alvas Powell went and took back-to-back yellows within 5 seconds in the 88’ and got sent off. Then Pat Noonan got sent off. Cincy did themselves no favors in this game.
The Fire have won the last 3 meetings 4-1, 3-2 and 3-1. Only the last game in October (4-1) came vs this version of Miami though.
That streak ends here.
- MLS Predictions: Miami to win
- Parlay Picks: MTL vs TOR btts / MIA to win (+161)
MLS Picks and Parlays #2
Atlanta United vs Columbus Crew Prediction
Atlanta drew 2-2 on Wednesday with NYCFC and are now winless in 5 in all comps and have allowed multiple goals in 4/5 and at least 1 goal in 7 straight and 11/12.
Is there any reason to see them beating or keeping a clean sheet against the Crew?
It was close in February with Columbus winning just 1-0 but the Crew have scored in 16 straight games vs Atlanta.
This season the Crew have just 3 losses in all comps in 22 matches, have scored in 8 straight and 13/14 and in their current 6-game undefeated streak have outscored opponents 21-3.
- MLS Predictions: Columbus to score
Austin FC vs Charlotte FC Prediction
Austin have just 2 wins in 10. They just lost away to rivals Dallas 3-1 Wednesday and saw defender Julio Casante and attacker Sebastian Driussi pick up suspensions.
In their last 10 games, Austin has scored more than 1 goal just once. Meanwhile, they’ve conceded a goal in 9/10.
I don’t see them scoring more than 1 here or keeping a clean sheet. So that could mean a Charlotte win. Or at least Charlotte not losing.
The Crown have just 3 losses in 14 and are coming off of a 1-1 draw with Columbus and 3-1 win over Cincy, both on the road.
Austin is a big step down.
- MLS Predictions: Charlotte double chance
Minnesota United vs San Jose Earthquakes Prediction
San Jose is easily holding the distinction of Wooden Spoon leaders right now.
They lost 1-0 at home to Houston Wednesday and have just 1 win in 13 in all comps.
In 26 games in all comps, the Quakes have 2 clean sheets, 1 in the USOC and 1 in MLS.
You can’t say much positive about Minnesota either though, being 0-2-7 in their past 9, being outscored 21-11 in that time.
Certainly, this could be a good BTTS bet. The BTTS & Over 2.5 is 4-1 and the BTTS 5-0 in recent games.
The Loons also haven’t failed to score at home vs San Jose since 2017.
I’m just using this to bump up the parlay slightly and asking Minnesota to score, but if I’m picking a winner, I’d have to go with the Loons.
- MLS Predictions: Minnesota to score
- Parlay Picks: CLB to score / CHA double chance / MIN to score (-114)
MLS Picks and Parlays #3
Philadelphia Union vs Nashville SC Prediction
This has not been a high-scoring matchup in past years with scores of 1-0, 1-0, 1-1, 1-1, 2-0 and 0-0. But in April this year, Philly won 2-1 in Nashville.
Nashville got thumped 3-0 at home to Orlando Wednesday and have now lost 3-0, 2-1, 4-1, 2-0 and 2-1 in 5 straight losses.
The Union, who had been winless in 10 with just 1 win in 17, smacked around the Revs in midweek getting a hat-trick from Tai Baribo, and goals from Jakob Glesnes and Quinn Sullivan in a 5-1 rout of New England.
Quinn’s younger brother, Cavan Sullivan also debuted to be the youngest player ever to play in MLS at 14 years and 293 days old.
Union games have seen 2+ goals in 8/9 and 3+ in 7/9.
I’d lean to a Philly win especially with Walker Zimmerman out for Nashville on Olympic duty, but that Wednesday win was their first home win since March so let’s just ask for 2 goals or more in this game.
- MLS Predictions: Over 1.5
Sporting KC vs St Louis City SC Prediction
Both teams took the L on Wednesday. For St. Louis, 2-0 away to Seattle.
For SKC, their game played out like every SKC does usually. They fell behind, they tied it, they got scored on again and lost. Therefore, anyone with their chips on the BTTS or BTTS & Over 2.5 cashed again.
SKC have scored in 22/25 and conceded in 23/25. BTTS bets for SKC this season have gone 21-4 in MLS alone.
But also, the BTTS & Over 2.5 has gone 12-2 and 19-3 in recent SKC games. SKC has given up multiple goals in 11/14 and in 15/19 recent MLS games.
Last year the scores were:
- 4-0 STL
- 2-1 SKC
- 4-1 STL
- 4-1 SKC
- 2-1 SKC
And the high-scoring nature continued this year with a 3-3 draw. Home teams are 5-0-1, the Over 2.5 is 6-0 and BTTS and Over 2.5 is 5-1.
It’s hard to trust either team when they’re 12th and 13th.
The edge is slightly with the home team here having won 4/6 games in all comps of late while St. Louis has 1 win in 13, and it’s vs the only team below these two in the standings, San Jose.
- MLS Predictions: Over 1.5
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Houston Dynamo Prediction
In the last two years these teams have piled up the goals and home teams have dominated. Both won at home last year, Vancouver 6-2 and Houston 4-1, and both won 2-1 at home in 2022. Home teams are 7-3-0 in the past 10. There’s only been one road team win in 23 all-time meetings.
You could certainly make the case for that trend to continue here.
The Caps are hot, won 2-1 on Wednesday over SKC and are 5-1-0 in all comps of late. They’ve scored 15 goals in those 6 games and Brian White has 7 goals in his last 5 MLS games. He was inches away from scoring vs SKC but it went down as an OG.
But … the Caps have conceded in 13 straight MLS games.
The Dynamo got a late winner from Daniel Steres in San Jose Wednesday to win 1-0. They’re 4-4-1 in 9 and have scored 18 goals in that time. BTTS is 9-2 in their past 11.
- MLS Predictions: Both Teams to Score
- Parlay Picks: PHI vs NAS over 1.5 / SKC vs STL over 1.5 / VAN vs HOU btts (+114)
MLS Picks and Parlays #4
LA Galaxy vs Portland Timbers Prediction
The Timbers come in fresh being the 1 team that sat out Wednesday and they’re one of the league’s hottest teams. They routed another hot team in RSL on the weekend 3-0 and are 8-2-2- in their past 12, scoring 27 goals in those 12 games and at least 1 in 12/13 and 18/20.
Each of Rodriguez, Mora and Evander have 11 goals so it’s hard to not back them scoring.
But it’s hard to not back the Galaxy to score either. They’re tied for 3rd in league scoring and have the 2nd highest xG and 2nd most shots on target.
They bounced back from a 2-0 loss in Dallas and beat the Rapids 3-2, without the service of Dejan Jovelic. Fagundez, Paintsil and Puig all found the scoresheet and Pec added 2 assists. The Galaxy have scored in 10/11 recent games now.
There were two completely different results last year, a 0-0 draw and then a 3-3 draw. But further back BTTS is 5-1 and 9-2.
This has the potential to be the most exciting game of the night and I’m betting it that way going BTTS & Over 2.5 Even that is priced at -200 though. So let’s add one more simple looking option from this last game.
- MLS Predictions: BTTS & Over 2.5
Colorado Rapids vs Real Salt Lake Prediction
This rivalry match looks like one of the best this weekend with RSL 3rd in the West, and the Rapids 5th.
The Rocky Mountain Cup was a wild one back in May with a 5-3 RSL win. RSL has been owning the rivalry of late being 6-2-1 in the past 9.
Neither team has won though in 2 games. RSL drew with LAFC on Wednesday and lost 3-0 to Portland last weekend. They’re again without Chicho Arango through suspension.
Colorado lost to LA Galaxy 3-2 on Wednesday and drew the Red Bulls 1-1 last weekend. They’re also without their best played in Djodje Mihailovic, away for the Olympics.
These teams have piled up the goals this season with RSL being 2nd in GF and Coloraod being tied in 3rd. In xG Colorado is 3rd and RSL 4th.
Now those stats will take a hit without some key players in the lineup. In that 8-goal thriller in May, Arango had 2G/1A and Mihailovic 1G.
BTTS has gone 4-0 and 5-1 in recent Rapids games.
BTTS has gone 4-2 in recent RSL games.
It could very well be that outcome here, but I’m just throwing Colorado to score into the parlay.
- MLS Predictions: Colorado to score
- Parlay Picks: COL to score / LA vs POR btts & over 2.5 (-141)
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.
