MLS News, Previews, Tips & Odds – Toronto FC v FC Dallas

Columbus opens big lead, while Man Utd prepare to take on best of MLS

There have been some interesting twists and turns in the MLS (Major League Soccer) this week which is good for your soccer betting. With several teams from the English Premier League heading across the pond to take on some of the best that US Soccer has to offer in friendly matches, on the domestic front for the MLS teams, things at the top of both conferences have been hotting up. Last Wednesday, Eastern Conference leaders the Columbus Crew suffered a surprising loss against the Kansas City Wizards. The Wizards weren’t in great form going into the match in Ohio, having lost their last three, but they upset the football betting odds to get the better of The Crew in a 1-0 win. That was the first defeat in four matches for Columbus, who are looking to repeat their success of last couple of years where they have finished with the best record in the MLS (that’s out of both conferences, where the winner gets the MLS Supporters’ Shield). Columbus backed it up by winning the MLS Cup in 2008, but couldn’t repeat the double success last year. That defeat against the Wizards shook them, but certainly did not break them ahead of last weekend’s titan encounter against New York.

Columbus are one of the best teams in the MLS, certainly in the Eastern Conference, as they one of those sturdy, solid teams who get the job done. They welcome the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, who are languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference, and should Columbus win as expected, they will open up an eight point gap at the top of the Eastern Conference over the New York Red Bulls. Columbus are being challenged for Eastern Conference supremacy this year by the New York Red Bulls, who have hit the headlines with the signing of former Arsenal star Thierry Henry. The Red Bulls would have liked to have gotten him into action for last weekend’s table topping crunch game against the Columbus Crew, but he wasn’t ready and the Red Bulls lost 2-0 away in Ohio. That will have been a huge blow for the Eastern Conference title hopes of the Red Bulls, who are much more of a glamour side than The Crew. But it was Columbus who got the job done, cementing their position at the top of the conference with some aplomb. New York have Juan Pablo Angel firing on all cylinders up front, and now with Henry joining the fold, they will look to push on with their status in the game.

Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs, who is in the States on United’s pre season tour, has played down rumours of him playing out his career in the US. He likes the style of the American life, but has managed to secure just a little longer at Old Trafford where has made his career. Part of United’s pre season build up will include a match against the MLS All Star team on July 28th, which should be a fun filled competitive match. Manchester City and Tottenham are also in the States competing in the four team New York Challenge, where they square off against the Red Bulls and Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.  Manchester City have been sending scouts to watch Western Conference giants LA Galaxy, as Roberto Mancini has reported interest in signing USA World Cup star Landon Donovan, even though the Galaxy are refusing to let him go. Donovan impressed in the Premier League last year on a loan spell at Everton. David Beckham’s LA Galaxy are nine points clear of second place Real Salt Lake at the top of the Western Conference.

MLS Game of the Week – Toronto & Dallas showdown in weekend’s big MLS fixture

Saturday, July 24th
Toronto FC v FC Dallas

Quite a lot at stake in this one, in Saturday’s somewhat abridged MLS fixture list of just three matches, but a good football betting opportunity. Toronto are sitting third in the Eastern Conference, and FC Dallas are sitting third in the Western Conference. This means that both teams have the chance to put a little pressure on their respective teams ahead of them. What happens in the MLS, is that the top two teams from each conference automatically get put through to the MLS Cup Play-Offs, with the four teams with the best records (from any conference) joining them. So trying to secure second place can be a crucial factor come the end of the season. Let’s start with Toronto FC, who are the only Canadian side in the MLS at the moment (soon to be joined by Vancouver). At the moment, they are just four points behind the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference, with a game in hand over Thierry Henry’s new club. They will be fully expectant of making use of home advantage here, because if they can pick up those big three points it will not only put pressure on the Red Bulls, it will distance Toronto from the pressure that Chicago are putting on them in fourth place. Toronto have only been together in their current guise since 2007, and the played out a 1-1 draw with Premier League side Bolton on Wednesday. Toronto kept much of their first team on the bench, and still more than matched the English side. They haven’t met FC Dallas so far in 2010.

For Dallas though, the three points at stake are equally as important, as they would pull the club to within two points of last year’s MLS Cup winners Real Salt Lake who are in second place in the Western Conference. There will be a long way to go to catch Western Conference leaders Los Angeles Galaxy, but a win for FC Dallas on Saturday would put them right in a tight battle for that all important second place in the conference. The Western Conference is a little tighter at the top in the race for that automatic qualification place, and third placed Dallas have Colorado just one point behind them, and San Jose just two points behind them. This is how crucial this next match is for both Dallas and Toronto. So what can we expect to see? Well a guide for MLS football betting would be leaning towards a tie right here, as they are fairly evenly matched. But if you are looking for a winner to get behind, then the away side FC Dallas will make great odds. They are actually carrying the slightly better form going into the match, and have a better defence than Toronto. The Canadians are also struggling in front of goal just a little bit at the moment, and after pulling off a massive victory over Real Salt Lake in their last outing, FC Dallas will be the more confident of the two sides. Expect a close game, but Dallas should have just enough to edge it.

Toronto FC to win: 11/10 at Stan James
Draw: 9/4 at SkyBet
Dallas to win: 12/5 at Bet365

Columbus Crew to win: 7/10 at Bet365
Draw: 5/2 at SportingBet
Houston Dynamo to win: 4/1 at BetFred

Eastern Conference MLS Standings

Western Conference MLS Standings