Top Soccer Picks Of The Week For MLS Is Back Tournament

Major League Soccer is being played in a new format, this time around, with a tournament called the MLS is Back. It has begun gameplay and here we’ll take a look at some of the best matches that you can bet on.

Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami

Philadelphia Union is under some pressure to perform while playing against David Beckham’s team Inter Miami. This match comes under round 2 of the tournament. The Union’s season started off with beating NY City FC 1-0 last week. The winning goal came from captain Alejandro Bedoya and this made for the team’s first win of the season. But the outcome can’t be attributed completely to skill, given that most of the game saw NY City playing better and with their shooting 8 shots in the last 30 minutes alone.

But that doesn’t make their win any less worthy. They will hope to ride this streak out against Miami and clinch another three points. The stakes are high - you get to win the tournament and these points contribute to conference standings. 

Inter Miami lost their first match in the tournament while playing an away match against Orlando City. They were the first to score, but couldn’t play a solid defensive game to ensure that Orlando didn’t score more goals. It was only towards the end of the game that they lost their lead. This new team started playing only in March, and this match was their third loss since then.

These two teams have never gone head to head before. Beckham’s side needs a victory after their lukewarm start, which will see them playing a more aggressive game. But stats show us that they are the underdogs here. Both teams have much to play for, but The U has skills that will likely outrank Miami. Not to forget that they have been playing together for much longer than Inter Miami, so, they will be able to play in sync with each other.

But Inter Miami’s players pack a punch on paper. Beckham didn’t stop at anything to build a good team and has brought in South American players alongside MLS legends to the team. Their coach is also a great catch - Diego Alonso. Once they’re settled in, they will be the team to watch. This tournament is a great place for that to manifest, given that it is a fresh start for everyone involved. Expect the match to tend towards Union’s favor. 

San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

The Earthquakes’ first match in this tournament ended in a 0-0 draw against the MLS defending champions Seattle Sounders. The game was dominated by San Jose, but that wasn’t enough to score even one goal. But given that they were playing against last year’s champions, they deserve some credit for their performance. This will see them coming into this match with confidence. 

This match is the first one for the Vancouver Whitecaps this tournament. They have a major advantage as they have a deep roster and all their players have opted to play. But would this be enough to win against San Jose? That looks unlikely. Looking at the odds, the match is expected to end in the Earthquake’s favor. A significant reason the odds are against Vancouver could be because this is their first game this season and expectations are not high. The odds in San Jose’s favor come from their performance in the previous game more than any other factor. Expect a high scoring affair that the Earthquakes will ultimately win. 

New York Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew

Columbus Crew started this MLS season with expectations running high, mostly because they signed Lucas Zelarayan during the offseason. Right now, they are standing high on the rankings of the Eastern Conference, but this could mean nothing given how early on in the season, it is. The Crew won its first game back against Cincinnati with a 4-0 scorecard, which made for a great viewing spectacle. But Cincinnati is almost at the bottom of its group in the Eastern Conference table, so, the win was an expected one. 

But the NY Red Bulls are much higher on the standings, so, they will be the real competition to test how strong the Crew is. They are leveling with the Crew concerning points, and their most recent match ended with a 1-0 win against Atlanta United on Saturday. This match should make for great viewing pleasure, but predicting the bets will be a little harder. Most sportsbooks have the Crew leading very slightly over the Bulls.