Subscribe
Follow Us
Austin FC will play hosts to LA Galaxy on the weekend with a ton to play for in this heated Western Conference bout. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLS odds series, which includes our Austin-LA Galaxy prediction and pick we have laid out below.
After a poor first season in the MLS, Austin FC is charging into this match as the second team in the Western Conference. After nine games, they are only three wins away from their tally last season. They are just two points behind conference leaders LAFC, so this is a huge game for them. The visiting LA Galaxy are third, four points behind their weekend rivals. Their start has been good, but they would have been happier if they were closer to city rivals LAFC. If Galaxy wins this match, it will be a step closer to that first seed that will be fought over for the entire season.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Austin-LA Galaxy Premier League odds:
MLS Odds: Austin-LA Galaxy Odds
Austin: (+125)
LA Galaxy: (+185)
Draw: (+240)
Over: 2.5 (-118)
Under: 2.5 (-102)
*Watch Soccer Matches LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)
Why Austin Could Win This Game
For a club in its second season, there are no words to explain how impressive Austin FC have looked this year. With six wins out of nine games, they are cruising towards a playoff berth. Led by their Argentine pairing of Sebastián Driussi and Maximiliano Urruti who have scored 11 of Austin's 22 goals in the MLS this season, the Texan team can hope for a win in any match. That includes a Western Conference derby versus Galaxy, where Austin has a shot to really cement their place at the top of the West.
Article Continues Below
Both of their starlets will be available for this game and it has been Driussi that especially impressed this year. His seven goals in 10 games see him tied for the first place in the MLS Golden Boot race and, coming into an LA Galaxy team that could be reeling from a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake last matchday, Driussi could be exactly what Austin FC need come Sunday.
Despite likely not having their first keeper Brad Stuver available, Austin FC has a great shot of winning this game. Galaxy is a team that has a stable defense and it could be a close match. It is exactly in close matches where Austin FC thrives this year, as their last four wins in fairly close contests, excluding the 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. If they want to really showcase their intention to be at the top of the MLS, Austin FC must win this game.
Why LA Galaxy Could Win This Game
LA Galaxy was on a great run of form, undefeated in four games after two losses, but their run was stopped by Real Salt Lake last weekend. A Marcelo Silva strike at the start of the second half ended all hopes that Galaxy can keep pace with Austin and LAFC at the moment. Yet, with a win in this match, that all could change. Should they win, LA Galaxy would be just a point behind Austin and ready to take control of the second seed, should the Texans slip up.
An unfortunate thing for LA Galaxy is that this has been a season of runs for them. They won two games to start the season, then lost two, then went undefeated for four, and now lost again. Another loss might signal that it could be a poor spell of form for the LA team, but they could also look at the loss to RSL as a wake-up call. Thus, LA Galaxy should be prime and ready to showcase to their fans that their intention is to be in the fight for the first seed of the West.
Their opportunities will mostly come from the veteran duo of Douglas Costa and Javier Hernandez Chicharito. Former European starlets have been good this season and that is especially true for Chicharito, who scored five goals in this campaign already. Also, Serbian striker Dejan Joveljić has also been impressive as of late, securing Galaxy a win against Nashville in the 86th minute and almost saving a point versus RSL, only for VAR to disallow the goal. These three guys will be key for Galaxy in this match.
Final Austin-LA Galaxy Prediction & Pick
With such a huge game at hand, it can sometimes be very difficult to predict what will happen. It should be a close affair and one goal could decide it all. With so much more experience and with the expectation of the game being slower, our final Austin-LA Galaxy prediction is a close LA Galaxy win at the Q2 stadium on Sunday.
Final Austin-LA Galaxy Pick: LA Galaxy (+185)
