There are 13 games that kick off on Wednesday, July 19 for MLS Matchday 21.
It’s a busy week with the Euros and Copas running and a double MLS match week so let’s jump right into the MLS picks and parlays and MLS predictions for MLS Week 21.
MLS Picks and Parlays #1
Inter Miami vs Columbus Crew Prediction
Coming off a Champions Cup letdown and a mass exodus of front office executives, Columbus went to New York Friday and took advantage of NYC going down a man in the 39’ min and won 3-2.
Miami were missing a host of stars on Saturday, but also went on the road won 2-1 in Philly. A win made more unlikely after they went down early in the 3rd minute and then took red cards in the 68’ and 84’ minutes but still scored the winner playing with 9 men in the 94’ minute.
Based off those red cards, the absentee list is growing with now David Ruiz and Tomas Aviles set to miss out Wednesday too.
Miami is still tops in the Supporters’ Shield race. Have only 1 loss in 11 games and in 23 games in all comps have scored in 21.
Defense is always the question though. They’ve conceded in 19.
Bets on BTTS and over 2.5 have gone 4-0 and 12-2 in recent games.
You’d have to expect Columbus, the champs to score as well.
They’ve done so in 5 straight MLS games plus multiple goals in 4 straight and have scored in 12/15 MLS games.
In 19 MLS games Miami has given up the 1st goal 13 times. Usually, it doesn’t matter as 7/11 league wins have come from this situation.
But … they have conceded in 4/5 and away in Miami that should happen again. And they’ve sold midfielder Aidan Morris to Middlesborough.
The Herons may be out a ton of players but they still have Campana, Taylor, Busquets, Alba, Cremaschi and Gressel.
Last week youngster Leo Afonso was the hero as well.
- MLS Predictions: Both to Score
FC Cincinnati vs Philadelphia Union Prediction
The Union just lost at home to Miami while being up 2 men, losing 2-1.
They also just lost Julain Carranza to Feyenoord too.
Philly have lost more games this season then in their past 3 years combined,.
It’s 7 straight home losses and just 1 win in 11 overall games for Philly so it’s hard to trust them going on the road and winning in Cincy who are 2nd in the Supporters’ Shield race.
FCC are 8-0-1 in their past 9, outscoring opponents 19-11.
Losing 2-0 to Nashville two games ago is the only time in their past 15 games they didn’t score.
Cincy let San Jose hang around on Saturday, 0-0 at half, then down 2-1, until 3 Cincy goals in the 78’ min onwards. Three of those came from Kubo. Lucho also had 3 assists as well and now has 13 on the season.
This should be a Cincy win, but Cincy is just 4-2-2 at home, and their home games have been very low scoring, as they’ve scored 8 and allowed just 6. They’re also out defender Matt Miazga who got injured this weekend.
Cincy should win, or Cincy draw no bet or double chance are options too against this slumping Philly team with 1 win in 11 games. Or you can simply ask Cincy to score against a Philly team that has conceded in 16/21 overall matches.
- MLS Predictions: Cincinnati to score
Austin FC vs LAFC Prediction
LAFC left it late in Orlando Saturday, drawn 1-1 with about 10 minutes to go but then goals in the 80’ and 86’ gave LAFC the 3-1 win.
Denis Bouanga had 2 of those 3 LAFC goals and has scored in 3 straight games with 4 goals total.
That makes LAFC 8-0 in recent games with a combined score of 18-2, to go with 6 clean sheets in those games.
In 19 games in all comps for LAFC there’s been 2+ goals in 16, and 3+ in 13.
They’ll get Timothy Tillman back from international duty.
Austin lost away to Colorado 2-0 Saturday.
They’re now winless in 4 (outscored 10-2) and have lost 3 straight. 3/4 of those came on the road though. Back at Q2 they’re 5-2-2.
Last year LAFC won 4-2 in Austin and 3-0 at home. There’s always been goals between them with other scores 3-0, 4-1, 2-1, 2-1, 2-0 and 2-0.
BTTS is certainly in play. Austin had scored in their first 8 home games this season and multiple times in 6/8, but then they got shut out at home to Portland in their last home games.
LAFC is flying with clean sheets in 6/8 of their wins.
So LAFC win, draw no bet, double chance, to score or over 1.5 game goals are all options depending if you’re betting this straight or in a parlay.
14/16 recent LAFC games have seen 2+ goals so I’ll go that route.
- MLS Predictions: Over 1.5
- Parlay Picks: MIA vs CLB both to score / CIN to score / AUS vs LAFC over 1.5 (+106)
MLS Picks and Parlays #2
Sporting Kansas City vs Real Salt Lake Prediction
RSL blew up my parlay this weekend. I had them in there on the double chance and changed it to RSL to score, something they had done in 10 straight games in all comps and in 16/18 games prior.
But instead, they drew 0-0 with Montreal. That still extends their MLS unbeaten streak to 14 games.
They also scored vs SKC earlier this season in May, winning 1-0. Last year it was 2-2 and 3-2 SKC.
SKC lost again Saturday vs LA 4-2.
That’s 8 losses in 9 and just 1 win in 12 in MLS.
But I’ll keep running this stat out each week.
They’ve now scored in 16/18 and conceded in 17/18 and 15 straight. They have the 2nd worst goals allowed in all of MLS.
And they’ve allowed multiple goals in 10/12 games.
As good as RSL has been, them keeping a clean sheet in Montreal was also rare. It was only their 2nd in 8 games.
You can certainly target RSL in some fashion in your soccer picks, but I’m starting this two-game parlay off with both teams scoring.
- MLS Predictions: Both to Score
LA Galaxy vs NYCFC Prediction
New York are out Mitja Llenic after his red card vs Columbus Friday that saw the Pigeons lose 3-2.
That snapped a 5 game-winning streak for NY.
Still, they’re 8-0-2 in their last 10 and 9-2-3 in 14. They’ve also scored in 6 straight and in 11/12, plus multiple goals in 8/10.
Defensively though, NY only has 1 clean sheet in 8 and just 3 in 17 games overall this season.
LA took a 4-2 home win over SKC Saturday. They were out Riqui Puig and Gaston Brugman, but got back Josef Paintsil and Paintsil, Pec, Jovelic and Berry all scored in a 4-2 win.
The Galaxy still have just 3 losses on the year and just 1 in 8 games. They’ve scored in 15/18, but conceded in 15/18. Their last 3 games have been a 4-2 win, 2-1 loss, 3-1 win and 2-1 win.
This could be another BTTS too.
- MLS Predictions: Both to Score
- Parlay Picks: SKC vs RSL both to score / LA vs NYCFC both to score (+125)
MLS Picks #3
One single bet here.
San Jose Earthquakes vs Portland Timbers Prediction
Portland was the 1 team off this weekend so should be rested.
When we last saw Portland they were drawing St. Louis 0-0. An odd result for a Timbers game.
Overall, they have scored in 14/17, allowed in 15/17, BTTS is 13-4 and BTTS & Over 2.5 is 13-4 as well in their games.
After 9 games winless, they’ll come into this at 3-2-1 in recent games.
The Quakes played at home to Cincinnati and despite it being 0-0 at half, the 2nd half saw a 6-goal explosion, 2 from San Jose which saw them go up 2-1, but also 4 from Cincy which saw them go on to win 4-2. And 3 of those 4 came from Kubo in a hat-trick performance.
The Quakes were a bit better last month being undefeated in 4 games, but since have gone 0-1-6 and have allowed 9 goals in their past 2 games.
Include all comps for San Jose (19) and they’ve conceded a goal in 18 of them, have only kept a clean sheet in the USOC against Oakland and it’s multiple goals conceded in 5/7.
But also in 19 games in all comps, San Jose has at least scored in 16. At home in all comps they’ve only allowed over 1 goal just 5 times in 13. That obvously didn’t happen Saturday but they were still leading vs the Supporters’ Shield winners until the 78’ minute.
So at home, the Quakes have or can … at least be competitive.
When they met on May 24 in Portland it was a 4-2 Timbers win.
San Jose looked to be in a good spot jumping out to a 2-goal half-time lead but Portland responded with four 2nd half goals for the win, from the 74’ minute onwards. It was 2-2 until a 90’ minute goal and then another deep into stoppage time in the 100’ minute.
This looks like a prime MLS After Dark chaos game to me.
- MLS Predictions: BTTS & Over 2.5 (-138)
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.
