MLS: Goal-glut forecast for Saturday night in Seattle

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER expert Kyle Worthington (@SM_Kyle) analyses two of the televised tussles from across the pond on Saturday night.

Montreal Impact v Columbus Crew | Saturday 13th April 2019, 18:00 | Sky Sports

The weekend’s early kick off on Saturday offers one of the best betting angles of this round of fixtures, in my opinion. Montreal host a Columbus side who so far have looked incredible.

The Crew come into this sitting top of the Eastern conference with a record of W4-D1-L1 from their opening six. The key to their success seems to be down to how solid they’ve been defensively; they have managed to stay tight and conceded just four goals, keeping four clean sheets in that time.

If we switch our focus to Crew’s attacking performances, then in all honesty it’s nothing to write home about, scoring only seven goals. But it’s the manner in which they’ve been winning, doing enough by grabbing a goal or two and then shutting up shop. If you’re that good at the back then you’ll reap the rewards and that’s exactly the case with Columbus.

Montreal have blown hot and cold, and unfortunately for the Impact, it’s been more of the latter. Their record stands at W2-D2-L2 – not terrible but also nothing more than average. Their season started with a road win at San Jose – their most impressive performance – but they have dropped off since and incredibly lost 7-1 at Kansas City a couple of weeks back.

A lot was said after that thrashing by SKC and Montreal’s defensive capabilities, and to be fair to them, in the two games since that shocking defeat they have kept a perfect defensive record. That record doesn’t tell the whole story though with their last fixtures ending 0-0, not something you see very often in MLS.

I believe this is solely down to the fact that Impact have put all their time and effort into avenging that embarrassing defeat in Kansas, and as a result the goals have dried up.

To summarise, I just don’t see Montreal coming out of this with maximum points. Columbus are flying, whilst Montreal are plodding along at a slow pace and so I really fancy the Crew to come away with nothing less than a point in this one – the visitors are 6/5 (Bet365) in the Draw No Bet market.

Seattle Sounders v Toronto FC | Saturday 13th April 2019, 21:00 | Sky Sports

My second game to focus on is my pick for a game full of goals as Seattle host Toronto.

Both sides come into this fixture unbeaten; Toronto’s record reads W3-D1-L0 whilst Seattle have returned W4-D1-L0. A brilliant start for both and I certainly don’t see a cagey low-scoring affair when they lock horns. In fact, it should be the complete opposite.

I’ll get straight into some statistic’s: Seattle’s goals for/against record from their opening five games reads scored 11 and conceded three. Toronto’s opening four shows a record of, 12 goals and five conceded.

Both records make for very impressive reading. Seattle boast a slightly better defensive outfit, in my opinion, and the stats show that but what Toronto lack in defensive capability they more than make up for in firepower. The visitors seem to have a remarkable ability of outscoring whoever they face, as do the Sounders.

I struggle to see a scenario in which we don’t see a game full of goals for both sides. Settling for a draw or shutting up shop just won’t be on the agenda and this should make for a cracking watch. Everything points towards a brilliant game and personally I’d love to see a 3-2 either way, or something along those lines.

Two brilliant sides, full of quality and class, goals is the best angle to take and there’s plenty to choose from. I’ve struggled to narrow it down to just one selection so here’s a few picks that I think are worth looking at, including a couple worthwhile at big prices.

Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score is even-money at William Hill and Over 3.5 Goals is 13/8 (Bet365). I’ve also had a bit of interest in the 7/2 (Betfair) on Both Teams To Score 2 Or More Goals market, plus the 11/1 on Both Teams To Score In Both Halves with Bet365.

Best Bets

Montreal Impact v Columbus Crew – Columbus Crew draw no bet (6/5 Bet365)

Seattle Sounders v Toronto FC – Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams To Score (1/1 William Hill)

Seattle Sounders v Toronto FC – Over 3.5 Goals (13/8 Bet365)

Seattle Sounders v Toronto FC – Both Teams To Score 2 Or More Goals (7/2 Betfair)

Seattle Sounders v Toronto FC – Both Teams To Score In Both Halves (11/1 Bet365)