The main bracket in the MLS Cup Playoffs gets underway on Saturday evening as two ties play the first game of a possible three in the revamped format for this competition on what looks on paper to be a great night of football.
Every match in the MLS Cup Playoffs will be live and in full on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV with full coverage of each game and in the UK certain bookmakers will show the games too so there is no need to miss out on a minute of the action!
Philadelphia Union vs New England Revolution (22.00)
The first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs gets underway at Subaru Park where the Philadelphia Union play host to the New England Revolution with these two meeting for the second straight week having also clashed on Decision Day last week.
These two teams have been two of the better sides in the Eastern Conference over the last two or three seasons and if they have their best with them here then we should be in for something of a cracking opener to the main bracket. I suspect the away sides in these first game of the series have absolutely nothing to lose so it will be interesting to see if that is the approach that New England take here. I’m not sure we can read a whole lot into last week. It was in New England and Philadelphia couldn’t really go anywhere so I’ll ignore that. The problem that I think the Revs have here is teams don’t tend to get much joy out of trips to Philadelphia and we saw last season and the Union can handle the postseason pressure. When Philadelphia get on a roll at home they can be very hard to beat as a 10-6-1 record would suggest. The Revs have already lost 3-0 in Philadelphia this season and I fancy it will be Philly who draw first blood in this series.
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Los Angeles FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps (01.00)
The second match of the night sees the champions Los Angeles FC launching their title defence when they welcome a dangerous Vancouver Whitecaps side to this part of California for the first of what could be three cracking encounters.
Los Angeles FC haven’t always impressed this season but that was largely down to the number of competitions they were competing in. They have looked good at the times when it has mattered and when they have been in a strong run of fixtures so that bodes well for them here. Vancouver coach Vanni Santini has made no secret of the fact that his team fear nobody and only the table topping St Louis City SC scored more goals than them in the West this season. Vancouver finished the season with just two defeats in their last 11 matches and they have already won away to LAFC this term, but they will know that Los Angeles beat them in both legs of their Champions League quarter final. The Whitecaps are definitely an away side who have nothing to lose so I’m expecting to see them try and take the game to their hosts here even though that might just play into Los Angeles’ hands. I like over 3 goals here.
Tips
Back Philadelphia Union (-0.75AH) to beat New England Revolution for a 3/10 stake at 1.90 with Bet365
Back Los Angeles FC vs Vancouver Whitecaps – Over 3 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with Bet365
