It is opening weekend in MLS, and this is volume 2 of game previews here at Get More Sports.
I have handed out a handful of plays from volume 1, and now it is time to continue the discussion further.
If you are looking for the first volume that I put out, please click HERE to access it.
I want to re-issue the lines again, so you have them appearing in both articles for reference. From there, I will continue the weekend preview, and offer up some more MLS betting action.
Friday, March 3 – 1 Match
Portland vs Minnesota
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Portland -160
Minnesota +400
Draw +300
Spread:
Portland -1 -110
Minnesota +1 -110
Total 2.5:
Over -140
Under +120
Saturday, March 4 – 7 Matches
Columbus vs Chicago
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Columbus -145
Chicago +400
Draw +275
Spread:
Columbus -1 +105
Chicago +1 -125
Total 2.5:
Over -145
Under +125
LA Galaxy vs Dallas
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
LA +125
Dallas +185
Draw +230
Spread:
LA 0/Pk -135
Dallas 0/Pk +115
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Real Salt Lake vs Toronto
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
RSL +120
Toronto +200
Draw +230
Spread:
RSL -0.5 +120
Toronto +0.5 -120
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Colorado vs New England
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Colorado -115
NE +310
Draw +240
Spread:
Colorado -0.5-115
NE +0.5 -105
Total 2.5
Over -110
Under -110
DC United vs Sporting KC
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
DC -110
KC +280
Draw +230
Spread:
DC -0.5 -110
KC +0.5 -110
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Houston vs Seattle
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Houston +140
Seattle +175
Draw +220
Spread:
Houston 0/Pk -115
Seattle 0/Pk -105
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
San Jose vs Montreal
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
San Jose +100
Montreal +250
Draw +225
Spread:
San Jose -0.5 +100
Montreal +0.5 -120
Total 2.5:
Over -110
Under -110
Sunday, March 5 – 3 Matches
Orlando City vs NYCFC
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Orlando +130
NYC +185
Draw +220
Spread:
Orlando -0.5 +130
NYC +0.5 -150
Total 3:
Over +105
Under -125
Atlanta vs NY Red Bulls
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Atlanta +175
NYRB +140
Draw +220
Spread:
Atlanta 0/Pk -110
NYRB 0/Pk -110
Total 2.5:
Over -115
Under -105
Vancouver vs Philadelphia
3-Way 1×2 Lines:
Vancouver -110
Philly +280
Draw +230
Spread:
Vancouver -0.5 -110
Philly +0.5 -110
Total 3:
Over -110
Under -110
_____________________________
I have given out four plays from volume 1 of the MLS opening weekend preview. While you hopefully enjoyed reading what I had to say about those games, there are also some decent lines out there left to be had.
I left off with a play on that Colorado / New England match, so I will move to the next game listed above, which is DC United playing host to Sporting KC.
It will be the last time that DC United will open a season at RFK, as we know they are moving in to Audi Field in June of next year. What a long road it has been to finally get things happening at Buzzard Point. It has been well over a decade since the club has been looking to break ground on their own facility, and next season they will have it.
For now, United plays year 22 at RFK.
Sporting’s pre-season wasn’t exactly much to write home about. Their only win at the Desert Cup came against a Red Bull club that featured mostly their B-Team squad. Dom Dwyer converted a penalty chance in the 3 – 0 win for KC in that game, but that is the only game KC won in pre-season. Not that there is much to take from results that are basically scrimmages, it is time to turn on the intensity.
We know that these two have been playing against each other for years. Remember that Kansas City was in the Eastern Conference for quite a while, until 2015 when NYCFC and Orlando City joined MLS. Last year, in their only meeting, United took a 1 – 0 win at Sporting Park. The game stats would never tell you that the road team won 1 – 0, because the goal was one of only two shots on goal United had the whole night. Alhaji Kamara scored in the 86th minute for United, and it was the only goal he scored in 2016.
I really don’t expect that type of result this weekend at RFK, although I do expect United to come away with three points to start 2017 at home.
At a reasonable -110 offer, I expect United to find away to add to their 9 – 6 – 6 overall record in home openers.
Suggested Play:
DC United / Sporting KC
DC United 3-Way 1×2 Line to outright win @ -110
Of course, the big news out of Seattle is the announcement that Clint Dempsey is expected to start. Not only did Dempsey’s season end abruptly last year, but his irregular heart beat caused concern for not just his career, but his life.
Dempsey has announced that he will not be playing for the USMNT when World Cup qualifying resumes in March. Dempsey started four of the teams five pre-season games, so he is in game shape and ready to go.
Outside of that, Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has to find a way to get his team over the loss in last year’s MLS Finals, and begin preparing for another deep run in the playoffs.
After six years in Houston, Will Bruin is hoping to resurrect his career in Seattle. Last year, was statistically one of Bruin’s worst as a Dynamo, so the move could be just what he needs, or the beginning of the end.
Did Houston catch on to the fact that Bruin’s game is not what it should be? Cut ties now and go in another direction, or will he remind the league that he has double digit goals in three of his six seasons in this league?
Bruin’s impact in Seattle could certainly work well if he and Dempsey can gel, and stay healthy, of course.
Right back Brad Evans will be starting the year on the shelf for Seattle, possibly for longer than first hoped. Evans could miss 6 – 8 weeks with the calf strain, as reported on the Sounders home page.
Jordan Morris and Harry Shipp will hope to add to the fury approach, and watch for some smooth transitional movement that could lead to a fast-break tally.
Houston can certainly say they had a successful preparation for the new season. After going undefeated in Tucson, Arizona at the Diamond Desert Classic, the Dynamo took home the hardware. Houston scored at least two goals in all four outings, and allowed only three goals, while scoring nine overall to win the tournament.
I am of the mindset that these two will have some fun together this weekend. This total is set at 2.5 and features a -110 on either side of the action. If the line setters want to dare me to think that we can’t see a 2 – 1 result here? Then set me up baby, because I see that most books that offer the ‘Both Teams to Score’ prop, have it set at -145 or higher. I too expect them both to score, en route to a cashed ticket on the total.
Suggested Play:
Houston / Seattle Over 2.5 @ -110
Moving to Sunday, I have wanted to get here so badly.
There are three games on Sunday, and the first one on the board goes off at 5 p.m ET. Orlando City opens their new park, and Jason Kreis hopes to lead the Lions into the future.
I love Kries. Oh, I am being so sarcastic. He was on the sidelines at the greatest game I have ever attended. Well, when Pele scored a hat-trick at Giants Stadium in 1977, that was top of the list. But being a New York Cosmos fan all of my life has been quite crazy. How crazy? As I said, Jason Kreis coached NYCFC the day they played the New York Cosmos in the 2015 U.S Open Cup.
HELLO SHUART STADIUM! HELLO COSMOS PENALTY KICK SHOOTOUT WIN! This video was shot right in the deep of the 5 points madness. When the Cosmos won that game it became my favorite Cosmos in the modern era behind seeing Pele score a hat-trick in person.
What a day, and now Orlando City is hoping Kreis can put his lack of success at NYCFC behind him.
The new stadium is only half the capacity that the Citrus bowl was, but the fans are still expected to fill the stands routinely this year again. Orlando City’s support has been tremendous over the two seasons they have played in MLS.
Ironically, Kreis gets to open his coaching ledger against his former club, NYCFC. Gone is Frank Lampard of course, but David Villa and Andrea Pirlo hope to lead NYCFC back to the MLS playoffs. NYCFC finished only three points behind the Red Bulls for home field advantage in the Eastern Conference last year. As we all remember, NYCFC got bounced out of the post-season by Toronto, after failing to score a single goal in the two-legged conference quarterfinals. Oh, and by an insulting 7 – 0 Aggregate score by the way.
How did NYCFC’s appearance at the Diamond Desert Classic go? Let’s just call that a disaster, and not even discuss that waste of time.
Orlando City fell just short of making their first playoff appearance last season, and they were in the chase right up to the final weekend. September really ended up doing them in though, going 1 – 3 – 1 at what was a critical time.
Even with the two wins to wrap up the 2016 regular season, Orlando City fell just one point short.
New coach, new stadium, new season, and hopefully it leads to success. Will it? Many questions will follow Kreis around until he proves he can recreate what he had at Salt Lake again. That is the plan for now, so time will tell if it was the right move to make.
Despite the lack of scoring that NYCFC showed at the Desert Classic, I see a little spark coming from NYCFC, who probably want to make sure Jason Kreis starts his new gig with a loss from his old team.
This could be a 6 – 5 game, or a 1 – 1 grudge match, but I am going to hope the first call happens.
The total is set at a straight three for this contest, and +105 is surely valuable enough.
Suggested Play:
Orlando City / NYCFC Over 3 @ +105
Atlanta United now has their own task of being the new kids on the block in the Eastern Conference. Minnesota joined the Western Conference, and Atlanta comes in as the 11th club in the east. The difference between Minnesota’s path to MLS and Atlanta’s is that this is not the Silverbacks. Atlanta’s NASL club was the Silverbacks, but that team eventually dissolved, and was reformed in the NPSL, where they still are.
Atlanta is going to drive me crazy this year, because I am going to have to correct myself 100 times. I am so used to putting Atalanta from Serie A, that i know I will misspell it too often. I already did it twice, so that’s how I know!
It will be interesting to see how Josef Martinez adapts to MLS. Of course i know him from his last few years at Torino in Italy. Oddly, the organization has already announced that they are retiring the #17 for the fans. Basically to commemorate 2017, and their entry to top flight soccer in the United States.
That’s all well and good, but the Red Bulls probably aren’t going to be excited to welcome them to MLS.
Amazingly, Atlanta <<< which I just corrected from Atalanta by the way again, is getting some respect from the line setters.
We see a +175 on the home side, and a +140 on the visiting Bulls on the 1×2 line. Of course the Red Bulls were just eliminated by Vancouver in the CONCACAF Champions League on Thursday night. After a 1 – 1 first leg in the tie against Vancouver, the Whitecaps hosted the back leg, and came away with a 2 – 0 home win to advance to the semifinals.
I see the Red Bulls rebounding from that loss, and showing Atlanta exactly what top flight soccer is like.
Before that line moves in the other direction, I am suggesting that you jump on the Red Bulls and the 0/Pk at -110.
What a price that is, with the safety net of a draw as a push.
Suggested Play:
Atlanta / NY Red Bulls
Red Bulls 0/Pk DNB Handicap @ -110
What a weekend it is, filled with anticipation for 22 clubs, and all of us too.
Enjoy the soccer around the country this weekend, and we will catch you next weekend!
