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CONCACAF Champions League Picks, Odds – Round of 16 Leg 1

Ryan Metivier

by Ryan Metivier in Soccer News

Updated Mar 8, 2023 · 8:17 AM PST

Austin FC fans celebrate.
Mar 4, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Austin FC fans during the second half of the match against CF Montreal at Q2 Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
  • 16 teams kick off Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League play this week
  • Can another MLS team win after Seattle won last year or will Mexican dominance return?
  • See the odds for each of this week’s 16 CCL matches, plus our top CONCACAF Champions League picks below

CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) play kicks off this week with 16 teams from across North America, Central America and the Caribbean all vying to lift the trophy on June 4. The tournament gets started with Round of 16 first leg matches on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week. Read on for the CONCACAF Champions League odds and picks for this week here.

Five MLS teams are participating in the CCL, with those being Austin FC, LAFC, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union and the Vancouver Whitecaps.

LAFC and Philadelphia will be the most likely MLS teams hoping to follow in the footsteps of the Seattle Sounders who became the first MLS team to win the tournament last year. But Mexican powerhouse Tigres will also be among the favorites. This is the 15th edition of this version of the tournament. Mexican teams have won all of the other 14 titles, led by Monterrey (5), Club America (2) and Pachuca (2). So if and when CCL futures odds become available, it may be wise to not look too far from a winner coming from either Mexico or MLS.

CONCACAF Champions League Odds

Matchup Home Draw Away
Violette vs Austin FC +3100 +1000 -1800
Alianza vs Philadelphia +280 +230 -110
Tigres UANL vs Orlando City SC -260 +330 +650
Tauro vs Leon +430 +320 -195
Olimpia vs Atlas +240 +230 +100
Vancouver vs Real Espana -340 +420 +700
Motagua vs Pachuca +280 +230 -110
LD Alajuelense vs LAFC +170 +220 +140

Tuesday’s matches include the first three matches listed in the CONCACAF Champions League odds above. MLS side Austin FC are massive favorites over Violette at -1800 odds. Fellow MLS sides Philadelphia and Orlando are also in action on Tuesday. The Union are favored on the road in El Salvador, while Orlando are longshots at +650 to win in Mexico. Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook March 7 and updated March 8.

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How to Watch CONCACAF Champions League?

While most MLS matches have moved to Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass, the CCL will not be broadcast on that platform. In the US, matches will be viewed on FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Soccer Plus. In Canada, you can see the matches on One Soccer and Youtube.

Violette vs Austin FC Prediction

Austin qualifies for the competition as being the highest-ranked US team that had not already qualified.

Both sides are basically making their debuts in the tournament. It’s a first for Austin. And it’s a first for Violette since playing in an older version of the tournament in 1984 and winning the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Violette, from Haiti, won the Flow CONCACAF Caribbean Championship to earn their spot in this tournament.

Austin is 1-1 in MLS to start the year, while Violette hasn’t played since winning that title back in May 2022. If you were early to bet this one you would have been “lucky” to grab odds on Austin in the neighborhood of -490. Those CCL odds quickly skyrocketed to -1800. The Verde ad Black are expected to roll through the Haitians.

  • Pick: That being said, you’ll have to get super creative to extract any value on Austin here. At FanDuel, I created a same-game parlay (SGP) that includes: Austin to score first, Austin to be leading at halftime, Austin to win, and for over 2.5 goals to be scored in the match. That pays out at -126 odds in that SGP.

Alianza vs Philadelphia Union Prediction

Last year’s Eastern Conference champions Philadelphia enter the CCL with high hopes after being MLS Cup finalists last season and being among the MLS Cup odds favorites this year too. They broke a record for the highest MLS goal differential at +46.

They’ll face El Salvadorian side Alianza FC who currently sit first at 5-4-2, scoring 13 goals and allowing only two in their league. In 2021, their first appearance in the CCL, they went all the way to the semifinals. However, they did win this tournament way, way back in 1967. A stat that means little against one of the tournament’s current obvious favorites in the Union who brought back the entire starting lineup from last year’s MLS Cup finalist season.

  • Pick: Philadelphia to win (-105) at DraftKings Sportsbook

Tigres UANL vs Orlando City SC Prediction

Orlando City SC booked their ticket to the CCL as winners of the US Open Cup. This is their first time in the CCL. They’ve started their MLS campaign off at 1-1-0. Those scores have been 1-0 and 0-0.

Meanwhile, Tigres are one of the continent’s top teams, won CCL in 2020 and are currently second in the Liga MX Clausura at 6-3-1. Despite star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac being injured, they still boast boatloads of talent and will be a tough out for anyone.

Orlando brought in many new pieces during the offseason and are only two games into working those pieces into the lineup. In those two games, they have just one goal scored. The Lions rarely get blown out, but likely aren’t ready to take down the powerhouse that is Tigres who qualified as the best overall Mexican side through aggregate points last season.

Tigres had early odds of -155 on Tuesday, but have taken money and have shortened to -260 in the CCL odds.

  • Pick: Tigres to keep a clean sheet (-105) at DraftKings Sportsbook

Tauro vs Leon Prediction

The first of three Wednesday matches see Panamanian side Tauro, currently leads the East division of the LPF with a record of 4-3-1, scoring 11 times and conceding five. This is their 13th trip to the tournament.

Leon was midtable in the Liga MX Apertura, or so, (10/18 teams) at 6-4-7. Right now in the Clausura, they’ve performed slightly better after ten rounds, ranking seventh at 4-3-2.

  • Pick: You’d have to lean to Leon as the side playing against stiffer competition in Liga MX. They won’t offer much value at -195 odds and also haven’t been in great form. A bet on the Under 2.5 (-106) at FanDuel could be in play.

Olimpia vs Atlas Prediction

Olimpia leads the Honduran Liga Nacional at 8-3-0 through 11 rounds with 21 goals scored and just three conceded. They’ve been in the competition 38 times and have won the title twice, however many of those appearances and both wins (1972 and 1988), came in the older version, the CONCACAF Champions Cup.

Atlas has struggled in Mexico of late. They were 17th place in the Apertura at 3-4-10 last term. And in the current Clausura, they’re 14th at 1-6-3. Combine those together and they’ve claimed just 22 points out of their last 27 games, which isn’t good.  This one looks tough to call.

  • Pick: Draw (+230) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Vancouver Whitecaps vs Real Espana Prediction

The only Canadian team participating is Vancouver, who were winners of the Canadian Championship. They’ve dropped back-to-back games in MLS by 2-1 scorelines. They’ll face fellow strugglers Real Espana who are 4-3-4, fifth, in the Honduran Liga Nacional Clausura. Real Espana is making their 16th appearance in the tournament with an all-time record of 28-13-26 (WDL). They’ve reached the semifinals before, but it was way back in 1991.

I don’t trust either of these teams right now and despite Vancouver being heavy favorites, MLS teams did not have a great showing on Tuesday in the tournament to give me the confidence of laying -340 with the Caps. Let’s go Under.

  • Pick: Under 2.5 (+140) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Motagua vs Pachuca Prediction

Another Honduran side, Motagua is fourth in the Liga Nacional at 4-4-3. It’s their 18th time in the competition and they own an all-time record of 13-12-29.

Fourth place in both the Apertura last term and also fourth place currently in the Clausura at 6-1-3, Pachuca are competing near the top of Liga MX. They’ve won the CCL five times previously and have an all-time record of 32-11-11 in nine all-time tournament appearances. They have never lost to Motagua but the sides haven’t played since 2008.

Motagua has scored 16 and allowed 14 goals in 11 games this season. While Pachuca have scored 21 and allowed 14 in ten games. With both scoring and conceding over one goal per game, let’s back both to score on Thursday for our Motagua vs Pachuca picks.

  • Pick: Both teams to score (-110) at FanDuel Sportsbook

LD Alajuelense vs LAFC Prediction

As the MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield winners, LAFC earned their spot in the CCL. It’s their second go at the competition and almost did the Mexican quadruple in 2020, advancing past three Liga MX sides before losing to Tigres in the final. A CCL title is the next natural goal for this LAFC squad.

Alajuelense plays in the Costa Rican Primera Division and currently leads the league at 8-2-1, scoring 31 goals and conceding just eight. They are veterans of the competitions with 26 all-time appearances.

LAFC has only played one game this season, beating Portland 3-2 on Saturday in MLS play.

We just saw Philly struggle on the road to Alianza on Tuesday, and an LAFC side playing their first road game of the season could suffer a similar fate against this feisty Costa Rican side. We’re backing the draw in our Alajuelense vs LAFC prediction.

  • Pick: Draw (+220) at FanDuel Sportsbook

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