MLS Week 22 Odds & Picks: 401 Derby, El Tráfico, Cascadia Rivalry & More from Heineken Rivalry Week

• MLS Week 22 runs from August 27-29, 2021
• Heineken Rivalry Week continues with three exciting matches Friday night after this week’s All-Star game between MLS and Liga MX superstars
• Read on for the odds and our best bets from MLS Week 22

MLS Week 22 kicks off on Friday night in the continuation of Heineken Rivalry Week. Numerous intriguing matchups are set for this weekend including three on Friday night.

With All-Star festivities now complete after the MLS All-Stars defeated the Liga MX All-Stars in penalties on Wednesday, regular season play kicks on this weekend. Three exciting matches kick off the weekend with Columbus vs Cincinnati in Hell is Real, Montreal vs Toronto in the 401 Derby and a Flordia Derby with Orlando vs Inter Miami.

The rivalries continue on the weekend with an El Tráfico showdown, and the second meeting between Austin and FC Dallas to name a few.

Teams running hot include: Atlanta and Colorado at 4-1-0, New England at 8-1-0, San Jose, undefeated in ten and Vancouver who haven’t lost in eight. That is, until a non-MLS loss, 4-3 to Pacific FC in the Canadian Championship last night.

Meanwhile, teams desperately looking to improve their form include Cincinnati (winless in nine), Columbus, losers of six straight, Houston, winless in 14, LAFC who are winless in seven, the Red Bulls, winners of just one in eight and Toronto who have failed to record a win in six matches.

Let’s look ahead to the odds and best bets from the MLS Week 22 schedule below.

MLS Week 22 Odds

Odds as of August 27 at DraftKings

CF Montreal vs Toronto FC Prediction

The Canadian Classique or 401 Derby renews Friday night at 7:30 pm EST when Montreal hosts Toronto in MLS Week 22.

Montreal nearly grabbed all three points last weekend, but an 87′ minute equalizer meant they split the points with the Philadelphia Union, in a 1-1 final.

Meanwhile, Toronto failed to move out of the bottom of the East and league, suffering a 3-1 road loss to Inter Miami on Saturday. In what’s become all too familiar a scene, they fell behind early once again. It took Miami just 35 minutes to build a 2-0 lead, before adding a third in the 48′ minute. No team has allowed more goals in the opening 15 minutes of play than Toronto with 11. It’s actually not even really close when you consider New England is second with eight. Odd, considering the Revs lead the Supporters’ Shield race. Montreal to score in the first half has odds of -125.

PIZARRO SCORES BRACE IN MIAMI VICTORY 🃏🇲🇽👏

Rodolfo Pizarro played 67 minutes and scored two goals in @InterMiamiCF 3-1 win against @TorontoFC.#RodolfoPizarro #InterMiamiFC #TFCLive #MLS #ElTriEng pic.twitter.com/5zlMKL6ud2

— El Tri Online (@eltrionline) August 22, 2021

Until Toronto actually keeps someone off the scoresheet, you basically have to expect that they’ll continue to ship goals. They’ve kept one clean sheet all season and that was back on May 12. It’s now 17 in a row where their opponents have found the back of the net. They’ve also conceded 11 in their past five.

Montreal has only allowed one goal combined in their past two, but that one clean sheet is their only one in their past ten matches.

At home, whether that be in Florida, or more recently back in Montreal, they have just a single loss this season. They’re currently undefeated in six at home and have been looking impressive offensively. Their past four at home have seen them score multiple goals each team in 2-1, 5-4, 2-2 and 2-1 results.

That form should continue against Toronto’s struggling defense. Montreal was able to put up four goals in a 4-2 win over TFC back in April and another goal-fest could be in the cards Friday night.

Montreal is the form team right now so should have the first chance at all three points. If Toronto is ever to get on track this season, a result against their bitter rivals could be the place to start, so it may be safer to simply back the goals market in this one.

Pick: Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 (-125 at Bet365)

LAFC vs LA Galaxy Prediction

It’s an El Tráfico showdown that has a little less luster than some of the past matchups of past. Banc of California will host the second installment of the rivalry this season at 7:00 pm EST Saturday evening in MLS Week 22 play. Earlier this season it was a 2-1 win for the Galaxy on their home pitch that saw Chicharito record a goal and assist.

However, it’s unlikely the Mexican star will feature this weekend as he’s been slow to recover fully from a calf injury.

#LAFC With Carlos Vela being confirmed OUT for the #MLSAllStar  game/skills challenge. And potentially out for the derby vs #LAGalaxy It’s a big blow to the @MLS it was suppose to be a week to see their two biggest Mexican stars play together and few days later against each other pic.twitter.com/3UK41M7Qh2

— Gio Garcia (@GioGarciaLA) August 23, 2021

The Galaxy have won just once in their past four. They’re coming off back-to-back 2-1 losses, first to Colorado and then again to San Jose on Friday. Still, they sit fourth in the Western Conference standings at 11-2-8 (WDL).

That’s much better than their crosstown rivals. Bob Bradley’s LAFC are in one of their worst runs of form since they joined the league. Saturday’s 2-1 road loss in Vancouver was their fourth-straight defeat. They’re also now winless in seven.

In 11 all-time meetings between the teams, fewer than three combined goals have only been scored twice.

This year, no team has played to a higher amount of Overs than the Galaxy at 15-6 to Over 2.5 totals. For LAFC, they’re also 11-9 to the Over. While in seven of their past eight both teams have scored and at least three goals have been scored.

#LAFC#LAGalaxy

We can't wait for Saturday. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fpF6TymYDt

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 27, 2021

Carlos Vela could miss out here as he left last weekend’s game with Vancouver with an injury. He also missed out on this week’s All-Star Game. LAFC still have Diego Rossi who’s always capable of finding the back of the net, But their defense has been porous of late. On the road, they’ve conceded in eight of ten this season.

Pick: Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 (-125 Bet365)

Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers Prediction

MLS Week 22 concludes with a huge Cascadia clash between Seattle (1st in West), versus Portland (eighth) at 10:30 pm EST Sunday night.

Seattle has reclaimed top spot in the West after rescuing three points in the dying minutes of their match against Columbus last Saturday. With the teams scoreless late on, the Crew’s Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his first goal as a member of the Crew in the 77′ minute soon after subbing on. However, the Sounders proved resilient in scoring not once, but twice in quick succession in the 88′ and 89′ minutes to claim a 2-1 win. It’s their third win in a row and all three have come on the road.

A game-winner from the 🐻@wbruin's goal is the @EQCasino Play of the Match from #CLBvSEA! pic.twitter.com/DO08uD56pK

— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) August 22, 2021

Portland has yet to recover from the 6-2 mauling they suffered at the hands of the Sounders just a couple of weeks ago. They followed that up with a 1-1 draw away to SKC and then fell 3-1 on the road to Austin on Saturday. They also found themselves in a 3-0 hole early on, just 29 minutes in.

The teams have met twice already this season and in total we’ve seen 11 goals. Seattle has already won both meetings, each on the road, first 2-1 in May and then 6-2 on August 15.

Portland’s games trend highly to the Over. At 14-6 to Over 2.5 totals only LA and New England with 15 have more. At 3.3 goals-per-game, they’re tied with Toronto for the highest average goals scored per game.

Considering in 20 games thus far, the Timbers have only kept three clean sheets, it’s hard to see them keeping Seattle at bay this weekend. They haven’t kept a clean sheet since a 1-0 home win on July 17. Since, every single Timbers’ game has seen both teams scoring. Away from Providence Park Portland has conceded in nine of ten. They’ve conceded multiple goals on the road in seven of ten.

With Nico Lodeiro back in the fold and Raul Ruidiaz in fine form atop the Golden Boot charts (+100 as anytime scorer), the Sounders should be good for a couple of goals in MLS Week 22.

Pick: Seattle Over 1.5 Goals (-150 at Bet365)