The first midweek match day in the MLS 2024 season takes place on Wednesday night when 11 matches are played out on a night where plenty of rivals will battle it out on what should be a cracking evening of football.
As is the case throughout the campaign, all of these matches will be available via the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV with a couple of the games free just to Apple TV subscribers. The bookmaker live streams will show them too.
Wednesday’s fixtures are as follows: (UK kick off in brackets; 00.30 unless stated)
CF Montréal v Columbus Crew
D.C. United v New York Red Bulls
FC Cincinnati v Atlanta United FC
Orlando City SC v Inter Miami CF
Philadelphia Union v New York City FC
Austin FC v Houston Dynamo (01.30)
Chicago Fire v Charlotte FC (01.30)
Minnesota United FC v Los Angeles Galaxy (01.30)
Nashville SC v Toronto FC (01.30)
St. Louis City SC v Los Angeles Football Club (01.30)
Colorado Rapids v Vancouver Whitecaps (02.30)
Real Salt Lake v Seattle Sounders FC (02.30)
Portland Timbers v San Jose Earthquakes (03.30)
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Big Matches
Inter Miami head the pace when it comes to the Supporters’ Shield standings and they make the shortish trip to their rivals Orlando City SC in the pick of the matches on Wednesday evening while second placed FC Cincinnati host Atlanta United is another appealing match over the course of the night. Real Salt Lake are the leaders of the Western Conference and they welcome the Seattle Sounders to Rio Tinto Stadium while the two sides immediately behind RSL in the West meet each other when Minnesota United host LA Galaxy.
Best of the Rest
There are plenty of other matches which offer appeal over the course of the night. One of those comes from Stade Saputo where Wilfried Nancy returns to CF Montreal with the champions Columbus Crew while DC United tackle New York Red Bulls in a good game. Two of the Texan sides battling it out when Austin FC play host to Houston Dynamo while Philadelphia Union will look to turn their season around when they host New York City FC. The night concludes with the two worst defences in MLS colliding when the Portland Timbers welcome the San Jose Earthquakes to Providence Park.
Betting
I like three bets over the course of the night. The first of them comes in the capital where I am very surprised we have a 2.5 goal line between DC United and New York Red Bulls. I’ve mentioned a few times how the addition of Emil Forsberg has rejuvenated the Red Bulls’ attack and their change in style has also brought about a slightly more vulnerable defence, as seen by the fact there have been 14 goals in the last two games they have been involved in. DC United have been no strangers to high scoring games this season, helped by the excellent form of Christian Benteke, with five of their last nine having had four or more goals and another having three. This fixture last season ended 5-3 to the Red Bulls and with The Atlantic Cup up for grabs here we know this won’t be one of those midweek games the visiting team sacks off as is sometimes the case in MLS. I expect the goals to flow here.
Another rivalry game where I’m expecting the goals to flow is the one between Orlando City SC and Inter Miami where the goal line looks low at 3. Orlando are probably looking for some revenge in this match having lost 5-0 in Miami earlier in the season and although there is a doubt over Lionel Messi in this match I still think the goals will flow. There is still Luis Suarez and others in the Miami ranks while Luis Muriel finally came to the party for Orlando at the weekend and while Miami are great going forward, any team with any sort of pace can get at their defence, especially with attacking players not always tracking back. These two sides are building quite a rivalry and with 27 goals in the last five Miami games and Orlando coming in here off the back of a 3-2 win and 18 goals in the last five games they have been involved with, I expect to see this line of three covered.
I’m keeping with goals for my last bet as the two worst defences in the MLS meet at Providence Park where Portland Timbers host the San Jose Earthquakes. After losing their Cascadia Cup battle with Seattle Sounders on Sunday, the Timbers are now nine without a win but their matches aren’t short of goals. Seven of their last eight matches have had three or more goals with six of those having four or more. San Jose look like they are finding form having won their last two matches and they are no stranger to high scoring games either. There have been 18 goals in their last four outings and with both of these teams averaging more than two goals against this season the goals should flow here. There is no shortage of attacking talent on show in these two sides to expose these defences so I have to gobble up a 3 goal line in this one.
Tips
Back DC United vs New York Red Bulls – Over 2.5 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.90 with Bet365
Back Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami – Over 3 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with Bet365
Back Portland Timbers vs San Jose Earthquakes – Over 3 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with Bet365
