MLS Week 3 Odds & Picks: Portland vs Austin, Atlanta vs Charlotte & More

• MLS Week 3 kicks off this weekend with 14 matches
• Last week’s record: 3-1, +1.22 units; Season Record 6-3, +2.04 units
• Read on for the odds and our best bets for the MLS Week 3 below

Two weeks into the season and it’s Austin FC who has looked the most impressive with ten goals scored in two wins heading into MLS Week 3. Austin and the LA Galaxy are the only two teams at 2-0-0 in the West, while the New York Red Bulls and DC United are the only two at 2-0-0 in the East.

Some stats to consider as we head into the weekend have the Red Bulls with 16 shots on target, leading the league, while Vancouver has managed just one single shot on goal so far. Toronto and San Jose are again giving up a boatload of chances, each having given up 4.7 expected goals against (league-worst).

Read on for the odds for MLS Week 3 below, followed by our two top plays for the weekend, as well as a two-team parlay bet.

MLS Week 3 Odds

Odds from March 11 at DraftKings

The biggest favorites on the card look to be NYCFC at home to Montreal and Orlando at home to Cincinnati. LAFC is the only odds-on road favorite in MLS Week 3. The books look to have the hardest time separating Dallas (+155) and Nashville (+185) as that match has the closest odds on the schedule.

Four teams are coming off mid-week matches, with NYCFC, Seattle, New England, and Montreal playing in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. MLS teams had a productive week with three winning their leg 1 ties. Only Montreal fell 1-0 at Cruz Azul.

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Portland Timbers vs Austin FC Prediction

It’s MLS After Dark Saturday night when the final match of the day pits Portland at home to undefeated Austin FC at 10:00 pm EST in MLS Week 3.

Austin is the talk of the town right now with ten goals over two games in 5-0 and 5-1 wins over Cincinnati and Miami respectively. Sebastian Driussi sits tied atop the league leaders in goals with three, followed by teammates Cecilio Dominguez and Ethan Finlay with two. A prop bet on Driussi as an anytime scorer could be an option at +250 odds.

Both of those wins came at home where Austin has shown to be a much more capable side. They were also both against two teams expected to be near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

They’ll now hit the road to face MLS Cup finalists Portland who are 0-2-0 to start the 2022 MLS Season. The Timbers drew New England 2-2 in Week 1. In Week 2, they were moments away from taking all three points versus LAFC, prior to Los Angeles scoring the equalizer, while playing a man down in the 93rd minute.

DRIUSSI AGAIN

Make that 3-0 to @AustinFC over Miami. pic.twitter.com/cYU8EO3XvP

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 6, 2022

Austin’s matches this year and last have seen plenty of goals. Going back in their past seven and also in nine of ten, their matches have seen at least three goals scored. In four of those ten, Austin was on the road and was outscored 12-1. One of those heavy defeats was at the hands of the Timbers in the season finale, 3-0. However, long eliminated from the playoffs, one could argue they put more effort into their home finale the match prior, a 3-1 win.

Portland too, rarely sees low-scoring matches. Only one time in their past 12 matches has there been fewer than two goals in their matches. Both teams have scored in seven of those 12.

Given Austin’s poor road form last year, it’s hard to expect them to keep a clean sheet versus the Timbers. But the way Austin’s offense is flying right now, against a Timbers side not known for playing tight defensively, this one could turn into an exciting affair.

Pick: Both to Score & Over 2.5 (-115)

Atlanta United vs Charlotte FC Prediction

One of two matches on Sunday, the early game for MLS Week 3 sees Atlanta hosting Charlotte FC at 4:30 pm EST.

This is obviously the first-ever match between these Eastern Conference sides and with it only being Charlotte’s third game at all, we have little to go off of.

Atlanta opened the season with a 3-1 home win over SKC but followed that up with a 3-0 road defeat in Colorado.

Charlotte lost 3-0 in DC on opening day, and 1-0 at home last weekend against the LA Galaxy. Against LA, the Galaxy held a 21-5 advantage in attempts at goal.

Going into Mercedes-Benz Stadium won’t be the easiest of venues for Charlotte to pick up their first franchise goal, much less a win. The Five Stripes are undefeated on their home pitch in their past eight dating back to last season, going 6-2-0. During that stretch, they’ve outscored their opponents 18-6.

Anything other than a straightforward Atlanta win would be a surprise. Josef Martinez as an anytime scorer (+125) could also be worth a play.

Pick: Atlanta to win & Score Over 1.5 Goals (-105)

Five 'keepers going 2/2 on shutouts to start the season. 🧤

21 total shutouts = 11% off tickets through Sunday using @SeatGeek promo code "SGSHUTOUT" 🎟 pic.twitter.com/VSHjw3NMPj

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 10, 2022

MLS Week 3 Parlay Bet

Here’s a two-teamer to consider as a parlay bet for this weekend in MLS Week 3.

Inter Miami vs LAFC Prediction

Through two weeks Inter Miami is 0-1-1 after a 0-0 draw with Chicago and 5-1 defeat versus Austin last week and star DP striker Gonzalo Higuain has looked visibly frustrated.

LAFC is 1-1-0 with a 3-0 home win over Colorado and a 1-1 home draw with Portland last week. It did take a 93rd-minute game-tying goal though to rescue a point against the Timbers last week. LAFC is -115 for a road win and that may in fact be a good enough bet on its’ own. However, the status of Carlos Vela is still up in the air being subbed off at half-time last week as a precaution. Despite playing a man up against Portland for the final half-hour of the match, LAFC couldn’t draw level until the final moments.

Miami may turn out to be one of the worst teams this season, but with Vela’s status uncertain, I’ll play it safe with a “double chance” (win or draw) bet on LAFC.

#LAFC Steve Cherundolo on Carlos Vela, Franco Escobar, and Kellyn Acosta injuries.

Vela: “Precautionary we’re still accessing what exactly what it is but doesn’t seem severe.”

Escobar: “Cramping/tightening”

Acosta: “Stubbed toe” pic.twitter.com/pCIkCLa6yd

— Gio Garcia (@GioGarciaLA) March 7, 2022

Philadelphia Union vs San Jose Earthquakes Prediction

The Union drew 1-1 with Minnesota in Week 1 and followed that up with a 2-1 road win over Montreal in Week 2.

Philly was already up 2-1 before forward Julian Carranza took a red card in the 71′ minute. He’ll miss out on Saturday, which could mean a starting role for Danish striker Mikael Uhre. Uhre is Philadelphia’s most expensive signing ever and won the Golden Boot in the Danish Super League last year.

San Jose allowed 54 goals last season and the defense has come under pressure once again in 2022. The six goals they’ve conceded in their opening two matches are tied with Cincinnati for the league-worst. Those goals have come as a result of a 3-1 home loss to the Red Bulls and a 3-3 draw at home to Columbus last week.

https://twitter.com/PhilaUnion/status/1502282388344393731?s=20&t=Ws_pzt8UXIN_Fw-Vwb9n5w

The Earthquakes took an early lead but Jamiro Monteiro received a red card in the 33′ minute to reduce San Jose to ten men. Columbus would use that to their advantage to take a 3-1 lead which looked to be enough for the win. However, San Jose managed to mount a late comeback with goals in the 84′ and 96′ minutes to rescue a 3-3 draw.

The Union have just a single defeat across their past nine matches dating back into last season. That came in the playoffs against the eventual MLS Cup champs NYCFC. The Union were also severely undermanned in that match. At home they’re 7-1-1 in their past nine and should improve on that recent home success against San Jose in MLS Week 3.

Parlay Bet: LAFC double chance & Philadelphia to win (+100)