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LAFC vs LA Galaxy Odds & Betting Preview MLS Week 20 – Oct 25

Paul Attfield

by Paul Attfield in Soccer News

Updated Oct 23, 2020 · 8:44 AM PDT

LAFC striker Diego Rossi
LAFC striker Diego Rossi had the first ever hat-trick in an El Trafico by virtue of the 13th four-goal game in MLS history against the Galaxy back in July. Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire.
  • Los Angeles rivals meet on Sunday for the 10th edition of the El Trafico derby
  • Galaxy leads the all-time series 4-2 and has a two-game winning streak in the series
  • Read on for a full preview of the derby, including betting odds, analysis and a best bet

Even though the two Los Angeles rivals are experiencing very different fortunes this season, the expansion of this year’s playoffs still leaves much to play for. The Galaxy may be sitting dead last in the Western Conference, but are only three points behind the Vancouver Whitecaps in the eighth and final playoff spot, with two games in hand on them to boot.

LAFC, meanwhile, are quietly putting together another excellent season statistically. Their fourth-place Western Conference standing may be way behind their record-setting Supporters’ Shield campaign of one year ago, but given how that season ended, they know that it is their playoff performance on which they will be judged. Consequently, locking up fourth spot and securing home field for the first round will be the very least of coach Bob Bradley’s goals for the remainder of the season.

So both teams will have much to play for in MLS Week 20 when they take the field on Sunday, October 25, for the fourth instalment of El Trafico this season and the tenth meeting all-time. Despite losing the past two straight to the Galaxy, by a combined 5-0 scoreline, LAFC are favored to win this time around though.

Los Angeles FC vs Los Angeles Galaxy Odds

Matchup Spread Moneyline Total
Los Angeles FC vs Los Angeles Galaxy LAFC -1.5 (+155) | LAG +1.5 (-182) LAFC -167 | LAG +370 | DRAW +340 Ov 2.5 (-360) | Un 2.5 (+240)

All odds taken Oct 23 at DraftKings

Can LAFC Snap Skid?

Having never had a losing skid that stretched longer than two games in their two-and-a-half-season existence in MLS, it makes little sense that LAFC are currently mired in the midst of a two-game losing skid to the Galaxy. That is especially so when you consider that this year’s Galaxy is a far cry from the years of Beckham, Keane and even Zlatan Ibrahimovic of late, with head coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto firmly on the hot seat.

That they’ve lost both games without scoring a goal is also a little tough to explain. Fair enough, things were always going to be harder with reigning MVP Carlos Vela sitting out the season, but this is still largely the same squad that tied the MLS single-season goals record last year.

But while both of those factors would seemingly lend themselves to the idea that LAFC will turn the corner on Sunday, there is also the slightly weird fact that LAFC has never won a home regular-season game against the Galaxy. While LAFC have beaten the Galaxy at home in the playoffs and had a “home” win over them in the 6-2 mauling at the MLS Is Back tournament in July, they have a record of two draws and one defeat against the Galaxy at home.

Rossi, Rodriguez Back to Boost LAFC

LAFC will benefit from the return of four international players, who all missed last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Portland because they were in quarantine. While both José Cifuentes and Diego Palacios will be welcomed back, the team really needs the cutting edge that Uruguayan pair Diego Rossi and Brian Rodriguez provides, with Rossi getting four goals against the Galaxy back in July.

Rossi leads LAFC with 12 goals, while Rodriguez is tops on the team with seven assists. Both should add some scoring punch to a team that leads MLS with 40 goals, and help break that two-game scoreless run against the Galaxy.

LAFC vs LA Galaxy Head-to-Head Stats

LAFC
VS
LA Galaxy
2 Wins 4
4 Losses 2
3 Draws 3
22 Goals For 23

Wins In Short Supply for Galaxy

Sunday’s 1-0 win over Vancouver not only gave the Galaxy an MLS playoff lifeline, but it also ended a six-game losing run, the longest losing skid in the league this year. In fact, the victory was the first for Schelotto’s team since its 3-0 victory over LAFC at the start of September.

YouTube video

That the winning goal came in the third minute of stoppage time from substitute Kai Koreniuk, who had barely been on three minutes himself before scoring his first MLS goal, shows just how tenuous the Galaxy’s ability to win games is.

Cristian Pavon has seven goals and Sebastian Lletget has six, including three against LAFC this season, but no one else has more than two. That includes former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez, who has just one goal in 10 games, while Jonathan dos Santos is yet to score in 10 appearances for the club.

With the team scoring a joint-Western Conference-low 22 goals, that lack of goal scoring will be a real concern heading into the 10th edition of El Clasico.

Pick: LAFC -1.5 (+155)

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