The MLS Cup Playoffs continues on Tuesday night when the penultimate best of three tie to get underway gets up and running when fourth host fifth in the Eastern Conference when Charlotte FC take on New York City FC.
If you are a regular to our MLS previews you’ll know that the match will be shown live and in full via the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV but if you don’t have that service then you can watch the game on the bookmaker live streams. The Apple TV coverage begins at 10.15pm ahead of the 10.45pm kick off.
Charlotte FC
This has already been the best season that Charlotte FC have experienced in the short history they have had in the MLS and it has the potential to get even better now that they have secured home advantage in this best of three series. Getting that benefit was big because no team in MLS has picked up more points on home soil in the regular season than Charlotte FC so that makes them huge favourites to win this tie and progress to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
The big issue that Charlotte could have in this match is they are missing their DP talent Wilfried Zaha after he was dismissed on Decision Day so Charlotte will need to switch their attack around. Nevertheless, this is a side who do score goals on home soil. The positive for Charlotte is they have kept seven clean sheets in their last 10 matches and have won 11 of their last 13 so they head into the postseason in arguably the best form of anyone in the competition.
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New York City FC
New York City FC are enjoying a better season than they did last term as they finished sixth then and fifth this time around despite a defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the final game of the regular season. Unfortunately for them that loss means that they are going to have to go on the road for two of the three matches in this tie should it go the distance and they might live to regret that, although they do go up against a Charlotte side without some firepower in this opening game.
The one thing New York City FC do have is a goalscorer who has been in decent form this term in Alonso Martinez. He is one of the leading marksmen in the MLS and you get the feeling if the team from the Big Apple are going to progress from this tie then he is going to need to play well. New York have been good on the road in recent times. They lost their last away game but that was to Philadelphia Union who went on to win the Supporters’ Shield but prior to that they had won four in succession on the road so they should be arriving in Carolina in confidence.
Betting
I think we are in for a really good game of football here in a tie which I think might be a sleeper for being the best of the lot but I don’t really get the thought process around Charlotte FC being the outsiders on home soil. Everyone knows that this is one of the fortress grounds in the MLS and it is a ground where New York City FC have played four and lost the lot. There is no Wilfried Zaha for the home side and while he has been key for them with 21 goal contributions in his first season in the league, I’m not sure his absence merits Charlotte being outsiders.
This is still a Charlotte side who have kept seven clean sheets in their last 10 matches so it might be that the home side will only need one goal to draw first blood in the series. It isn’t like they are bringing a ringer in to replace Zaha, it is going to be an Israel international in Liel Abada. Charlotte will know that they become massive outsiders in this tie if they don’t win this opening match and that should focus the minds and ensure that they are the ones who come out on top but this could be a tight tie so I’m taking the draw out of play given that Charlotte are the outsiders and therefore a fair price on the draw no bet Asian line.
Tips
Back Charlotte FC (0AH) to beat New York City FC for a 3/10 stake at 2.03 with Bet365
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