There is one match left in the MLS 2025 weekend and it comes long in the Sunday Night Soccer slot as we head to the Western Conference for the clash between Austin FC and the new boys San Diego FC.
San Diego have started life in MLS in very good fashion and will make their way to Texas unbeaten in their debut campaign. Austin were fancied to go better this term but haven’t really clicked into gear as they would have expected just yet so it will be interesting to see if the form holds up.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live and in full via the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV with the build-up at the Q2 Stadium beginning at 7pm ahead of the 8pm UK kick off.
Austin FC
After missing out on the playoffs last season, getting back to the postseason is the minimum requirement for an Austin FC side who have invested plenty of money into their squad ahead of the campaign. Some big signings arrived in Texas after Austin had signed well to reform and revive their attacking output . That was much needed but we are still waiting for the fruits of that labour to come to the fore this term.
Austin have started this season with a couple of wins and a couple of defeats with all four matches finishing 1-0 so they will be looking to find the back of the net a lot more as we move into this season. Defensively they look to be standing up to the tests well but the big problem for the Texan side is that only three of the 30 teams in MLS have a worse xG rating than them so their attack really needs to find some ways of creating better chances. They will be without Myrto Uzuni to international duty which won’t help in that regard.
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San Diego FC
We are becoming more and more accustomed to expansion teams hitting the ground running in the MLS but I’m not sure anyone expected quite the immediate impact that San Diego FC have had in the competition. When you factor in how tough they are having to do it because of injuries, the fact that ‘The Ninos’ are still unbeaten is no mean effort at all. A win here will move San Diego up to second in the table and to within a point of the Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps.
San Diego are a side who will look to dominate the ball. They want to control possession and the fact that they have won the xG battle in all of their matches so far suggests that teams are struggling to break them down and probably get worn down. This is all being done without the marquee signing of Chucky Lozano for most of the campaign. In an ideal world San Diego would score more than the six that they have got in four games but given the injuries they are having to deal with we can excuse them for that.
Betting
Two bets take my fancy in this standalone game with the first one being San Diego FC on the +0.5 Asian handicap. Austin FC have got a couple of big issues going into this match. Their attacking output so far this season has been incredibly disappointing and they are unlikely to have too much of the ball to change that here. The other problem they have got is while they have been much improved defensively, which they had to be, they miss their starting centre-backs here as they are on international duty and their back up is injured so a defensive midfield might need to play at the heart of the defence. San Diego are dealing with injuries but they have shown they can control the ball and with Austin really struggling to put moves together this is a good chance to keep the unbeaten run going for the expansion side, who have avoided defeat against much better sides in their four matches to date.
The other bet I like is for Onni Valakari to have a shot on target. The San Diego midfielder is yet to start this season but he is projected to start here because of injuries that the visitors have. The Finnish player has only played 118 minutes this term but he has got four shots away and hit the target with two of them. A tall, attacking midfielder who can be a threat from set plays but who will get to see plenty of the ball in and around the box is the sort of player who will go well against Austin FC. Austin have already conceded a goal to an attacking midfielder this season and with San Diego having the creativity of Anders Dreyer I like the 25-year-old to hit the target here.
Tips
Back San Diego FC (+0.5AH) to beat Austin FC for a 3/10 stake at 1.85 with Bet365
Back O.Valakari – Over 0.5 shots on target for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with Coral
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