MLS Week 12 is here and we still have two teams without a win in Montreal and LA. This weekend we’ll cover 6 games for our MLS picks today for Week 12 that features 14 games on Saturday and Sunday Night Soccer with Vancouver vs LAFC.
MLS Picks & Parlays #1
Chicago vs Atlanta Prediction
Chicago has been shut out vs Atlanta in their past 2 meetings, a 0-0 draw and 3-0 Atlanta win. The Fire have also not won any of the past 6 meetings.
They also aren’t winning in MLS lately. It was a 0-0 draw vs Orlando last week despite their keeper Brady seeing red last game. So he’ll miss out here too.
It’s now 6 games in MLS without a win and still 0 home wins this season.
The Fire played in the USOC this week, at home to Detroit City and ran away with an easy 4-0 win, though. Lots of starters played, including Cuypers who scored but only played just under an hour.
Cuypers leads the league in goals with 7, to go with 2 assists. In all comps he has 8 goals and at least 1 shot on target in 9/12 games. In his 4 games he has 3 goals, 18 shots and 9 on target.
Atlanta is one of the most dissappointing teams this season at 2-4-5, 13th and 3 points worse than Chicago. They’ve been outscored 20-12. Atlanta has 0 wins in 5 and just 1 win 10. They should be better with their talent. I can’t trust hem to win, but they have more rest having not played in the USOC, Chicago are missing their keeper and don’t have a top defense by any means.
- MLS Predictions: BTTS & Over 2.5 + Cuypers 1+ shot on target (+110)
MLS Picks & Parlays #2
New York Red Bulls vs LA Galaxy Prediction
We’re into Week 12 and the Galaxy are still winless. And have been outscored 21-8.
Last week LA lost without letting SKC taking a shot attempt, as they conceded an own goal. They also saw Pec and Paintsil go off injured. Paintsil is out with hip flexor and Pec is also questionable.
What’s worse is they matched the longest winless streak to start a season in MLS history at 11.
New York isn’t having the best season either at just 4-3-4 and being outscored 13-12.
The Bulls got routed 4-1 in Miami last weekend and responded with a 4-1 win in the USOC over Colorado Springs. New York hasn’t impressed but at home in MLS are 3-1-1, haver scored in all 6 games and multiple goals in 4.
LA can’t win with Paintsil and Pec, without, there’s nothing to say they should change.
- MLS Predictions: New York to Score
Orlando City vs New England Revolution Prediction
This was a high-scoring fixture last year with Orlando winning 3-1 and 3-0.
But all signs point to a low-scoring game this time.
New England’s game average the fewest GPG in MLS at 1.6. They’re 8-2 to Under 2.5 and 10-0 to Under 3.5. The Revs haven’t more than 2 goals in an MLS game in 6 games. There last 4 games have all been wins and all shutouts of 1-0, 2-0, 1–0, and 2-0.
In the USOC those trends changed beating Rhode Island 2-1.
Orland had high-scoring games to start the year, but it’s flipped to stone-cold Unders of late. In MLS they’re undefeated in 8 and haven’t conceded a goal in 5 games with scores of 0-0, 0-0, 0-0, 3-0, and 0-0. The shutout streak continued in the USOC beating Tampa Bay Rowdies 5-0.
So we have 2 teams where 1 hasn’t conceded in 4 MLS games and the other not in 5 and neither has been particularly strong scorers lately either.
- MLS Predictions: Under 3.5
Nashville vs Charlotte Prediction
They’ve already played this season on April 5 in Charlotte, won 2-1 by the Crown. Hany Mukhtar’s 32-minute goal looked like it may be enough, but Charlotte scored in the 85’ by PK and again in the 90’ to steal the win.
In their 6 all-time meetings, the BTTS has gone 5-1 and the BTTS & Over 2.5 has been 4-2.
Nashville drew 1-1 in Atlanta last week and routed Chicago 7-2 in the game prior. They’ve lost just once in 4 games, have scored in 8/9 and there’s been 2+ goals in 10 straight of their games.
That was before playing Chattanooga in the USOC on Tuesday and won 1-0. So it was a rare lower-scoring game for the Yotes but they’ve still scored in 9/10 and in all 6 home games in all comps for a total of 16 goals.
Charlotte played North Carolina in the Cup on Tuesday as well and after a 1-1 draw, eventually went on to win 4-1.
Prior to that they lost 4-2 and 1-0 and their last 2 MLS games. Most of Charlotte’s success comes at home. This season they’re 1-1-3 and have been outscored 9-5 on the road. With Pep Biel injured, their offense could be slowed.
I can see BTTS or simply Nashville scoring.
- MLS Predictions: Nashville to score
- Parlay Picks: NYRB to score / Orlando vs New England Under 3.5 / Nashville to score (-102)
MLS Picks & Parlays #3
Two games in this late parlay at 9:30 and 10:30pm EST.
Colorado vs San Jose Prediction
These teams already played this year in March, a 2–1 Rapids win in San Jose. Last year, both won on the road, Colorado 3-0 and then San Jase 3-2.
For San Jose, no team has a higher xG. No team also have a worse xGA. No team has scored more goals. And no team has seen more games cash BTTS bets (82% tied with Chicago).
San Jose snapped a 4-game losing streak last week beating Portland 4-1. They followed that up with a 2-1 win in the USOC Cup over Sacramento. The BTTS & Over 2.5 is on a 6-0 run and the BTTS alone 9-0. They’ve not kept a clean sheet since Week 1.
The Rapids will be fresher having not played this week but have not won in 3, with a 2-2 draw, 1-1 draw and 2-1 loss last week vs a struggling DC team.
Only San Jose, Montreal and Portland have given up more shots on target against than the Rapids, though they’ve scored in 8/10 and vs this Quakes defense that should continue.
- MLS Predictions: Both to Score
Portland vs SKC Prediction
These teams have also met this season and very recent, on April 13 in KC, a 4-2 Timbers win. Portland led 1-0, and 2-1 before SKC tied it 2-2 before the half. Two early goals in the second half paced Portland to the win. Kevin Kelsy led the way with a brace.
The 3 scores prior to that between them were 2-1 Portland, 3-3 and 4-1 SKC.
Last week SKC took 0 shot attempts for the first time in their 930-game history. Yet somehow, by virtue of an own goal from the LA Galaxy, they also became the first team to win without taking a shot. Wild!
They’ve been rotating wins and losses in their past 6 games and have wins in 3/5 but have also conceded multiple goals in 3/4. Overall, only Chicago and DC have given up more goals so it’s not looking good against a Portland team that is 3rd in scoring.
They will have a short week after nearly losing to Seattle’s MLS Next Pro team the Tacoma Defiance. Down 2-1, Portland tied it in the 80’ and got the late winner with a 93’ minute PK.
So the Timbers are back in the win column after losing 4-1 to San Jose last week. Prior to that, they had been undefeated in 7. Scoring-wise, they’ve scored multiple goals in 6/8 and 21 goals in those 8 games.
- MLS Predictions: Portland over 1.5
- Parlay Picks: Colorado vs San Jose BTTS / Portland over 1.5 (+138)
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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.
