MLS Picks, Odds Week 32 – NYCFC vs New York Red Bulls Bulls, Austin vs Nashville & More

• MLS Week 32 features 14 games played over Saturday and Sunday from September 17-18, 2022
• Last week’s MLS picks record: 1-0, +1.10 units; Season Record 65-48, +9.78 units
• Read on for the MLS odds and our MLS predictions for today below

All 28 teams are in action this weekend for MLS Week 32. The Supporters’ Shield race looks to be coming down to the wire, playoff spots are still up for grabs and there are plenty of betting opportunities for our MLS picks today on this week’s card.

It was a tough week last week in our MLS picks with San Jose, Austin, and Minnesota all failing to find the scoresheet. That left us at 1-3 and -2.15 units. However, we bounced back in midweek predicting goals in the Inter Miami vs Columbus Crew match.

Read on for the odds and our MLS picks for this weekend below.

MLS Odds Week 32

Odds from Barstool Sportsbook. Be sure to check out this Barstool Sportsbook promo code that offers a unique bonus for new customers to bet on MLS

MLS Picks for Week 32

LAFC has fallen behind in the Supporters’ Shield race but are still the heaviest favorites in MLS Week 32 at -420 on Sunday at home to Houston. Meanwhile, the Hudson River Derby between NYCFC and the New York Red Bulls is lined the closest, with the draw at +230, the shortest draw odds on the board.

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NYCFC vs New York Red Bulls Prediction

It’s the Hudson River Derby and while these two teams are side-by-side in the table, with the Red Bulls third (50 points and playoffs clinched) and NYCFC fourth (46), they could not be moving in more different directions.

NYCFC won 1-0 on the road in July this season, while the Red Bulls won 3-0 at Red Bull Arena in the US Open Cup in June. Now the venue switches to Yankee Stadium on Saturday afternoon. But no matter the venue the Pigeons have been a hot mess since the departures of star striker Taty Castellanos and head coach Rony Delia mid-season. They have one win in ten, no wins in five and zero goals in their past three. If not for a hot start to the campaign, they’d be nowhere near the playoffs.

Neither team played in midweek MLS play, but NYCFC did play in the Campeones Cup at home to Mexican side Atlas on Wednesday night where they won 2-0.

Another trophy for the boys in blue 🏆#NYCFC defeat Atlas FC to win the @CampeonesCup. pic.twitter.com/QfPKfj7s4C

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 15, 2022

That means the Red Bulls will have a huge rest advantage here having the week off and kicking off MLS Week 32 at 1:00 pm EST Saturday afternoon. While NYCFC is spiraling, the Red Bulls are 4-1-1 in their past six and coming off a 2-1 win over New England last weekend.

The Red Bulls have the best road record in MLS at 9-3-3 and an away win outright could offer huge value. But rivalries are always unpredictable so we’ll play it safe and bet the red side of New York on the double chance (win or draw).

• Pick: New York Red Bulls double chance (-155); 1 unit

Atlanta United vs Philadelphia Union Prediction

The Philadelphia Union who are charging towards the regular season finish line with the Supporters’ Shield in sight. They now lead the race for the top regular season team, having overtaken LAFC and leading by two points.

The Union are riding a five-game win streak after last weekend’s 5-1 home win over Orlando. Sure, the Lions were coming off a US Open Cup midweek championships, but Philly putting up baseball-like scores has become commonplace. Of those five wins, the other four scores have read 2-0, 4-1, 6-0 and 6-0. They’re 11-0-2 in their past 13 and in that stretch they have an additional 6-0 victory as well as a 7-0 win as well.

Jim Curtain’s side is playing at a historic pace, on pace to triple their goal differential, which currently reads 68 GF and 22 GA. Daniel Gazdag (19 goals), Julian Carranza (14) and Mikael Uhre (12) have proved unstoppable all hitting double-digit goals this season.

Dániel Gazdag is on 🔥

He scores for the fifth-straight game for his 19th goal of the season. pic.twitter.com/bAxYEBtR2o

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 11, 2022

One of those recent wins came at home to Atlanta on August 31 (4-1). They’re now undefeated versus the Five Stripes in five games, including MLS and CCL games.

For Atlanta, they kept their slim playoff hopes alive last weekend with a 4-2 home win over Toronto, marked by a rare and impressive center-back hat-trick from Juan Jose Sanchez Purata. Now with six goals on the team, Purata has soared to third in team scoring behind Josef Martinez (8) and Ronaldo Cisneros (7) and tied with Thiago Almada with six.

Martinez sat last week due to a team-imposed suspension. He returned as a sub on Wednesday when Atlanta won 1-0 in Orlando.

Right now Philly looks unstoppable as they storm toward the Shield and continue to see their MLS Cup odds shorten.

I love the long odds for a Union win here for my Week 32 MLS picks.

• Pick: Philadelphia to win (+165); 1 unit at Barstool Sportsbook

Just four points separate 5th-9th place in the East. 👀 pic.twitter.com/dc7TEgIOwZ

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 15, 2022

MLS Parlay Picks (Saturday)

I thought I’d just go with the two picks above on Saturday but after watching Austin get right on Wednesday and clinch a playoff birth, I’m feeling more confident to add another play.

Austin FC vs Nashville SC Pick

• Pick – Both to score

In only their second MLS season, Austin FC have clinched a playoff spot after Wednesday’s 3-0 home win over Real Salt Lake. It was an unlikely hero in Moussa Djitté who subbed on in the 58′ minute when the score was 0-0 and went on to score a hat-trick with goals in the 60′, 76′ and 80′ minutes. The Verde and Black are second in the West and will now focus on locking up that position to maintain possible home-field advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs.

History maker. 🎩 pic.twitter.com/02Tqo3aHHw

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 15, 2022

The win snapped a three-game losing skid and a two-game skid where they failed to score. But at home at Q2 Stadium, they’ve only failed to score once all season and that was back in May. These teams just met back on September 3 where Nashville won 3-0 in Nashville. That was part of a four-game winning streak that was snapped last weekend when the LA Galaxy scored a PK in the 99′ minute to draw 1-1 with the Yotes. Still, Nashville is undefeated in five and have scored in 16 straight games.

MVP candidates Sebastian Driussi and Hany Mukhtar will go head-to-head once again. Mukhtar scored a brace in their last meeting. Centre-back Walker Zimmerman also got on the scoresheet. However, Zimmerman, one of the top defenders in the league will miss out though after being sent off in the Galaxy game. I don’t see Nashville keeping Austin off the board in back-to-back games especially in Austin and without Zimmerman. But Nashville and Mukhtar are in scorching form and should score too.

Sporting Kansas City vs Minnesota United Pick

• Pick – Sporting KC to score

Sporting Kansas City may be well out of the playoff picture, however, they’re fighting til the end for Peter Vermes, now undefeated in five and 4-2-1 in their past seven. Sporting have scored 17 goals in those seven games, scoring in 6/7.

The Loons look likely to make the playoffs but still haven’t locked up a spot. And, they’ve hit a patch of poor form at the wrong time, going winless in four at 0-1-3. They drew 1-1 with LAFC on Tuesday and had been shut out in each of their previous three. Robin Lod left that game with an injury and Emanuel Reynoso picked up a yellow that will see him miss out with a yellow card accumulation suspension. Sporting may even win this one, but they should certainly score for our MLS picks in this parlay.

• Parlay Picks: Austin vs Nashville both to score / SKC to score (-120); 1 unit at Caesars Sportsbook

It's a tight race out West. Which teams will finish the season above the line? pic.twitter.com/aHe4d2UN01

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 15, 2022

MLS Parlay Picks (Sunday)

There are only three games on Sunday in MLS Week 32 and we’re including two of them in a parlay for our MLS picks.

Columbus Crew vs Portland Timbers Pick

• Pick – Both to score

This is a big playoff match for both sides. Caleb Porter will also be coaching against his old team. Columbus is holding down the final playoff spot in the East, sitting in seventh with 41 points. That is two points above Miami and Atlanta in eighth/ninth and three above New England in tenth. The Crew missed a golden opportunity to put some serious distance between themselves and the chasing pack when they went to Miami on Tuesday and lost 2-1. The three points for Miami kept their playoff hopes very much alive. Especially if the Crew were to fall here, and Miami wins in DC later in the day.

The Crew doesn’t drop many points though. The loss was their first in seven games. It’s also only their second defeat in 18 games. At home they’ve lost just once in nine games, keeping five clean sheets during that time.

However, the Crew does struggle to turn one point into three. They now have just one win in seven, going 1-5-1 in their past seven. They’ll be coming off a short week, made even shorter because of a two-hour weather delay in Miami, resulting in Gonzalo Higuain’s game-winning 82′ minute goal coming well past midnight and into Wednesday morning.

Mr. October, comin' up clutch in September 😌

5 goal contributions in his last 5 matches 🔥@daironasprilla x #RCTID pic.twitter.com/jddikSKDM1

— Portland Timbers (@TimbersFC) September 13, 2022

Portland are sixth in the West on 45 points, five above eighth LA Galaxy, with still a shot at a home playoff spot, sitting just one point back of fourth place Nashville.

The Timbers have shaken off a five-match winless slide and replaced that with four straight wins. They won 1-0 at home over Minnesota last weekend. The clean sheet was rare. Their first in ten games. The Timbers scoring was not. They’ve now scored in 17 straight and in 20 of their past 21 games. With much on the line for both teams and each in good form, I see goals from both sides.

LAFC vs Houston Dynamo Pick

• Pick – LAFC to win & score over 1.5

Two teams that played midweek on Tuesday will meet on Sunday. LAFC drew 1-1 in Minnesota while Houston claimed a 3-1 home win over New England. We just saw these two teams match up back on August 31, in what resulted in a shocking 2-1 home win for the Dynamo. Houston is actually undefeated in three games vs LAFC, having drawn both matches last year 1-1. The Dynamo’s season is done though, as they’re 13th in the West. They’re 2-1-1 in their past four but those are their only two wins in their past ten. On the road, they have just one win in ten at 1-1-8. The Dynamo have allowed multiple goals in eight of those ten.

Steve Cherundolo is having trouble making all the parts fit in LAFC recently. The star-studded team is slumping with just one win in six. They’ve given up their Supporters’ Shield lead to Philadelphia, but are just two points behind, 61 points to 63. The results should be better with the talent assembled. No doubt. However, five of their past six games have been played on the road. The one win? It was at home at Banc of California Stadium. That’s where they’ll be on Sunday where they are 12-2-1 on the year. LAFC has won eight straight at home while scoring multiple goals in 7/8. Looks like a great get-right spot for LAFC to win and score a couple of goals or more for our MLS picks.

• Parlay Picks: Columbus vs Portland both to score / LAFC to win & score over 1.5 (+110); 1 unit at Barstool Sportsbook