MLS Week 2 Odds & Picks: LAFC vs Seattle, Nashville vs Montreal & More

• MLS Week 2 begins Friday night with Sporting Kansas City hosting Orlando City SC at 7:30 pm EST
• Nashville SC had the most shots of any team in Week 1 of the season
• Read on for the odds and our best bets from MLS Week 2 here

MLS Week 2 features 13 matches spread over the weekend highlighted by the most anticipated LAFC vs Seattle match on Saturday at 6:00 pm EST.

The weekend action which includes 11 matches on Saturday, is bookended by standalone matches on Friday (SKC vs Orlando 7:30 pm EST) and Monday (LA Galaxy vs New York Red Bulls 5:30 pm EST). The lone team to sit out last week on Opening Weekend, Real Salt Lake gets their season rolling with a road date in Minnesota against the Loons at 8:00 pm EST Saturday night. This week it’s defending champs Columbus with the week off.

Let’s look ahead to the odds and best bets from the MLS Week 2 schedule below.

MLS Week 2 Odds

Odds as of April 22 at DraftKings

Nashville SC vs CF Montreal Prediction

There’s little to go off from just one week of play, but if Week 1 is any indication, Nashville and Montreal could be an entertaining match at 2:00 pm EST Saturday in MLS Week 2.

Between the two, their MLS Opening Weekend matches totaled ten goals. That included a 4-0 Montreal win over Toronto and a 2-2 draw for Nashville with Cincinnati. Considering Nashville obliterated Cincinnati on the stats chart: shots 31-7, shots on goals 13-2, corners 11-1 and nearly 58-percent possession, two goals allowed is flattering to Cincinnati.

Nashville’s shot totals were the highest of any team in Week 1.

Week 1 brought the skills. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oMT2nEwmnj

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2021

Meanwhile, Montreal, along with Seattle, were the highest-scorers in Week 1 with four goals alongside Seattle. Only one team scored three times (LA Galaxy) and every other team tallied less. Montreal did still allow two goals to a Toronto side missing both their starting strikers and also league-MVP Alejandro Pozuelo.

Last season these teams met once, a 1-0 road win for Nashville, but this year I think we may see a more wide-open match. I’d lean to the OVER or a Nashville win, but Nashville to score at least twice will be my bet for this match.

Pick: Nashville Team Total Over 1.5 (-148)

How did the new head coaches fare in Week 1? 🧐

Take a closer look at the performance of the 8️⃣ teams with new head coaches this season: https://t.co/mkFHGCj7Hu pic.twitter.com/YsATliuNfu

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 22, 2021

LAFC vs Seattle Sounders Prediction

The match of the weekend puts Los Angeles FC at home to the MLS Cup Finalists Seattle Sounders at 6:00 pm EST on Saturday in MLS Week 2.

On opening night, Seattle brushed aside Minnesota United 4-0, the most one-sided scoreline of the weekend. This, without the services of Nico Lodeiro.

All goals. ⚽️
All angles. 🎥

João Paulo. Ruidíaz. Ruidíaz. Montero. 😍 pic.twitter.com/tkopfwR7hm

— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) April 18, 2021

Meanwhile, LAFC were also missing some key players in their home opener versus Austin. Diego Rossi was already out, and then some miscommunication resulted in head coach Bob Bradley subbing off what looked like an injured Carlos Vela early. LAFC still got by with a 61′ minute goal from Cory Baird, before adding a second insurance marker in stoppage time. But they also saw Edward Atuesta, limp around unable to substitute late on as the team was out of subs.

"He gave us the sign that he needed to come off. I can't say more than maybe it's my fault."

Bob Bradley explains the decision to pull Carlos Vela ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/8gCE0jIiwW

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 17, 2021

This was a matchup we saw a lot of in 2020, on a monthly basis from July to November to be exact. In the regular season, LAFC won 4-1 on the road, before Seattle won back-to-back home dates 3-1 and 3-0. LAFC then won at home 3-1 in October, before Seattle had the last laugh at home in the playoffs winning 3-1. Overall in the ten all-time meetings between these sides, at least three goals have been scored seven times.

Vela will be excited to hopefully get a full match this week, while Seattle looked no worse for wear coming out of the preseason and working with a new 3-5-2 formation.

I expect goals, and at this early stage, it’s hard to separate the two. A scored draw at +325 odds would offer a strong return, but both teams scoring and at least three goals have historically been a safe bet.

Pick: Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 Goals (-150 at Bet365)

Colorado Rapids vs Austin FC Prediction

Colorado hosts expansion Austin at 9:00 pm EST Saturday night in MLS Week 2.

Last year the Rapids conceded just 28 goals which were fifth in the West, and comparable to Western Conference playoff teams. They didn’t quite score enough though as their 32 goals ranked eighth in the West. They were again stingy in Week 1 this season, holding FC Dallas off the scoresheet, but also failing to score themselves in a 0-0 draw.

Matthew McConaughey's latest role: Minister of Culture for Austin FC.

“On any given night when you’re in that stadium, it should feel, smell and taste like the best of Austin.”

He also serves as the minister of culture for the University of Texas athletics. pic.twitter.com/FYYhKINqKc

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) April 15, 2021

Austin FC got their lives in MLS off to a respectable start, albeit in a 2-0 loss to LAFC. However, they held 55.8-percent of the possession and didn’t concede until the 61′ minute, and then again in the final moments of stoppage time. All things considered, Matthew McConaughey’s new club put up a good account of themselves and should be able to keep this match with the Rapids close as well.

A draw could be in the cards, but I’ll settle for betting the UNDER 2.5 total.

Pick: Under 2.5 (+138)