LAFC will play hosts to San Jose Earthquakes this Saturday in a match where the LA team are considered huge favorites. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLS odds series, which includes our LAFC-San Jose prediction and pick we have laid out below.
LAFC enter the match as the first team in the Western Conference. They have 26 points out of 13 matches, which is an elite result. Still, they have Austin FC just two points behind them, so the Los Angeles squad will need to win these kinds of games to keep their first seed in the conference. They also just won once in their last three, so LAFC might look to get back on track in this game. San Jose are out of the postseason for now, but this team should not be underestimated. They started the season off poorly, but San Jose have just one loss in the last seven games, so they are definitely coming up. This game will not be an easy task for either of the teams.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the LAFC-San Jose MLS odds:
MLS Odds: LAFC-San Jose Odds
LAFC: (-220)
San Jose: (+480)
Draw: (+330)
Over: 2.5 (-190)
Under: 2.5 (+156)
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Why LAFC Could Win This Game
There is an easy answer to this question – because they are a much better team. LAFC is slowly building a case for the championship favorite, as the younger LA team dominates all opposition in this season's MLS. Now, it is true that they have struggled against some bigger teams, as two of their three losses came against LA Galaxy and Austin FC, but they have managed to take care of business against other teams, dropping just four points when playing against non-playoff teams.
Another major reason why LAFC could win this game is the fact that they need to continue pulling ahead of the Philadelphia Union. That first spot in the standings overall guarantees the CONCACAF Champions League next season and that is not something that should be let go. Of course, the season is long, but it is winning games like these that got LAFC most of the 26 points they are currently on.
Last, but certainly not least, a huge reason why LAFC can be considered as favorites is Carlos Vela. The Mexican veteran scored a hat-trick in the first game of the season but then went mostly silent. Now, he has two goals in the last two games signal that he might be coming back to his form. Vela will be joined by Jose Cifuentes, a midfielder that 13 games in needs just two more goals and assists to match his production from 32 games last season. These two will carry LAFC to victory.
Why San Jose Could Win This Game
One could look at the first part of the San Jose 2022 MLS season and say that they are bottom-feeders. A total of three points in the first seven games and their first win came in the 8th matchday, with a 94th-minute winner, and even that was followed by a 3-0 smashing in the next game. However, since that first win, San Jose had two more in the next five matches. They are definitely coming into this game with a lot of motivation and with a lot of confidence.
When it comes to the most important reason for San Jose's chances in this game, it has to be the potential of making the playoffs. Interestingly enough, San Jose is just four points off of the last postseason spot, despite their poor start. Now, a lot of teams will be fighting for that last postseason spot, that part is completely true, but San Jose has all the momentum in the world right now. If they were to beat LAFC, they would have even more.
Additionally, another huge reason might be the recent change in the coaching staff for San Jose. Sometimes, the players respond very well to a coaching change and replacing coach Matias Almeyda with interim manager Alex Covelo clearly had a positive effect on the players. Of course, the replacement was over a month ago, but the spirits seem to be high still. If they want to continue in that vein, a win here would do a lot of good for the future of San Jose this season.
Final LAFC-San Jose Prediction and Pick
Despite the great form of San Jose recently, there is still a large discrepancy between these two sides. LAFC will exploit the fact they are playing the worst defense in the MLS and they will just be the dominant side. Our final LAFC-San Jose prediction is an LAFC win at Banc of California Stadium.
Final LAFC-San Jose Pick: LAFC (-220)
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