MLS betting tips: Goals on the menu in Seattle, St Louis and Vancouver
- George Dempsey
- 3 June 2023
St Louis City are statistically the most clinical side in MLS, while the ball has hit the net 26 times in Vancouver and Sporting's last three matches.
With 16 matches in the books for most of our MLS sides, we've looked at the teams who are statistically the best and creating and scoring chances to pick out our three favourites over 2.5 goals bets this weekend.
Best MLS goals bets
Over 2.5 goals: Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers
Over 2.5 goals: St Louis City vs Houston Dynamo
Over 2.5 goals: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Sporting KC
Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers
No team is creating better quality chances in MLS than Seattle Sounders. Their expected goals tally of 19 goals at home is streets ahead of any other side.
In their 1-0 loss to San Jose on Wednesday, Seattle created enough chances to score at least three goals. Their big chances fell to Heber, Ruidaz and Atencio, two of whom are usually clinical.
Visitors Portland have conceded 17 goals in eight away matches and only three teams have given up higher-quality chances on their travels.
Overall, the ball has hit the net 35 times in Portland's last 10 games in all competition, despite two of their last three finishing 0-0 and 1-0.
Games between these two have a history of being wild and on current form, it's hard to look past both teams finding the net at least once. We also think Seattle's recent dip in goalscoring form could level out.
St Louis City vs Houston Dynamo
Houston have been very leaky on their travels and that tallies with the number of high-quality chances they're giving away, so we'd expect that to continue.
St Louis are an absolute anomaly in that their expected goals tally at home is less than 10, yet they've found the net 19 times in seven matches.
They've also conceded five fewer than the numbers suggest, but they'll be afforded chance after chance against the Dynamo and if they can remain as clinical, then they could find the three goals we need without any help.
City have done exactly that in five of their seven home matches and seven of 13 overall. We've seen both teams score in 15 of Houston's last 18 away matches, 14 of which have had three or more goals.
Things are going to catch up with St Louis and they will suffer some dry spells eventually, but at home to a team like Houston isn't likely to be where that starts.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Sporting KC
Vancouver's midweek win over Houston was outrageous from the start. The Whitecaps scored inside one minute and the game was tied 2-2 by the 18th minute.
Houston passed up multiple chances to take the lead and they were left to rue missed chances, as the hosts scored four unanswered goals in the final 45 minutes.
Sporting KC did their best to match that last weekend, scoring three second-half goals to beat Portland Timbers 4-1, before following up with a 2-1 win over Dallas.
Both teams are playing with real confidence and attacking flair at present. We've seen Vancouver score three, five and now six goals at BC Place and looking at xG, it isn't a fluke.
The chances are flowing, the goals are flowing, both teams like to play at pace and with intent and there will be 11 players on the pitch with at least three goal contributions this season.
