Fast-Paced Battle
Not losing in its last three games has allowed the Los Angeles FC to remain atop the MLS Western Conference. On the other hand, the New York Red Bulls are one victory away from climbing to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. As if that wasn’t enough, we’re talking about two of the top-scoring teams in the league. Basically, you don’t want to miss Sunday’s game.
Curiously enough, the Red Bulls have been considerably better when playing on the road. Nevertheless, LAFC comes in as the betting online favorite, something to which they’re getting accustomed.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports and USA MLS odds for Los Angeles FC vs New York Red Bulls. We’ve plenty of picks and predictions for you to consider.
Los Angeles FC Stronger at Home
Overall, Los Angeles FC owns a 9-3-3 record. Five of those victories, and only one loss, were at Banc of California Stadium. In their last home game, they defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 3-2. Cristian Arango, Ryan Hollingshead and Brian Rodriguez were the scorers.
Since joining the league, LAFC has won 42 home matches; only New York City FC has won more with 46. Plus, their eight regular-season losses are the fewest of any team that’s been in the league since 2018. Summing up, Banc of California Stadium is a fortress.
Last week, LAFC visited the Seattle Sounders and managed to secure a point. The game ended 1-1 thanks to Arango’s goal with only 10 minutes left on the clock. LAFC’s roster is so talented that head coach Steve Cherundolo dared to leave Carlos Vela on the bench. If you followed our advice to include the draw in your soccer picks, congratulations! If not, no hard feelings.
Here’s another reason for LAFC to come in as the favorite at -110. No other team in the league has scored more goals than them with 30. That’s two goals per game. Curiously enough, no player from LAFC is among the league’s top scorers. I guess they truly believe in the concept of a team effort.
Red Bulls Highly Motivated
The New York Red Bulls have 26 points, one less than New York City FC, the team sitting atop the Eastern Conference. Last week, they defeated Toronto FC 2-0 with goals from Lewis Morgan and Luquinhas.
Midweek, the Red Bulls crushed the Citizens 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. Morgan and Luquinhas scored again while Omir Fernandez joined the party in pretty much the last play of the game.
Regarding MLS, Morgan has scored seven goals while Luquinhas has scored five. They’ve scored the Red Bulls’ last five league goals, excluding their own goals. Luquinhas even won MLS Goal of the Week thanks to its audacious chip against Toronto FC.
An easy choice 🇧🇷🤙
Luquinhas’ perfectly placed chip against Toronto FC wins MLS Goal of the Week! https://t.co/ZRUSlpK0nt pic.twitter.com/kZugAMykJN
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) June 23, 2022
So yes, despite having lost their last two games on the road, the Red Bulls have enough reasons to be highly motivated. They’re offering a +280 price in the sportsbook. That means you could win $280 per every $100 you wager on them.
Last, but not least, only Tom Edwards isn’t going to be available due to suspension. The rest of the squad is ready to go.
Los Angeles FC vs New York Red Bulls Head-to-Head
- Previous Matches: 2
- Los Angeles FC Victories: 1 (5 goals)
- New York Red Bulls Victories: 1 (4 goals)
- Draws: 0
These two haven’t met since 2019 when Los Angeles FC played host to the New York Red Bulls in what ended up being a goal-fest. The home side won 4-2 with goals from Jordan Harvey, Latif Blessings, Carlos Vela and Eddie Segura. Only Harvey is no longer part of the team.
The Red Bulls won their first meeting 2-1. In other words, if there’s something you can expect from these two, it’s goals.
Los Angeles FC vs New York Red Bulls Game Information
- Date: Sunday
- Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Banc of California Stadium, Carson, Calif.
- Los Angeles FC vs New York Red Bulls Live Stream: fubo.tv
Los Angeles FC vs New York Red Bulls Betting Lines
Los Angeles FC vs New York Red Bulls Prediction
Let’s cut to the chase. With Los Angeles FC averaging two goals per game and the New York Red Bulls averaging 1.6 goals per game, picking the total going over 2½ goals is a no-brainer. According to the latest soccer odds, the over is -130.
Here’s another option: LAFC winning by one goal. They’ve scored a league-best 20 goals after halftime while allowing only three, fewest in the league. LAFC is the only team that hasn’t been outscored in the second half of any match this season. I like this option better since it’s at +275.
Score Prediction: Los Angeles FC 3, New York Red Bulls 2
