MLS Predictions & Picks for Matchday 18

It’s MLS Matchday 18 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from May 31 June 2. There is 1 game Friday, with NYCFC vs San Jose then 11 games on Saturday and 1 more on Sunday, with Atlanta hosting Charlotte and we’re here to break down our top MLS picks and parlays and best MLS predictions for Week 18.

On Wednesday, these 5 teams, NYCFC, San Jose, Columbus, St. Louis and New England were all off. 

It was wacky Wednesday in my opinion.

• Miami lost at home to a struggling Atlanta team. 
• Cincinnati lost and lost at home and got shut out. 
• TFC and Philly both played to a rare low-scoring (0-0) game.
• The Timbers, yes the Timbers, kept their first clean sheet of the season, and away, and in Austin, where the Verde had scored in 20 straight.
• Montreal scored 4 times.
• Charlotte’s run of 5 straight clean sheets ended after a weather delay.
• The Dynamo’s anemic offense exploded for 3 goals.
• RSL was down 1-0 to Seattle, looked to have gone down 2-0 but the goal was called off, and RSL went on to score in the 100’ minute to extend their undefeated streak to 12 games in the league.

Let’s get into this weekends MLS best bets.

MLS Picks & Parlays #1

DC United vs Toronto FC Prediction

TFC went on the road to Philly and drew 0-0 on Wednesday. They did so without Lorenzo Insigne who was back in Italy for the birth of his child. 

DC went on the road to Montreal, fell behind 3-1, took a red card and went on to lose 4-2. This weekend they’ll be without both Matti Peltola and Cristian Dajome who are suspended. 

Toronto is having the better season despite not putting up many wins of late. At least not in MLS where they have 1 win in 5, still, they’ve scored in 12/16 MLS games.

DC too, aren’t winning much of late with 0 wins in 4 games. DC’s games have been pretty wide-open.

They have scored in 13/16, conceded in 14/16, scored in 6/7, allowed in 10 straight, Over 2.5 is on a 6-3 run, BTTS is 11-5 on the season and BTTS & Over 2.5 is 5-2 of late.

Last year DC won 3-2 at home and Toronto 2-1 at home. 

Other scores have been 2-2, 2-1, 3-1, 7-1, 2-2, 2-2, 5-1 (extra-time) and 1-1.

These are different teams, but still, we’ve not seen a low-scoring game between them in some time, nor has BTTS bet not cashed in 10 games.

DC’s games average 3.3 GPM and Toronto’s 3.0 and with Federico Bernardeshi and Christian Benteke in good form for their respective sides, I can see a goal from both.

• MLS Predictions: Both Teams to Score

Inter Miami vs St Louis City SC Prediction

The Herons were rolling and the the Five Stripes were slumping, but that all reversed on Wednesday with Atlanta beating Miami in Miami 3-1, and really it could’ve been much worse.

That snapped a run of 7-1-0 for Miami, was just their 2nd home loss this season in MLS and 3rd home loss in MLS in their last 17.

St. Louis were off so they’ll be rested, and maybe they can use that to their advantage to stop a slide of 3 straight losses by scores of 2-1, 3-1 and 2-0 and a streak of just 2 wins in 12.

St. Louis only has 2 wins this season in MLS and both were at home. Away, they’re 0-4-2 in MLS this season. 

Look at all comps on the road and go back into last season and they have just 1 win 16 games, none in 9, and they’ve allowed multiple goals in 12 of those 16.

St. Louis won the only ever game between these teams, last year in July in St Louis, winning 3-0.

You would think this is a Miami win and they’ll respond after Wednesday’s poor showing vs Atlanta. But then Miami was in Vancouver last week, then flew back to play Wednesday and now have another game three days later. St Louis were home last week and didn’t play Wednesday so are rested so I’m going to just ask Miami to score 2 in case this turns into a shootout. St. Louis has allowed 2, 3 and 2 goals in their recent games.

This will be the last game for Messi for a while as he heads off to Argentina for the Copas. They’ll want a good game before they lose him, but they’re hard to trust defensively so this game could and should see goals. 

• MLS Predictions: Miami Over 1.5

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Nashville SC vs New England Revolution Prediction

Nashville just went to Cincinnati and not only ended their 7-game winning streak, they got the road win and shut out the Supporter’s Shield winners. Scoring 2 and winning 2-0 away to one of the league’s top defenses was impressive. And I certainly didn’t see it coming. I needed the Garys to at least score 1, which looked like a lock, but … there are no locks. 

New interim head coach Rumba Munthali is still undefeated in his 3 games on the sidelines at 2-1-0 and Nashville is undefeated in 4, with just 1 loss in 7 as well.

The Revs are rested. That’s it. That’s the only positive. They’re holding down the Wooden Spoon award all by themselves right now at 2-1-10 and 7 points. The 9 GF are easily the lowest. Their 26 GA are 8th worst, and that’s even with only playing 13 games. Other teams in MLS have as many as 17 games played. 

The Revs have given up a goal in all but the 2 games they won so have conceded 11/13. And their two wins are both 1-0 over Chicago and Charlotte, teams that don’t score.

Nashville don’t light up the scoresheet themselves but they’re on the upswing right now.

Last year both won at home, 1-0 for the Revs and 3-2 for the Yotes.

• MLS Predictions: Nashville to Score
• Parlay Picks: DC vs TOR btts / MIA over 1.5 / NAS to score (+169)

MLS Picks & Parlays #2

Chicago Fire vs LA Galaxy Prediction

The Fire stopped a 4-game losing streak with back-to-back 1-1 draws last weekend vs DC and on Wednesday vs Orlando. 

But it’s still 0 wins in 9 for Chicago, only 2 wins in 16 and just 4 goals scored in 9 games.

The Galaxy hosted Dallas on Wednesday and won 3-1, with a brace from Dejan Jovelic and a late goal from Riqui Puig. 

They’re 2nd in the West and despite a run of 5 games without a win, it’s still just 2 losses on the year and they’re undefeated at 2-4-0 in their last 6. In 4/6 they scored multiple goals and they’ve only been held off the scoresheet in 3 of 16 games.

These teams don’t meet often but LA did win 3-0 in LA last year.

The bet has to be on the Galaxy in some way. An LA win, double chance, draw no bet, Over 1.5, or simply to score, because this just looks too easy and the fact the odds say this is about a balanced game, is a little odd.

• MLS Predictions:  LA to Score

Vancouver Whitecaps vs Colorado Rapids Prediction

Two teams tied with 22 points in the West coming into the weekend.

The Caps halted a run of 6 games undefeated in the league with a big 2-1 road win over SKC Wednesday, and it was 2-0 until the final minutes. Two Ryan Gauld goals stopped a run of the Caps scoring just 2 PK goals in their previous 5 games. That should boost confidence, but SKC is the West’s worst team.

The Rapids are a step up, sitting mid-pack, but despite a better-than-expected start are now winless in 3 games after losing 3-1 in Houston on Wednesday. With a 3-3 draw and 5-3 loss prior to that, they’ve given up 3, 3, 5, 0 and 3 goals in their past 5 games.

It’s the second meeting this season with Colorado winning 1-0 on May 15. Last year they drew 2-2 and 0-0 and road team has not won in 6 meetings. 

The Rapids defense may be unravelling, but they’ve scored in 7 goals in 3 games as well, plus have scored in 11 straight and 15/16 this season.

All is not right in Vancouver just because of one win over SKC so let’s bet goals from both here.

• MLS Predictions:  Both Teams to Score
• Parlay Picks: LAG to score / VAN vs COL btts (-111)

MLS Picks & Parlays #3

Minnesota United vs Sporting KC Prediction

The Loons were in LA Wednesday vs LAFC and saw their run of 6 games undefeated come to an end, losing 2-0. Prior to that they were 4-2-0 and had scored 2 or 3 goals in all 6.

In other news, the Emanuel Reynoso saga is over. The DP was transfered to Liga MX side Club Tijuana this week. 

It’s from bad to worse for SKC who went into Wednesday’s home game winless in 8 MLS games against a Vancouver team who was winless in 6 and … they lost again 2-0, and only got that 1 goal in the dying moments. 

Sporting are bottom of the West and only above New England overall. Take out 2 USOC wins and they’ve now lost 6 straight and have given up goal totals of 2, 2, 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 3, and 3 during this winless 9 game slide.

In all MLS games, they’ve conceded in 14/15, but have scored in 13/15.

SKC won all 3 meetings last season 3-0, 1-0 and 3-1, but it was Minnesota with all 3 points in April this season when they won 2-1.

And given how these teams are playing now, it could be another Loons win. 

At home, Minnesota has scored in 10 straight going back to last season in MLS and also in 19/20.

• MLS Predictions: Minnesota Over 1.5

LAFC vs FC Dallas Prediction

LAFC hosted Minnesota Wednesday and won 2-0. It’s now 6 wins on the bounce where they’ve outscored their opponents 14-1 with 5 straight clean sheets.

Dallas was in action vs the other LA side, the Galaxy, in LA and lost 3-1. That snaps 5 games in all comps undefeated for them but two came vs USL sides. In 16 games in all comps, FCD has kept just 4 clean sheets and one was in the USOC and another versus Houston. And even in their recent run of improved form, they’ve still given up a goal in 6/7.

Nkosi Tafari took a late red card and he’ll miss out this weekend.

Last year both teams won at home, LAFC 2-1 and Dallas 2-0. In the 10 all-time meetings, a road team has only won once, and not in any of the past 4. There’s also never been fewer than 2 goals scored. 

Dallas doesn’t look like a team ready to end LAFC’s winning streak this weekend. LAFC are huge favorites so unless you bet them to win by 2 or 3 it’s hard to bet alone. In this parlay, I’ll go over 1.5. 

• MLS Predictions: LAFC Over 1.5
• Parlay Picks: MIN over 1.5 / LAFC over 1.5 (+136)