Believe it or not, the New York Red Bulls come in as the soccer betting favorites to defeat the Columbus Crew on Saturday. I say believe it or not because the Red Bulls are one of the five Eastern Conference teams that remain winless after three games. The good news is that they scored their first goal of the season in the previous MLS fixture, meaning they’ll play with much less pressure.
New York Red Bulls: No Excuses
It’s time for the New York Red Bulls to win; there are no excuses. Last weekend, they drew 1-1 to Minnesota United, exactly as we predicted. Despite losing possession, the Red Bulls finished with more shots in total and on goal.
That was the team’s first goal of the season. I know what you’re thinking: either Lewis Morgan or Luquinhas was the scorer, but no, it was Andres Reyes. Considering he’s a centre-back, that’s a complete shocker. You can expect him to be highly motivated after being named to the Team of the Week.
The Red Bulls have played only one game at home, ending with a goalless draw. They should have won since they finished with 58% of possession and three shots on goal, but the attacking unit woke up on the wrong foot. On the other hand, the defense was outstanding since New York didn’t even allow a shot on goal.
There’s no doubt that the defense is the main reason the Red Bulls come in as the favorites in the soccer lines at -125, but this seems like a great opportunity for the attacking unit to start pitching in, especially Dante Vanzeir, the team’s top signing during the offseason.
Columbus Crew: Improving
The Columbus Crew began the season on the wrong foot after losing 4-1 to the Philadelphia Union. They were the online gambling underdogs, but everyone was expecting a better fight. In fact, the first half finished 1-1, but the defense couldn’t hold up in the second. Curiously enough, they ended up winning possession with 60 percent.
A week later, they lost possession but ended up defeating DC United 2-0, with Lucas Zelarayan as Man of the Match after scoring a brace. The defense also deserves a lot of credit since DC United finished with 15 shots but no goals.
Most recently, the Crew drew 1-1 in Toronto. The home side scored the opener in the first half, while Jimmy Medranda scored the equalizer in the second. Once again, Columbus won possession but couldn’t translate it into goals.
According to the latest soccer odds, Columbus Crew is offering a +370 price to win straight up.
NY Red Bulls vs Columbus Head-to-Head
- Previous Matches: 84
- New York Red Bulls Victories: 34 (119 goals)
- Columbus Crew Victories: 37 (113 goals)
- Draws: 13
These two met twice last season. First, they collided at Red Bull Arena and drew 1-1. Both goals were scored in the last six minutes of the game. Tom Barlow scored for the home side, while Darlington Nagbe scored the equalizer. Later, at Lower.com Field, the Crew came from behind to win 2-1 thanks to Derrick Etienne, who scored a brace in the last two minutes of the match.
You can also expect goals on Saturday since both teams scored in seven of their last 10 encounters, including the last four in a row. The total for Saturday’s clash is set at 2½ goals, with the over offering a +105 price in the sportsbook.
NY Red Bulls vs Columbus Match Information
- Date: Saturday, March 18th
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Red Bull Arena, New Jersey
- NY Red Bulls vs Columbus Live Stream: fubo.tv
NY Red Bulls vs Columbus Betting Lines
NY Red Bulls vs Columbus Picks & Prediction
I think the New York Red Bulls will get their first season victory on Saturday, but not without a proper fight. The Red Bulls are 19-12-6 against the Columbus Crew at home, including a 2-2-1 record in the last five. That being said, you can expect both to score and the total to go over, which is precisely my betting online recommendation.
The New York Red Bulls are listed at -125 in our Vegas MLS lines. This means that if you wager $100 on New York Red Bulls, you have a chance to win $80. The Columbus Crew are +370, offering a chance to win $370 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives New York Red Bulls a 55.56% chance to win, with Columbus Crew at 21.28%.
