SOCCER MLS ARTICLES

Los Angeles FC are one of the biggest favorites per the MLS betting odds in the opening week of the 2020 season. LAFC put together the best regular season in the history of the league in 2019, winning the Supporters’ Shield and registering more points than any other team has in 24 years. That dominance is why this club has the shortest odds to win the 2020 MLS Cup, and they will look to start their mar... 

The defending MLS Cup champions will raise last year’s banner in the Emerald City when the 2020 MLS season kicks off this weekend. The Seattle Sounders are one of the favorites to win it all per the MLS betting odds this year, and they will start their campaign to repeat against the Chicago Fire. Chicago has missed out on the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons, but the Fire are optimistic that they can finally return to the postseason in 2020. ... 

In less than two weeks, the 2020 MLS season will get underway. Los Angeles FC and Atlanta United are the favorites to hoist the MLS Cup according to the soccer futures odds, but six clubs have a decent chance of winning it all according to the oddsmakers. The other teams are 20-1 or higher to win it all, providing a clear separation between the contenders and everyone else in this league. Since 14 teams make the playoffs, over half the clubs in the postseason will be 20-1 longshots or more, and there is sure to be value in one of those longshots. ... 

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. The Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC will square off for the MLS Cup. For the third time in four years, these two clubs will meet in the MLS Cup Final this weekend, and this is the rubber match between the Sounders and the Reds. Seattle won its first MLS Cup by beating Toronto in penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes in 2016, and Toronto returned the favor by beating Seattle 2-0 for its first championship in 2017. The victor will be the sixth team in MLS history with multiple titles, while the loser will be left waiting until next year. ... 

The defending MLS Cup champions are out to become the first team to win back-to-back league titles since the Los Angeles Galaxy won consecutive championships in 2011 and 2012. Atlanta United FC have yet to allow a goal this postseason, and they are odds-on favorites to win the Eastern Conference over Toronto FC. The Reds are the lone underdog left in this competition as the chalk has largely held up.... 

Los Angeles FC are just one win away from making it to the MLS Cup Final in their second year of existence. LAFC have followed in the footsteps of Atlanta United much of the season, but they have surpassed the defending champions by posting a league record amount of points on their way to winning the Supporters’ Shield, and LAFC finished with the best goal differential in the history of the MLS. We’ve seen great regular seasons fall short in the playoffs before though, and LAFC are facing a dang... 

This week’s Western Conference Semifinals are both set to be bangers. The Seattle Sounders were the last Western Conference team to win the MLS Cup, knocking off Toronto FC in penalties to claim the 2016 MLS Cup. They are out to return to the MLS Cup Finals, but they must first get past Real Salt Lake this week. These teams are set to square off in Seattle on Wednesday night at 10 p.m. ET on FS1, and the Sounders are odds-on favorites per the MLS betting odds.... 

The two most recent MLS Cup champions and two teams that have never won a league title will square off in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday and Thursday. Star-crossed New York City FC will host 2017 MLS Cup winner Toronto FC this Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, and 2018 MLS Cup champion Atlanta United will host the Philadelphia Union Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The winners of these games will square off in the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday, October 30, for a s... 

The Pacific Northwest is well represented with both the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders in the postseason once again, and the most decorated team in MLS history is back in the playoffs too as the Los Angeles Galaxy did not collapse down the stretch this year. The Western Conference First Round is seen as more open than the Eastern Conference, and the MLS betting odds indicate there are more likely to be upsets on this side of the bracket.... 

The defending MLS Cup champions will kick off the 2019 MLS Playoffs when Atlanta United FC welcome the New England Revolution to Mercedes-Benz Stadium this Saturday. The Five Stripes are the biggest favorites to advance to the conference semifinals of any team playing this weekend with MLS betting odds of -475 to move on.... 

The path to the 2019 MLS Cup will run through Los Angeles. Los Angeles FC won the Supporters’ Shield this year, and they set records in the process. LAFC tallied more points than any team in MLS history, finishing the year with 72 points thanks to a 21-4-9 record.... 

The MLS regular season will come to an end this Sunday. After more than seven months of action, there is still much to be determined this weekend. While the seven playoff teams in the Eastern Conference have been decided and much of the seeding has sorted itself out, we don’t know yet which teams will be squaring off.... 

Minnesota United FC are just a few weeks away from making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. The Loons joined the MLS at the same time as Atlanta United, but they have not had nearly the success as their expansion partner. They finished in ninth place in the Western Conference in both 2017 and 2018, but the Loons are sitting in third place in the conference with four games to play. Minnesota United are five points ahead of the Portland Timbers for the final playoff spot, and t... 

The Portland Timbers have one of the best home field advantages in the MLS, and the club is looking to get the points needed to have those fans at their back in the playoffs. Portland is only one point ahead of the Los Angeles Galaxy for a spot in the postseason, but the Timbers are also just a win out of third place. They will be out to secure that victory when they host the DC United on Sunday.... 

The New England Revolution are set to complete an improbable turnaround. The Revolution are currently in position to make the playoffs and end a three-year playoff drought after starting the season in the cellar of the Eastern Conference. They are in sixth place in the conference with a 10-9-9 record, but they face a tough test this weekend. New England will travel south to take on New York City FC, one of the top three teams in the East.... 

An incredible regular season to this point leaves Los Angeles FC as a team with close to even odds to win the MLS Cup at the end of the year. LAFC have 13 more points than the next closest team in the MLS heading into their match with the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday night, and the road to the title will go through them. We’ve seen heavy favorites fall short due to the nature of the playoff in the past though, so if you are brave enough to against LAFC, there is a lot of value to be found elsewh... 

Other rivalries have more history, but the best rivalry in the MLS right now is El Trafico. The first-ever meeting between Los Angeles FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy was an instant classic, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic notching a hat trick in a thrilling 4-3 win for the Galaxy. Ibra struck again with another hat trick in dealing LAFC their third loss of the season last month. LAFC are looking to shut down Ibra this time to secure their first win against their city rival.... 

Over the past five years, the New York Red Bulls have dominated the Hudson River Derby. The Red Bulls have a 9-2-4 record against New York City FC, and they knocked off NYCFC 2-1 back in July thanks to a brace from Daniel Royer. They will look to extend their run on Saturday and improve their position in the fight to make the Eastern Conference playoffs.... 

As the only two teams in the southeast, it’s only natural that there would be a rivalry between Atlanta United and Orlando City SC. However, while there is a lot of animosity between fans of the two teams, it hasn’t been much of a rivalry. Atlanta has won five of the six meetings between these clubs with the other match ending as a draw. Additionally, the Five Stripes have shut the Lions out on four occasions.... 

The Cascadia Cup is up for grabs this Friday when the Portland Timbers host the Seattle Sounders. Portland is ahead of both Seattle and Vancouver in the race for the regional trophy, so any result for the Timbers would give the club their third Cascadia Cup in the MLS era. It would also be a boon to their playoff chances after a disappointing home loss to Atlanta United on Sunday.... 

Sporting Kansas City’s chances of being a playoff team once more are rapidly diminishing. Injuries have wreaked havoc on this team this season, and we have seen Sporting KC go from the best team in the Western Conference in 2018 to the 10th place team this season. They are six points outside the playoff picture and desperate for a win when Minnesota United FC come to town on Thursday night. Minnesota United FC are sitting in second place in the Western Conference.... 

Atlanta United have a chance to move into a tie with the Philadelphia Union for first place in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Portland Timbers on Sunday. The defending MLS Cup champions are sitting on 42 points, and they have won four of their last five matches. However, they have not been sharp on the road, and the Five Stripes haven’t secured a result away from Atlanta since beating Vancouver 1-0 back in May.... 

The Los Angeles Galaxy are happy to be back at home. They have lost three straight road games, and that has sent the club spiraling downwards in the standings. The Galaxy are trying to avoid dropping out of the playoff race, like we saw them do at the end of last season, but they are only three points clear with 10 games left to play. This club needs a win in a big way, but the Seattle Sounders won’t be an easy team to topple.... 

Atlanta United have the best home record of any team in the Eastern Conference, and the Five Stripes are out to defend their home turf when they face New York City FC on Sunday. NYCFC have one of the best road records of any team in the MLS, and they have lost just four games total all year. The visitors are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, but NYCFC are averaging more points per game than any other team in the conference save Philadelphia.... 

Los Angeles FC are the best team in the MLS by a mile. LAFC are lapping the field in the race for the Supporters Shield, and the club is probably going to go down as the best in the history of the MLS. There is an off chance they finish the year with more than 100 goals, and their +38 goal differential is just absurd. They are heavy favorites per the MLS betting odds entering their match with the New York Red Bulls this weekend....