The Columbus Crew (7-6-7, 27 Points) not only posted their first road win of the season last weekend, but they also picked up their first clean sheet since April. The team they beat, the Chicago Fire (5-3-10, 18 Points) will be out looking for some revenge on Sunday when these two face off again in the Buckeye State.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Thanks to the fact that the Fire have one of the worst teams in the league this year, it is easy to see why Columbus is an odds-on favorite in this one. The Crew, for as bad as they have been on the road, have been dominant at home, and they are deserving -110 favorites on the moneyline.
Essentially, this match is a 50/50 proposition between a Columbus win and a Chicago result, whether that be a draw or a win.
The total is one of the lowest of the MLS weekend at a flat 2.5.
KEY INJURIES
The injury report hasn't changed a lot for these two teams from last week to this week.
Chicago should once again be without Shaun Maloney, Jeff Larentowicz, Ty Harden, Guly do Prado and David Accam.
Columbus' only injury woe belongs to Hector Jimenez at the back.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"The first half was probably some of the best football we've played all year. It was fantastic. It was fun to watch, and it was fun to be a part of. It was great to get the goal in that half and I thought we could have gotten a few more." – Columbus forward Ethan Finlay on the Crew's performance against Chicago last weekend
RECENT FORM
Columbus missed out on an opportunity two weeks ago to take points on the road against a suspect Montreal team, and it just wasn't able to do so. However, the Crew did fire back the next week with a 1-0 win over this Chicago side to finish off a stretch of five out of six games with at least a result.
There are times that the Fire really show some great promise. They beat up the Seattle Sounders two weeks ago in a 1-0 victory, and they were unlucky not to get three points the week before against Houston in a 1-1 draw. However, you just have to look at some of these other results like last week's 1-0 loss to Columbus at home and scratch your head. This team should be better than results such as that with too much consistency.
TALKING TOTALS
The 1-0 match against Chicago was a rarity for the Crew. They had played four straight and eight of their previous nine past the total.
The Fire though, are the exact opposite. They have played five straight under performances largely thanks to their woeful offense which has scored just two goals in those five games.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
Kei Kamara is on fire right now for the Crew. He logged his 13th goal of the season against the Fire last weekend, and you know that he is going to be out for more in this one.
Kamara and Finlay could have easily combined for at least two or three more on this night, and if that much space is going to be open on the counterattack and in other transitional facets of the game, the Fire probably aren't going to have that many answers.
Sweeping this home-and-home would be demoralizing to the Fire, but we don't see how they are going to get any result here in Columbus after getting outplayed badly in the Windy City.
Columbus 2, Chicago 0
BookMaker has live MLS odds for every clash of the season. BookMaker is also going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised match. The Columbus Crew opened as -110 favorites. The first offering of the total came in at 2.5. Live wagering during the match offers an adjusted moneyline, total and spread. Log in and start gambling during the soccer match now!
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The fixture between the Columbus Crew and the Chicago Fire will take place on Sunday, July 19, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, OH. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
