A triple-header of nationally televised MLS games on Sunday will wrap up with the LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls squaring off in what many feel could ultimately be a preview of the MLS Cup in November.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
LA Galaxy -140
New York Red Bulls +425 Draw +250
Over/Under 2.5 (over -135)
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Galaxy have been on their best run of form of the season, and the oddsmakers are starting to have a lot more confidence in them than they did a month and a half ago. Even though they're playing against the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, the Galaxy are solid -140 favorites and will be expected to take three points from this match.
The total of 2.5 and -135 vig on the over tells a tale of what should be a relatively wide open match between two teams who aren't going to be intimidated about going forward.
KEY INJURIES
RBNY has a couple question marks which it has to deal with at the back. Kemar Lawrence is set to come back from his groin injury which cost him the entire month of July, but he's still listed as questionable for this match. Damien Perrinelle is also up in the air thanks to a knee injury. Gideon Baah's season is over with thanks to a fractured tibia, while a leg fracture has Dax McCarty out until at least Labor Day.
The Galaxy are only without Robbie Rogers in this match, though Gyasi Zardes has a chest muscle strain which is worth monitoring as the weekend draws nearer.
LIVE BETTING
It's hard to argue with LA's form right now. The team has nine straight positive results, going 6-3-0 in that span. A 1-1 draw on the road in Seattle probably was a slightly disappointing result considering how bad the Sounders are this year, but those two teams despise each other, and getting any points on enemy ground is an accomplishment.
This is a nasty week or so of action for the Red Bulls. They had to go on the road to face Chicago last Sunday and have a match against Antigua GFC in the CONCACAF Champions League on Wednesday before making this trek to Tinseltown. The good news for RBNY is that it has managed to pick up at least a point in five straight matches, though it does only have two wins in that stretch as well.
QUICK PICK
The Red Bulls are being understated here in this one. Let's not forget that if not for their noisy neighbors from across the river, they would be in first place in the Eastern Conference. Sure, they're not good on the road at just 1-4-7, but who is good on the road in the MLS?
This just feels like a really good price on a really good team which is quietly in really good form. Bradley Wright-Phillips has three goals in his last two matches to give him 12 for the season, and if there's a man who can figure out how to match offensive firepower with Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Giovani dos Santos and the rest of the Galaxy, it's BWP. We'll take our chances by betting on the visitors at the hefty price for the win.
MLS Odds: New York 2, LA 1
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