Can Anyone Stop LAFC?
Nothing is slowing down Los Angeles FC, not even high expectations or any kind of chemistry issues as they integrate new players.
The black and gold had five different goal scorers in routing Charlotte FC 5-0 Saturday night and are now six points clear in both the Western Conference standings and the Supporters’ Shield race.
LAFC has won six straight games with 18 goals scored in that span and welcomes a D.C. United team that hasn’t scored in August and has one win since July 4.
Let’s check the latest MLS news, stats, injury reports and MLS odds for D.C. United vs Los Angeles Football Club. We’ve plenty of MLS picks and predictions for you to consider.
LAFC Offense a Juggernaut
Every week LAFC is a big favorite in the soccer odds, and every week they continue to deliver. Saturday looked shaky for 45 minutes with a 0-0 scoreline at halftime against Charlotte. But defender Jesus Murillo scored in the 49th minute and the floodgates opened with Jose Cifuentes, Carlos Vela, Cristian Arango and an own goal finishing off the scoreline.
LAFC put up an impressive 25 shots against Charlotte, nine of those on goal. Arango was the most aggressive with seven shots, three on goal, and he netted his 12th goal in the 76th minute.
Manager Steve Cherundolo has an embarrassment of riches in his 4-3-3 formation even while holding newcomers Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini out of the lineup on Saturday. Vela has eight goals and seven assists while Cifuentes has seven goals and six assists. LAFC has 53 goals from 15 different players.
They have a league-best +29 goal differential and have allowed one goal or less in nine of the last 10 games. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, who has missed one game, has allowed 22 of the 24 goals. He has seven clean sheets and has posted either a win or draw in 20 of his 23 starts.
United Rebuilding – Again
New manager Wayne Rooney is making changes in D.C. as the team is rebuilding on the fly. Julian Gressel was traded to Vancouver in mid-July for cash while five players have been added.
Among those are former Manchester United and Derby County midfielder Ravel Morrison, Real Salt Lake goalkeeper David Ochoa and Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke.
Morrison has started the last four games since Rooney took over, but he has yet to produce a goal. Benteke was getting in shape for the Premier League season when he signed with MLS and D.C. United. It is unlikely he debuts this week, but if his visa is approved, adding a player with more than 80 career Premier League goals will give United a much-needed boost.
Top scorer Taxi Fountas came off the bench for 30 minutes in Saturday’s 1-0 loss to New England. Fountas hasn’t started since leaving the Charlotte game early with a groin injury and he played in the All-Star game last Wednesday, so he got a bit of a breather over the weekend.
Rooney switched D.C. United to a 4-3-3 with Fountas, Miguel Berry and Ola Kamara as an ideal attacking three when all are healthy. Kamara has seven goals while Berry has yet to score since joining the team from Columbus last month.
D.C. United vs Los Angeles FC Head-to-Head
These teams have played twice in their history, and LAFC was the favorite in the soccer odds both times.
They haven’t met since April 6, 2019, a 4-0 road win for LAFC as Vela scored the opener before Diego Rossi netted a hat trick. Rooney was still a player for D.C. United in 2019 and was sent off with a red card in the 52nd minute.
The only time D.C. United traveled to Banc of California Stadium was in 2018 and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
D.C. United vs Los Angeles FC Game Information
- Game: D.C. United (6-14-4) vs LAFC (17-4-3)
- Location: Banc of California Stadium, Los Angeles
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Aug. 16, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Live stream: fubo.tv
D.C. United vs Los Angeles FC Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Los Angeles FC | -1½ -125 | -300 | 3-135o | 2½+105o
2½-135u |
| D.C. United | +1½ -105 | +725 | 3+105u | ½-145o
½+115u |
| Draw | +490 |
D.C. United vs Los Angeles Football Club Prediction
The sports betting odds expect this game to be an easy one for LAFC as they are -300 favorites. There’s no value in the LAFC moneyline and even taking a chance on D.C United at +725 seems like a waste as they haven’t scored in over 300 minutes.
Total goals have a couple of options, with over three at -135. It might be up to LAFC to score all of those goals, but they scored five against Charlotte and four against Real Salt Lake in the last two games, and both of those teams are better than D.C. United.
The best soccer betting option for this game, however, comes in the spread. LAFC to win by two goals or more is -125, and they have won three of the last games by at least two goals. Meanwhile D.C. United has allowed two goals or more in seven of their last 10 games.
