MLS Week 2 Odds & Picks: Chicharito Makes Home Debut for Galaxy vs Whitecaps

• Week 2 of the MLS regular season kicks off this Saturday, March 7, 2020
• Will Chicharito find the scoresheet in his home debut for LA?
• Get the odds, analysis and best bets for MLS Week 2 below

MLS Week 2 begins on Saturday, March 7 with New England hosting Chicago at 1:30 pm EST. There’s plenty to look forward to including a playoff rematch of Toronto vs NYCFC, Atlanta’s first match without the injured Josef Martinez and the home debut of Chicharito for the Galaxy.

Let’s take a look at the odds for all of this weekend’s matches and dive into a few best bets for MLS Week 2.

MLS Week 2 Odds

All odds taken Mar. 4.

Pick 1: New England Revolution vs Chicago Fire

Looking at this matchup which kicks off Week 2, it’s hard not to foresee some goals and likely for both sides.

Last week the Revs traveled to Montreal in their season opener and dropped a 2-1 result to the Impact. While New England struck early just 13 minutes in, Montreal drew level before the half. The game remained tied until Max Urruti’s late winner at the 80th minute. New England may have lost, but they had more attempts and more shots on target. They were also missing Carles Gil, Luis Caicedo, Antonio Delamea and Seth Sinovic. While Gil’s return date is unknown, the Revs still have plenty of offensive weapons.

https://twitter.com/NBCSRevs/status/1235650110111002624?s=20

The Fire, with a largely brand new roster debuting Sunday against Seattle, looked at times impressive, but also at times much like a work in progress and like the team that won just twice on the road last year. Level 0-0 at half, Chicago certainly had their chances and at times looked the more likely team of scoring first. In the second half, they did just that only one-minute in when new DP Robert Beric got Chicago on the board.

But it was second-half substitute Jordan Morris who stole the show for the Sounders, tying the game at the 62′ minute and scoring the winner in stoppage time at 93′.

Robert Beric: MLS Debut. ☑️ First MLS Goal. ☑️ #cf97 pic.twitter.com/PmqYny5n9W

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 1, 2020

But so many more goals could have been scored in this game. Both teams had goals called off through offside, Miguel Ibarra missed several chances and Raul Ruidiaz missed passing the ball into a basically open net.

Last year these teams saw eight goals scored between their two games with Chicago winning 5-0 at home and New England winning 2-1 on their pitch.

Furthermore, in their past eight matches, six have seen both teams score.

I’m happy to bet the goals market here, but the Revs at home also offer some value. On top of Chicago’s woeful road form, a road team has only won once in the past 15 matches between these teams.

Pick: Both teams to score & Over 2.5 goals (-105)

Pick 2: Sporting Kansas City vs Houston Dynamo

This is another match (Saturday, March 7, 2020, at 8:30 pm EST) where it’s hard not to imagine seeing some goals. SKC were 3-1 winners on the road in Vancouver last week—a win that featured newcomers Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda both opening their MLS accounts. The Whitecaps only scored once, but had their share of chances, had five shots on target and even hit the post. But overall, SKC still controlled the game, with Vancouver only completing 65 final third passes compared to Sporting’s 222.

So Sporting has shown they can score, albeit it’s early, and albeit against what’s expected to be a Whitecaps’ team that will struggle. But it’s the defense which was the Achilles heel of Sporting last year. SKC allowed 67 goals which were better than only Cincinnati’s league-worst 75.

Gerso Maradona.
Hurtado dagger vs. old club.
Brilliant.#VANvSKC // 1-3pic.twitter.com/Y7UsTznvxO

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) March 1, 2020

The Dynamo were (are) awful away from home. They won just twice on the road last year and lost 15. Houston’s poor road form is nothing new as they haven’t won more than two road games since 2014 when they had three. Since that time their road record is 9-53-23.

Last week they played out a closely-contested 1-1 draw against the Galaxy in Chicharito’s MLS debut. They also did so without the services of Albert Elis and Darwin Quintero.

Recently these sides have seen low-scoring affairs (1-1 draw and 1-0 SKC win in 2019), plus their past three have all fallen Under 2.5 goals. Additionally, a road team has won only twice in their past 16 meetings so I’m not backing the Dynamo to break that trend on Saturday.

However, I do believe they should contribute to the scoresheet, as will Sporting, making BTTS and Over 2.5 my best bet.

Pick 3: LA Galaxy vs Vancouver Whitecaps

While new DP signing Javier Hernandez failed to deliver anything too notable in his league debut last week, he’ll get another chance to announce himself to the MLS world when Los Angeles host Vancouver in their home opener on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at 10:00 pm EST.

Chicharito, Mexico’s all-time leading goalscorer, produced just one attempt at goal in LA’s 1-1 road draw with Houston last week. Instead, it was Cristian Pavon who stole the Galaxy headlines with his strike from the top of the box.

CRISTIAN PAVON! 🚀@96Kichan opens his 2020 account with a stunner. #HOUvLA pic.twitter.com/gb5hlEUdgp

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) February 29, 2020

It may not have been the debut the Galaxy were hoping for, but a point on the road to Houston isn’t the worst result. They’ll hope to get their offense rolling against the Whitecaps, who after allowing 59 goals last year, already conceded three times in Week 1, in what ended in a 3-1 defeat to SKC.

Vancouver is very much still in a rebuild and it seems unlikely they’ll be able to contain the likes of Pavon, Chicharito and Katai of the Galaxy.

Last year these teams played to a 2-0 LA win and a wild 4-3 Vancouver win, capped by a winning goal in the 93′ minute. Though neither team is known for the defense, strangely, a clean sheet has been kept in 10/12 recent matches between these sides.

That could be the case again Saturday, but the Galaxy will surely get theirs. While the Whitecaps will still pose some threat going forward in the form of their own new DP Lucas Cavallini, who’s going up against a Galaxy defense which allowed 59 goals as well last season.

Pick: LA Galaxy Win & Over 2.5 Total Match Goals (-140)