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Major League Soccer is the professional soccer league in the United States. It is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation and is the highest level of soccer competition in the U.S.A. The MLS is composed of 24 teams, 21 of which come from the United States and three from Canada. The regular season runs from March to October of every year with each team playing a total of 34 regular season games.
The team with the best record is awarded the Supporters’ Shield and the top 14 teams will qualify for the playoffs which run from October to November, culminating in the MLS Cup, which is the league championship game.
The 2019 MLS season began last March 2, 2019, and will end on October 6th. The playoffs will start on October 19 and end with the MLC Cup on November 10. So far, the teams have played from 17 to 19 games each, meaning we are only halfway the 2019 MLS season. As of July 2, 2019, here are the current team standings so we can get a picture of which teams will possibly enter the playoff round.
Eastern Conference
| GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NYC FC | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 53 | 35 | +18 | 51 |
| 2 | Philadelphia Union | 29 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 54 | 42 | +12 | 51 |
| 3 | Atlanta United | 28 | `15 | 3 | 10 | 47 | 33 | +14 | 48 |
| 4 | DC United | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 39 | 38 | +1 | 42 |
| 5 | NY Red Bulls | 29 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 47 | 44 | +3 | 41 |
| 6 | Toronto FC | 29 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 49 | 46 | +3 | 41 |
| 7 | New England | 29 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 42 | 49 | -7 | 39 |
| 8 | Montreal Impact | 30 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 42 | 56 | -14 | 37 |
| 9 | Orlando City | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 37 | 41 | -4 | 35 |
| 10 | Chicago | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 44 | 43 | +1 | 34 |
Western Conference
| GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles FC | 29 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 76 | 32 | +44 | 64 |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders | 29 | 13 | 7 | 9 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 46 |
| 3 | Minnesota United | 28 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 46 | 37 | +9 | 45 |
| 4 | San Jose | 28 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 43 | +5 | 44 |
| 5 | Real Salt Lake | 28 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 40 | 35 | -5 | 43 |
| 6 | Portland | 28 | 13 | 4 | 11 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 43 |
| 7 | FC Dallas | 29 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 47 | 38 | +9 | 43 |
| 8 | La Galaxy | 28 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 41 | 45 | -4 | 42 |
| 9 | Sporting KC | 29 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 42 | 47 | -5 | 37 |
| 10 | Colorado | 29 | 9 | 6 | 14 | 47 | 54 | -7 | 33 |
Here are the odds to win the 2019 MLS. Odds were taken from MyBookie.ag as of 7/2/19:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | +150 |
| LA Galaxy | +2500 |
| Atlanta United | +1000 |
| New York City FC | +600 |
| New York Red Bulls | +2000 |
| DC United | +2500 |
| Philadelphia Union | +1200 |
| Portland Timbers | +4000 |
| Seattle Sounders | +1600 |
| FC Dallas | +2800 |
Who Are The Favorites?
Los Angeles FC set the regular-season record for most points scored for an expansion team last season but they were knocked out of the playoff early. This time around, the expectations are high for L.A,’s new team. Led by Carlos Vela and anchored by Walker Zimmerman, the Los Angeles FC has taken the top of the standings and are the current soccer betting favorites to win the 2019 MLS Cup. Vela is currently the league’s leading goal scorer with 27 goals in 26 games played. Diego Rossi is 4th in the league with 14 goals scored.
The LA Galaxy is one of the most successful franchises in the MLS with a record of 5 MLS Cup victories and won the Western Conference a total of 8 times. And yes, of course, this is the team where the god, Zlatan Ibrahimovic plays for. Ibrahimovic is the biggest star in the Galaxy ( the LA Galaxy, I mean ) and is currently tied for 2nd in the MLS with 23 goals scored in games played. This is Zlatan’s first full year with the LA Galaxy and much is expected of the Super Swede.
Atlanta United claimed the 2018 MLS Cup in only their second season in the league. Not only did Atlanta retain the majority of its 2018 star-studded line-up, but they also added 2018 South America 2018 Player of the Year Pity Martinez to their line-up. But it’s been the original Martinez who’s doing the damage right now: Josef Marinez. Last season, Martinez was MVP, All-Star Game MVP, Golden Boot, and MLS Cup MVP, making him the most decorated player in MLS history during a single season. Josef Martinez is currently tied with Zlatan for second in the league with 23 goals scored.
Who Wins?
If you take a look at the team standings, Los Angeles FC is up to five points right now as Bob Bradley’s team has created a gap on top of the team standings. Of course, you can’t discount the defending champions in Atlanta who are in a good position despite 10 losses already. Then let’s not discount the Galaxy and D.C. United with superstars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney, respectively. These aren’t just superstars but both have been at the highest level and know how to win.
I think the Los Angeles FC is the best team in the league right now and are playing as such. They have scored 76 goals on the season, the most by any team. Not only that, they have conceded only 32 goals so far this season, the least by any team. Their goal difference of +44 is more than +20 better than their closest rival. When you have a team that’s playing this well on both ends of the field, there aren’t too many reasons why you shouldn’t back them. Prediction: Los Angeles FC
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