As the Gold Cup ramps up and player absences begin to impact various MLS rosters throughout the league, we see some surprising game results along with some unexpected player starts and performances.
In a busy week with mid-week games, look for those substitutes to slightly change the dynamics of individual matches and their respective outcomes.
Neil FitzGerald here from The Game Day to look at the upcoming matches for Matchday 23 in Major League Soccer.
The MLS odds I use for my betting picks are current as of 2 am ET on July 2nd at the indicated sportsbook.
Miami vs Columbus Preview
Miami broke free from their painful seven-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw at home on the weekend. In this match, they converted one of their nine shots on target and outshot Austin 18-9, which continues a recent positive trend. Look for Miami to keep pushing hard as they await their new arrival later this month.
Columbus secured a 2-1 win over the Red Bulls in their latest game in what appeared to be a tightly played match at home. They are now unbeaten in six and have increasing momentum while leading MLS in goals scored (40). Look for The Crew to continue to build against a struggling Miami squad and will look to build on their road record to date (2-5-2).
● MIAMI vs COLUMBUS: Columbus TO WIN (+135) PointsBet Sportsbook. With Columbus’s recent run of play and Miami’s struggles, take the road win.
Orlando vs Toronto Preview
Orlando has only lost once in their last ten league games and is coming off a solid 3-1 home victory over Chicago on Saturday. Look for the team to play with momentum as they keep pushing their way up the playoff standings and attempt to extend their three-game unbeaten streak.
Interim manager and former Canadian international Terry Dunfield could not motivate the Reds to score any goals in his managerial debut versus Salt Lake. Toronto lost 1-0 and only managed two shots on target in their latest attempt to turn around their season.
● ORLANDO vs TORONTO: Orlando TO WIN (-135) PointsBet Sportsbook. Toronto has yet to win on the road this season, and Orlando is playing well, making this a solid wager.
Dallas vs DC Preview
Dallas welcomed their trip home last week with a 2-0 win over powerful LAFC. While they only managed 37% of ball possession and two shots on target, they made both shots count and came away with the win. Playing at home again should provide an opportunity to build momentum, but they have lost four of six games, so be cautious here.
D.C. United generated 17 shots against a tough Nashville defense in their last game but couldn’t put any of them into the net. They have lost three of four games now and will look to break out of this recent run of mediocrity against a Dallas squad that plays well at home (6-2-2 record).
Colorado vs Portland Preview
Colorado remains winless in their last nine matches and has continued difficulty finding the scoresheet, with zero goals scored in their previous four matches. The Rapids are winless at home this season, and recent results suggest it’s not a good idea to speculate on a change of form just yet.
After their 4-1 loss to Minnesota on the weekend, Portland has only won once in their last nine league matches. The Timbers are only three points outside the last playoff spot now and will look to build some momentum on the road versus a Colorado team side that has not performed well at home.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs Los Angeles FC Preview
The Galaxy have moved out of the Western Conference basement thanks to their recent run of good form that has them unbeaten in five matches. The Galaxy offense has not been able to generate much this season, so betting for a result here would be ambitious.
LAFC can move into a tie atop the Western Conference with a win this week. However, The team is coming off back-to-back losses, so they will need to turn the corner on their recent run of results to make the leap to the top of the standings. Rivalry games are tough to predict, but this may be a good one to speculate on.
New York City FC vs Charlotte Preview
NYCFC extended their unbeaten streak to six matches with an impressive away [1-0] win in Montreal against a team that is notorious for playing well at home. This was New York’s first win in twelve games though, despite numerous ties, so it may be ambitious to wager on them getting a result again this week.
Charlotte will try to get back in the win column after having only won once in their last seven and having tied their previous three games. Taking on a warming New York squad returning home fresh off a great result will provide a stiff challenge.
