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The growth of the MLS is going to be on the utmost display on the first night of the 2017 season. Minnesota United is one of the newest MLS franchises. The team nicknamed the Loons will be on the pitch for the first time in a competitive match on Friday night against the Portland Timbers.
This MLS duel will go down Friday, March 3, 2017, at 9:30 p.m. ET at Providence Park. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Portland Timbers -162
Minnesota United +275
Draw +375
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
With this being the first match ever in the history of Minnesota United, it's going to be a tough fixture to handicap. That said, the Timbers historically have a tremendous home pitch advantage here at Providence Park, and this would be a tough opening match for virtually any team in the MLS.
The Timbers are set at -162 on the moneyline and are favored by a full goal on the Asian Handicap.
As is the case with many of these matches early in the season, the total here is relatively high at a flat 3.
Portland Timbers Season Preview
The Timbers are coming off of a horrid year in 2016 in which they didn't even get the chance to defend their MLS Cup in the playoffs. That said, they did go 12-3-2 at home and should once again be a threat every given night at Providence Park.
This year, Jack Jewsbury, Ned Grabavoy and Nat Borchers all retired, and that's going to make this team significantly younger. Sebastian Blanco is coming to the club as a designated player, and that should make a big difference for a team that had far too many matches in which the offense looked suspect. Toss him in up top with one of the up and coming stars of American soccer, Darlington Nagbe, and there's a lot of potential here.
Minnesota United Season Preview
This is the second time that Adrian Heath will be coaching an expansion team. He was the man who guided Orlando City from USL Pro up to the MLS, and now, he's being tasked with making this Minnesota United team competitive in Year. The task though, is going to be really tough.
Kevin Molino is going to be the undisputed star of this team after he was acquired from Orlando City in the offseason. That said, this is a team that is largely going to have to hope that its NASL squad from a year ago can really step up. It's a tall task for some of the top notch players from the NASL like Justin Davis, Kevin Venegas and Brent Kallman, and that really isn't all that likely to work out well.
The name to watch? Abu Danladi, the No. 1 pick of the MLS SuperDraft this year. The last time Heath made a #1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft, he picked? Kevin Molino. Go figure.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The big problem that OCSC had wasn't getting ahead in games under Heath; it was finishing them. The Loons could have similar problems. They just flat out don't have the defense hold the Timbers off the scoreboard, and this could end up being a consistent problem throughout the year.
Though designated players don't always end up shining right off the bat, that combination of Blanco and Nagbe along with the consummate No. 10 in the MLS, Fanendo Adi, should do just enough to be able to win a heck of a lot of matches this season, particularly here at home. This first one against Minnesota United should be a relative piece of cake.
MLS Odds: Portland Timbers 2, Minnesota United 0
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