Following mid-week U.S. Open Cup and Canadian Championship action, the MLS Matchday 12 slate hits on the latest edition of Rivalry Week, including the Hudson River Derby, Cascadia Cup, California Clásico, Canadian Classique, and more.
This is Neil FitzGerald from The Game Day to preview every MLS game this weekend and offer the top Matchday picks available.
Remember, not every matchup offers betting opportunities with a favorable return on investment, but the wagers I list fit the bill for this weekend.
(MLS odds I used were current as of Tuesday, May 9, at 9 a.m. ET. These lines may change through kickoff; if so, try to find a price as close as possible at your favorite sports betting operator.)
Chicago Fire vs St. Louis City Preview
The Fire in Chicago is burning hot these days, with head coach Ezra Hendrickson having been terminated this week after a disappointing start to the season (two wins). New head coach Frank Klopas will look to inspire his players, including Swiss international star Xherdan Shaqiri, to step up their play against St Louis.
St Louis will look to get their impressive expansion season back on track this week after delivering only one win since Week 6 -- a span of five complete games and one suspended game from Week 11.
Atlanta vs Charlotte Preview
Coming off back-to-back losses to Nashville and Miami, Atlanta will attempt to bounce back with a strong performance against an improving Charlotte side.
While Atlanta sits fourth in the conference, they’ve only won once in their last five games. Conversely, Charlotte sits 12th in the conference but has won twice in their last three matches against tough opponents in NYCFC and Columbus.
Atlanta is undefeated at home and playing against the league’s most porous defense this week.
- ATLANTA VS CHARLOTTE PICK: Over 3 Total Goals (+150) • bet365 Sportsbook: Charlotte has given up two or more goals in every away game in 2023, but fortunately for them, it gets to play the league’s second-most generous defense in Atlanta.
Columbus vs Orlando Preview
Columbus and Orlando FC are two middle-of-the-pack teams battling for early playoff positioning, and they come into this week with recent mixed results. Orlando has won two of four, and Columbus is winless in three weeks, but they are tied on points for the season.
Columbus does host this game, so they should be properly motivated by the home faithful. Still, Orlando has a winning road record. This info suggests a low-scoring and tightly-contested match.
- COLUMBUS VS ORLANDO PICK • Under 2.5 Total Goals Scored (-104) • FanDuel Sportsbook: Both teams have been relatively tight on the back end, and neither team has demonstrated a particularly impressive level of attacking results.
DC United vs Nashville Preview
With Nashville SC looking impressive in last week’s decisive 3-0 win over Chicago and having only lost one match in their previous six, they are looking to continue their strong run on the road against DC United this week.
MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar looks to leverage his impressive hat-trick versus Chicago as momentum coming into this game.
For DC United, It will be difficult for their improving offense to continue their growth this week. Nashville SC’s defense has only conceded six goals all season, so this will be an interesting battle to watch.
- DC UNITED VS NASHVILLE PICK • Hany Mukhtar to Score (+175) • bet365 Sportsbook: Mukhtar was flying last week versus Chicago, and that momentum should carry the MLS MVP into another strong performance this week.
Miami vs New England Preview
While Bruce Arena’s Revolution didn't look particularly impressive in their 2-0 win at Toronto last week, they finished the job and haven’t lost since Week 3. Look for them to continue their strong run of play and push Miami at home.
Miami did receive some record-breaking goals from Josef MartÃnez (fastest to reach 100 goals) in last week’s 2-1 win over Atlanta, but this week should be a solid test to see if they can continue their two-game win streak (on the heels of a six-game losing streak).
Montreal vs Toronto FC Preview
Bob Bradley’s Toronto FC struggled to score again last week versus the top-of-the-table Revolution. While they lobbed 20 attempts at the New England net, they were kept off the scoreboard for the third time this season.
Montreal’s 2-0 win over Orlando extends their winning streak to three and, more impressively, continues their streak of three clean sheets (all 2-0 scores). Look for this intense Canadian rivalry to spark both teams, especially since it will be their second head-to-head match this week.
New York Red Bulls vs NYCFC Preview
Sitting at the bottom of the standings, Red Bulls terminated Gerhard Struber as head coach this week along with his assistant Bernd Eibler. Newly announced coach Troy Lesesne will use the change as motivation to jumpstart Red Bulls versus their city rivals.
NYCFC is sitting in a playoff position despite two successive losses to lower-ranked Charlotte and Toronto FC. Look for a tight rivalry game and a low-scoring affair if the Red Bulls can step up and keep it close.
Austin vs Dallas Preview
After winning two of three games to start the 2023 season, Austin FC has struggled to find winning form and has only four ties to show for their last seven games. Still, they have shown good growth out-possessing and outshooting San Jose and Portland in the previous two weeks - both 2-2 ties.
What better week to extend that growth than a home game versus state-rival Dallas. Dallas has also tied the last two weeks (against St Louis and Minnesota), with both games ending in scoreless draws.
- AUSTIN VS DALLAS PICK • Tie (+230) • bet365 Sportsbook: Despite injury concerns to star player and MLS MVP runner-up Sebastián Driussi, Austin is coming off two strong results, and the return is high on an Austin vs Dallas tie.
Houston vs Seattle Preview
Houston will be looking to make up some distance between them and the Western Conference-leading Sounders at home this week. They have a strong unbeaten streak of four games and will provide a stiff challenge for Seattle if they can keep their defensive lines tight and compete aggressively in a low-scoring affair.
While still sitting on top, the Sounders have won only once in their last four games, including two losses to Portland (4-1) and Sporting Kansas City (2-1). If Seattle can rediscover their scoring touch – a big if considering their recent form – look for this to be a difficult match for Houston.
- HOUSTON VS SEATTLE PICK: Houston to Win (+145) • bet365 Sportsbook: With Houston’s unbeaten home record and Seattle’s current form, a low-scoring result for Houston looks like a good possibility.
Kansas City vs Minnesota Preview
To most people’s surprise, Sporting KC is coming off a 2-1 victory against the conference-leading Sounders last week. Coming home on that high and playing a Minnesota United team in the midst of a five-game winless streak with four losses, Sporting KC looks to make it back-to-back wins.
Minnesota has played tough all year, with all 10 games being decided by one goal or ending in a tie. However, they have won three times on the road this season already, so Sporting KC should be ready for a difficult match.
Colorado vs Philadelphia Preview
Having just beaten the struggling LA Galaxy 3-1, the Rapids are riding a seven-game unbeaten streak heading into their home match against Union. However, all is not rosy in Colorado, as only two of those seven games were wins and possession and shooting stats from the last game appear fairly stacked in favor of the basement-dwelling Galaxy.
The Union have only lost once in their last five, but similarly to the Rapids, the story is not unambiguous as they only played one team (Cincinnati), not buried in the table in those five games…and that was the game they lost.
Real Salt Lake vs Los Angeles FC Preview
With Real Salt Lake coming off two scoreless ties versus strong opposition and a big win against San Jose, they are looking to continue their strong run against one of the best teams in the league.
Getting a result in this game would help Salt Lake jump back into the playoff spots and set them up for a continued push up the table.
Despite last week’s tough loss to San Jose on an 83rd-minute PK, LAFC looks strong on both ends of the pitch. Last week was their only loss this season, and MVP candidate Denis Bouanga looks to challenge for the Golden Boot award and drive LAFC upwards and onwards.
LAFC is a tough team to bet against.
Portland vs Vancouver Preview
The Timbers lost to the Whitecaps 1-0 in Week 7 but have since put together a string of impressive results against top opposition, including wins against Seattle and St Louis. However, they did lose a second midfielder (David Ayala) for the season in the weekend game, so watch for how they adjust with a revamped midfield squad.
The Whitecaps started the season with two losses and have been unbeaten since, reeling off eight games without a loss. Vancouver has won three of their last five, including three clean sheets.
- PORTLAND VS VANCOUVER PICK: Vancouver to Win (+220) • bet365 Sportsbook: With a revamped Timbers midfield and a hot team in Vancouver, take the excellent odds on the road.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs San Jose Preview
The Earthquakes are coming off a big conference win, handing LAFC their first loss of the season. That and having only a single loss in the last seven games identifies them as a team with solid momentum.
They’re also a team with a league-leading net finder in Cristian Espinoza (eight goals), so bet against them at your peril.
The Galaxy have only managed eight goals across all league games this season. While they played better than the 3-1 loss to Colorado last week might indicate, the Earthquakes will be challenging to break down with their current form.
At this time, following up last week with a tight and competitive game would be a meaningful step for the Galaxy.
