The second playing of El Trafico in 2020 will be the marquee game of the week in the MLS. Los Angeles FC are looking to wipe away the sting of their stunning defeat at the hands of Orlando City SC in the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back Tournament. LAFC are still the favorites to win the 2020 MLS Cup according to the soccer betting odds in spite of the defeat, and they are heavy favorites against rival Los Angeles Galaxy this Saturday.
Don't miss the Major League Soccer action starting at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 22, 2020. Catch every moment of the match live on FOX.
MLS Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles FC -247
Los Angeles Galaxy +563
Draw +467
Over/Under 4
Odds Analysis
It was all LAFC when these teams met in Orlando back on July 18. The score was tied at halftime thanks to a Latif Blessing own goal and a penalty conversion for Cristian Pavon, but the run of play was clearly in LAFC’s favor. They capitalized on their dominance in the second half by scoring four goals on their way to a 6-2 drubbing in El Trafico. Diego Rossi was the Man of the Match with four goals, while Bradley Wright-Phillips and Mohamed El Monir added goals.
Rossi was superb in Orlando with seven goals in five games. He took over the leadership mantle since Carlos Vela opted out of playing in the tournament, and this club didn’t miss a beat as their attack was as dangerous as ever. New addition Bradley Weight-Phillips scored four times in five matches as he looks rejuvenated in this offense, and Brian Rodriguez, Adama Diomande, and Mark-Anthony Kaye are all solid on the attack.
The loss of Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sure to sting for the Galaxy, but no one expected them to be this inept on offense. They scored just one goal in two regular season matches before the season was put on hold, and they only found the back of the net four times in three games in Orlando. Two of those goals were penalties and one was an own goal as the only tally in the run of play was a late Chicharito goal against Portland when the Timbers were already up 2-0 and down a man.
Key Absences
It’s clear that the Galaxy need more out of their offense, but they are likely to continue to struggle due to injury. Chicharito was their big offseason addition, but he will miss this match with a calf injury. Midfielder Jonathan dos Santos is sidelined with a groin issue, and defender Danilo Acosta continues to recover from ACL surgery and won’t be back until late September at the earliest. Midfielder Kai Koreniuk is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.
Adama Diomande has been ruled out by LAFC because of a right foot injury he sustained in Orlando. Forward Adrien Perez and defender Danilo Silva are both questionable due to strained hamstrings, but everyone else appears good to go for last year’s Supporters’ Shield winners.
Player to Watch
2019 MLS MVP Carlos Vela is slated to return for LAFC, making this attack even more dangerous. Vela set the single season scoring record last year, and he started the 2020 campaign with a bang. He notched a brace to help his club knock off Leon in the CONCACAF Champions League, and Vela netted in both of LAFC’s regular season games. Pairing Vela and Rossi together again make this the most dangerous team in the league by a wide margin.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
LAFC rocked the Galaxy the last time out, and while LAFC have gotten better with the addition of Vela, the Galaxy are worse.
Major League Soccer Odds: Los Angeles FC 4, Los Angeles Galaxy 1
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
