Day 12 MLS is Back Odds & Picks: Chicago vs San Jose & Seattle vs Vancouver

• Group B action resumes on Sunday, with first place on the line between Chicago and San Jose
• Seattle and Vancouver will also meet
• Get the odds, preview, and best bets below on Day 12 of the MLS is Back Tournament

Group B fixtures continue this weekend in the MLS is Back Tournament, as Chicago and San Jose clash on Sunday, July 19 (kick off 8pm ET), while it will be a northwest showdown between Vancouver and Seattle, who play at 10:30pm ET.

Reigning champions Seattle have yet to win a game, while Chicago and San Jose are the only unbeaten teams in Group B so far. The Whitecaps took a quick 2-0 lead over the Earthquakes on Wednesday but eventually lost 4-3.

Day 12 MLS is Back Odds

Odds taken July 17

Chicago Fire vs San Jose Earthquakes

A revamped Chicago Fire team looked very impressive in their first match of the tournament against Seattle, pulling out the upset in a 2-1 victory.  The Fire moved from Group A to B after FC Dallas and Nashville dropped out due to COVID-19 cases within their organizations.

It’s been a beneficial move for Chicago, as they look ahead to this important matchup against San Jose. Robert Beric, a valuable offseason signing from French side St. Etienne, scored back in March against Seattle and also found the back of the net once again last week.

San Jose also kept Seattle at bay in their opener, playing to a 0-0 draw. Then, on Wednesday, they came back from a  2-0 deficit to beat the Whitecaps 4-3 thanks to a Shea Salinas winner in the 98th minute. They’re in a good spot heading into this fixture against Chicago, with a spot in the next round on the line.

For Chicago, they’ll have one more game left against Vancouver. As for the Earthquakes, this is their last fixture of the group stage. These two teams are relatively even and although this tourney has a sense of unpredictability because of the circumstances and the humidity, it’s hard to predict results. However, I do believe these two will play to a draw on Sunday, with each side scoring two goals.

Pick: Draw (+235)

Seattle Sounders vs Vancouver Whitecaps

After winning the MLS Cup last season, the Sounders have looked dismal in this condensed tournament in Florida so far. For a team from the northwest, it’s definitely a big adjustment for them playing in such hot weather. Evidently, the climate and time off has affected them, scoring just one goal in their two matches. This is a must-win fixture for Brian Schmetzer’s squad if they want to advance to the next round. NYC FC, one of the favorites from the East, has already been knocked out, so Seattle certainly doesn’t want to be the next heavyweight to bow out of the tournament earlier than expected.

Despite missing several key players such as Lucas Cavallini, Fredy Montero, and Tosaint Ricketts, the Whitecaps looked solid at the start against San Jose Wednesday, bagging two early goals. But their backline collapsed as the match went on, eventually losing in a high-scoring affair.

After finishing last in the Western Conference in 2019, Vancouver had the worst odds of any team heading into this tournament. Dropping three points earlier in the week wasn’t ideal but it was still a respectable performance that they will look to build on against a quality Seattle team that desperately need a win.

Considering the importance of this fixture to Seattle, I do believe they will win on Sunday. Past matches between these rivals have usually been relatively close though, so I’m predicting the Sounders to win by one goal.

Pick: Seattle (-141)