MLS: LAFC vs New York City FC Preview, Odds, Prediction

West Coast meets the East Coast, with LAFC facing NYCFC in round 9 of the MLS championship. The two teams are among the better in their respective conferences, with the note that Bob Bradley’s boys are among the biggest contenders to win the MLS Cup. Both clubs have the same record and are far away from the projected position in the standings. NYCFC is in the playoff zone, which puts them in a better situation than LAFC, who is ninth in the West.

Preview

LAFC (-120, 2-2-2, 8pts) won after four matches in a row in which they couldn’t secure all three points. It all started at home to Seattle Sounders, 1-1, and continued after that on the road, vs Houston Dynamo, 1-1, and with two losses against their local rivals in El Trafico LA Galaxy, 2-0 and Seattle Sounders again, 2-0.

We need to say that this schedule was extremely tough, but fortunately for Bradley’s guys, it is behind them. FC came back home last Sunday, beating Colorado Rapids, 2-1, and putting an end to the negative streak.

Believe it or not, all six matches this side played since the season began concluded with a moderate efficiency, that is, 2 or 3 goals. Four of them were with both teams to score. We all wait for Carlos Vela to explode and start repeating his performances from 2019, once he won the MVP award.

NYCFC (+310) gradually lost its solid pace, losing the match after four consecutive contests in which they avoided ending up on the losing side. Last week, Ronny Delia’s unit suffered a defeat at home to the MLS Cup champions, Columbus Crew, 1-2.

Prior to that, they’ve posted two big wins, against FC Cincinnati, 5-0, and on the road in Philly vs. Union, 0-2. New York recorded two draws in a row following these two successes, vs. Orlando City in Florida and Toronto at home, both 1-1.

They, too, have a similar pattern when it comes to the total number of goals, with only one of six matches finishing outside the moderate efficiency range. Their best striker is Valentin Castellanos, who has four goals in six games, with two assists as well.

Latest News

Kwadwo Opoku and Erik Duenas should miss out on this event for the hosts. All other players are listed as available.

Heder and Gedion Zelalem are 100% unavailable, while Anton Tinnerholm and Alexander Callens remain questionable. Thiago Andrade’s match fitness is doubtful as well.

Head to Head Games

The last head-to-head game was in January 2020, and LAFC beat their rivals, 3-1. However, it was a friendly event. Apart from that one, they’ve met twice more in history, and both events saw a draw, 2-2.

Prediction

This is the match in which LAFC holds a significant advantage over its rivals, in pretty much all the aspects of play. Bradley’s side is better balanced and filled with individual quality the guests simply can’t match. After winning the previous game, this is the perfect moment for LAFC to start a triumphant streak, which we believe will happen. The odds are ok, -120, so why not using them.