MLS Week 5 Odds & Picks: Toronto FC vs NYCFC, Portland vs LA Galaxy & More

• MLS Week 5 offers up a huge slate of Saturday action
• Last week’s record: 2-1, +0.48 units; Season Record 10-5, +3.47 units
• Read on for the odds and our best bets for the MLS Week 5 below

After a busy international break, Major League Soccer resumes with MLS Week 5 this weekend. It will be a jam-packed Saturday of action as 13 games take place, all starting at 3:30 pm or later. Sunday features a standalone match where Portland hosts the Galaxy at 4:30 pm EST.

Read on for the odds for MLS Week 5 below, followed by our two top plays for the weekend, as well as a two-team parlay bet.

MLS Week 5 Odds

Make sure you check out these Caesars Sportsbook promo codes before betting these odds

When deciding on the pros and cons of betting on these teams, remember that most have been off for the past two weeks. Only three games took place last weekend. These include Charlotte vs Cincinnati, SKC vs RSL, and Portland vs Orlando.

With legal Canadian sports betting launching on Monday, April 4, Toronto FC bettors will soon be able to bet on the Reds through a variety of legal sportsbooks such as theScore Bet.

CAESARS SPORTSBOOK

Get Your First Bet Back - Up To $1,000 On Caesars!

LOCK IN PROMO

CODE: SBD1000

CODE: SBD1000

SIGNUP PROMO

GET UP TO
$1,000 BACK

CLAIM OFFER

Toronto FC vs NYCFC Prediction

After four games, you probably would have been offered great odds for both Toronto and New York to be dead-even in the Eastern Conference standings with identical 1-1-2 records. Toronto has scored five while conceding eight, while New York has both scored four and allowed four.

With eight goals allowed TFC’s defense has been an issue. But they are coming off their first win in the Bob Bradley era when they defeated DC United at BMO Field 2-1 in their last match. Toronto has scored in all of their matches, but they’ve also conceded in each. Both teams have scored with three or more goals having cashed in three of TFC’s four matches.

Get charged up for #TORvNYC 🔋⚽️👇 @servicesflo pic.twitter.com/yk85KjdnMC

— New York City Football Club (@NYCFC) April 1, 2022

BMO Field will be rocking after Canada’s men’s national team clinched their World Cup birth on this field last weekend and could provide a little extra boost to the Reds. Toronto still has talented forwards in their ranks and at home should be able to breach New York’s net.

But up against the reigning MLS Cup champs is no easy task. New York had CONCACAF Champions League matches to contend with at the start of the season. They’ve been off for the international break ahead of this one but will play the Seattle Sounders this upcoming Wednesday in the semifinals.

Last year the teams drew 1-1 in New York and then drew again, 2-2 in Toronto.

Pick: Both to Score & Over 2.5 (+100)

Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy Prediction

The final match of MLS Week 5 and the standalone Sunday game sees Portland hosting the LA Galaxy at 4:30 pm EST.

Neither team is off to the strongest of starts so far this season. Portland is just 1-3-1, while LA is 2-0-2. The Timbers have played one more game, as they were one of six teams to play last weekend. They drew on Sunday, 1-1 with Orlando City.

That extends Portland’s streak of scoring to all five of their matches. They’ve also conceded though in four of five.

Galaxy matches have been very low-scoring thus far as they are 3-1 to Under 2.5 totals. Outside of a 3-2 loss to Seattle, their other three matches have all ended with 1-0 scorelines.

🤔🇲🇽 @SachaKljestan came through with the real question for @marianot19: Should @CH14_ be on the Mexican national team? pic.twitter.com/8GY4BmS0Xn

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 25, 2022

However, when these teams meet up, goals are usually on the menu. Last season the home team won all three meetings. Portland won 3-0 in the first meeting, followed by 4-1 and 2-1 Galaxy wins in California. Overall, each of the past ten meetings between the sides has seen a minimum of three goals scored. Seven of those ten have also seen both teams scoring and that’s the route and trend I’ll follow in this one in Sunday’s marquee match.

Portland has conceded the most attacking third touches of any team in MLS so far. That should mean Chicharito will have his opportunities to find the scoresheet (+105 as an anytime scorer). Meanwhile, the Galaxy ranks third in offensive final third touches. Both teams rank in the top four, LA second, and Portland fourth, in expected goals in the Western Conference.

Pick: Both to Score & Over 2.5 Goals (-110)

MLS Week 5 Parlay Bet

Here’s a two-teamer to consider as a parlay bet for this weekend in MLS Week 5.

FC Cincinnati vs CF Montreal Prediction

On paper, this doesn’t look like a match to get too excited about. Montreal is 13th in the East at 0-1-3, with five goals scored and 11 conceded. They’re above only Miami, also 0-1-3, with just two goals scored and ten conceded.

Cincinnati are 2-0-3 with five goals scored and ten conceded. Combined these teams have scored ten and conceded 21.

Cincy just lost 2-0 on the road to expansion side Charlotte. While Montreal drew 3-3 with Atlanta, and has seen both teams score in each of their past three matches.

With two shaky defenses and a match, both teams will be desperate for points in, this one could see goals from both sides (-155).

Turn your dial to #CINvMTL tomorrow night 📺 Or better yet, be at @TQLStadium.

24 hours ⏳ #AllForCincy pic.twitter.com/xHEiRfT6Jf

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) April 1, 2022

Philadelphia Union vs Charlotte FC Prediction

Newcomers Charlotte FC have been getting all the praise of late after back-to-back wins at home. First over New England (3-1) and last against Cincinnati (2-0). That’s great. And they are great building block wins to give this expansion team some confidence moving forward. However, both were at home. One was against a tired and rotated Revolution side coming off mid-week CCL disappointment. The other was versus Cincinnati. That’s all that needs to be said there.

So far, in two road games this year, Charlotte lost 3-0 to DC and 2-1 to Atlanta. Though that defeat in Atlanta came from a very late goal.

Both Stuart Findlay and Mikael Uhre trained fully today for the Union. With a week off, looking at an possibly empty injury list this week

— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) March 30, 2022

Still, they’re now going up against a Union team that was third in the East last season and 11-3-3 at home. The Union currently sits first in the East at 3-1-0 and has already knocked off MLS Cup champs NYCFC 2-0 on the road. Their MLS Cup odds have now shortened to +1200. They’ve also only allowed two goals on the season, while their 3.1 expected goals against ranks second in all of MLS. The Union have a healthy roster and may welcome the home debut of DP Mikael Uhre.

This should be a game Philly wins (-225).

Parlay Bet: Cincinnati vs Montreal Both to Score & Philadelphia to Win (+138)