MLS 2022 Week 17 | MLS Betting Tips

You guys know that I am a sucker for the Whitecaps, since returning home to BC Place last August the caps have the best home record in the MLS. Gareth Bale and Georgio Chiellini are not eligible for this one last game. Vancouver has also had LAFC’s number of late, having gone unbeaten against the team from the city of Angels in the last 4 games prior to this season. LAFC did beat Vancouver 3-1 earlier this season to snap that unbeaten run, but this is a whole different team from the one LAFC faced in March. The one X factor in this match may be the bench, LAFC has outscored its opponents in 14 of the 17 matches in the second half. Additionally, since the start of the 2020 season Vancouver has been shutout at home just 3 times, and they haven’t been shutout in consecutive home games since the beginning of 2019.

Columbus has struggled mightily with the Philadelphia Union under Caleb Porter. In fact, they have failed to score against the union in 4 straight matches dating back to 2020. The last team to keep 5 clean sheets in a row against the same opponent was SKC against Portland from 2014-2016. That being said, Columbus is beginning to get guys healthy again. They have been a fascinating team this season as they have been stout defensively but sit near the bottom of the standings because they cannot score. Chuco is coming, guys are getting healthy and this team represents fascinating value to make a deep run in the playoffs. From a Philly perspective, things are not clicking at the moment, they haven’t been bad but they also aren’t blowing anyone away either. Philadelphia has now won 2 of its last 11 matches although to be fair they have only lost 2 of those as well. Philly may be the new draw kings of the MLS, and that is why I see this going 0-0 or 1-1. One final note, last week I wrote about Philly not having conceded from outside the box since November of 2020, well that streak is now broken. The universe is weird sometimes.

The annual 4th of July game in Dallas is a big deal. The largest fireworks display in Texas (and one of the largest in the country) brings a massive crowd every year and Dallas has been very successful on those dates. They drew Vancouver 2-2 last season but before that they had won every game since 2013 on July 4th. The last time Dallas lost a game on or around July 4th (a few years they played on the 2nd or 3rd) was July 4th 2006 when the team lost to DC United (that was so long ago that DC United was actually good at the time). If all of that doesn’t convince you, Miami has never gotten a point in the state of Texas (2-1 loss in Dallas and 5-1 loss in Austin, never played in Houston). FC Dallas has lost 2 consecutive home games already, they haven’t lost 3 in a row at home since September of 2011.