MLS Week 15 Odds & Picks: Nashville vs Cincinnati, Chicago vs Toronto & More

• MLS Week 15 takes place from July 24-25, 2021
• The Vancouver Whitecaps have not kept a clean sheet on the road in 16 straight matches
• Read on for the odds and our best bets from MLS Week 15

MLS keeps rolling after a busy midweek slate of fixtures and continues this weekend with MLS Week 15 and eight matches on Saturday, followed by five on Sunday.

Let’s look ahead to the odds and best bets from the MLS Week 15 schedule below.

MLS Week 15 Odds

Odds as of July 23 at DraftKings

Chicago Fire vs Toronto FC Prediction

Two teams coming off midweek Wednesday draws will meet at 8:00 pm EST Saturday in MLS Week 15. However, each will likely feel differently about picking up just a single point in those matches.

Chicago struck first through a Gaston Giménez 32′ minute goal, before doubling up the score 2-0 via a DC own goal in the 61′ minute. The Fire were looking in good shape to take all three points until DC mounted a late comeback with a Kevin Paredes strike from the top of the box in the 82′ minute, followed by a game-tying Ola Kamara penalty in the 87′.

It was a disappointing result for a Fire team looking to rebound from a 5-1 loss to Nashville last weekend. Still, given how Chicago began the year, Raphael Wicky’s side has still seen a marked improvement of late. They have points in four of five recent matches and have scored 12 goals in that span. Unfortunately, their defense continues to be an issue as they’ve conceded 11 times in those five matches as well. They’ve also conceded in seven of their past eight.

Up for it. Toronto comes to town tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/P84fEnwfAE

— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) July 23, 2021

Despite scoring twice, Wednesday’s match was the first time Chicago failed to register at least a 1.0 xG in their past 11 matches. Their xGA is through the roof though. They’ve allowed over 2.3 xGA in each of their past three and in five of seven. At 22.4 xGA on the season, they’re better than only Toronto (24.1) and Cincinnati (24.5) in the East.

Toronto played host to the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday in front of 15,000 of their fans at BMO Field. After a slow first half, it was New York who got on the board first after some poor defending by the Reds. Toronto would register just one shot on target in the match, but it proved to be their only goal as well. Ralph Priso-Mbongue scored his first MLS goal in the 62′ minute to bring the sides level.

Ralph Priso 🍁 scored his 1st @MLS goal on Wednesday night! pic.twitter.com/s3mkdlEOLa

— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) July 22, 2021

Rescuing a point after falling behind has to be seen as a success, but it was still a big opportunity lost to collect home points and makeup ground on teams like the Fire. TFC do have points in three straight, yet just one win in ten. After a 7-1 thrashing by DC United which resulted in the firing of head coach Chris Armas, they have 3-2 win (New England), and 1-1 draws with Orlando and Chicago under interim coach Javier Pérez.

It’s a big game for both as Chicago sits 12th in the East with 12 points, just ahead of Toronto in 13th with ten points.

For me, both teams need the points, both have talented attackers in their ranks and both have been incredibly poor defensively all season. Therefore we should see some goals between them.

Pick: Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 (-125)

Nashville SC vs FC Cincinnati Prediction

It’s the second-ever meeting and second this season when these two meet at 8:30 pm EST Saturday night in MLS Week 15. Back in April, the teams split the points in Nashville in a 2-2 draw. Cincinnati got on the board early in the eighth minute and doubled their advantage just four minutes later through a penalty. But Nashville was quick to respond with a goal of their own in the 20th minute, before finally drawing level in the 64′.

Now Nashville sits fourth in the East with 23 points, actually tied in third with Philadelphia and just two points back of second-place Orlando. Cincinnati is still struggling down in 11th with 13 points.

Cincinnati got off to a poor start this season but have now only lost once in their past five after Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Atlanta United. They’re also winless in their past three. They have though, scored in each of their past five matches, including four in an offensive outburst, albeit a 5-4 loss, against Montreal last weekend.

Nashville played out a 0-0 draw with the champs, Columbus on Wednesday, thus extending their undefeated streak to six games now. They’ve now alternated wins and draws in those past six and had scored in each of their previous five.

You don’t picture Nashville as a high-flying offensive team. However, they have the second-most shot attempts in the league behind only SKC and the most shots on target overall—a whole eight shots on target more than second-place New England.

FC Cincinnati is nowhere near as dangerous. They’re 20th in attempts, but a reasonable ninth (tied with Dallas) in shots on target. FCC has goals in six straight and have recorded an xG of at least 1.0 in their past seven. For me, the value lies on betting on both of these teams finding the back of the net.

Pick: Both Teams to Score (-120)

LAFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps Prediction

Saturday at 10:30 pm EST LAFC, fifth in the West, host 12th place Vancouver in MLS Week 15.

Los Angeles had wins in three straight and also in four of five heading into Wednesday’s clash with the Portland Timbers. After falling behind early, they quickly drew level and the game looked destined to end 1-1 until a 92′ minute header from Felipe Mora, assisted by Sebastian Blanco gave the Timbers the last-minute win.

FELIPE MORA IN STOPPAGE TIME!! 😱 #PORvLAFC pic.twitter.com/OYis2keX9u

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 22, 2021

Vancouver has won just three times on the year and two of those came in April and May. Otherwise, they have one win in ten matches. They do though, only have a single defeat in their past five, at 1-3-1. On Tuesday they played to a 0-0 draw with Houston.

The Whitecaps have scored just 14 goals all season. Only Minnesota (13) and Austin (10) have scored fewer in the West, with Miami at nine in the East being the lowest scoring side overall. Vancouver’s offense won’t be helped without the services of Lucas Cavallini who is away with Canada at the Gold Cup. Their goaltending situation isn’t helped without Maxime Crepeau, also away at the Gold Cup.

While Vancouver has technically not been at “home” all season, their actual away games have been worrisome. They are 0-3-4 with a minus-7 goal-differential on the road. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 16 road games while conceding multiple goals in 11 of those 16.

https://twitter.com/JGFutbol10/status/1416625898024022016?s=20

LA at home has lost just once in their past 15 at Banc of California Stadium and have scored multiple goals in 11 of those matches.

The Whitecaps are the worst first-half team in MLS. They’re 1-5-8 with just two goals scored and 11 conceded. Whereas LAFC are 5-8-1, eight scored and only three conceded. You could bet LAFC on the half-time/full-time market at -165 odds. LAFC are huge favorites so even betting them at -1.5 will still only get you -205 odds.

LAFC put up a 5.69 xG just two games ago. This could be a game where their offense explodes. If it does, LAFC to score Over 2.5 goals could be a good bet. So too would be backing Carlos Vela (-140) or Diego Rossi (-105) as anytime scorers.

Pick: LAFC Team Total Over 2.5 (-140)