The showpiece final of United States soccer takes place this Saturday when Los Angeles FC take on Philadelphia Union the 2022 MLS Cup Final. The venue is the Banc of California Stadium in LA, and with an action packed fixture in store, here we name our free soccer betting picks on the season’s biggest game.
This match is the culmination of a long campaign. The winners of the Western Conference, LAFC, taking on the Eastern Conference champions, Philadelphia Union. And these two teams didn’t just win their respective conference playoff finals, they also won their respective regular season conference divisions. They have simply been the best two teams in the MLS in 2022.
Although the stats between these two teams look similar, it was LAFC who won the 2022 MLS Supporters’ Shield (for the second time). The two sides engaged in a battle for the shield all season, and in the end with both sides finishing on 67 points, it was decided by tiebreaker. This gave the shield to LA, as they had 21 wins, compared to Philadelphia’s 19.
The shield win – which also gained LA a place in the CONCACAF Champions League – underlined the theory held by most MLS fans that Steve Cherundolo’s team are currently the best side in the country. And this theory would also appear to be supported by the best soccer betting sites, who all make LAFC their betting favorites.
On the Moneyline, LAFC is just -130 to win in regulation time (90 mins). The draw is +325, and Philadelphia Union is +310 to win in 90 minutes.
In the handicap market, LAFC is also -130 starting from -0.5 goals. Philadelphia is +100 with a start of half a goal. The bookmakers are also expecting a few goals, as over 2.5 goals is -170, whilst under is at +140.
Finally, in the betting to win the 2022 MLS Cup (by any method), LAFC is -275 to lift the trophy. Philadelphia is +220 to lift the trophy. The odds to lift the trophy are provided by BetOnline. You can read more about them in our BetOnline sportsbook review.
| Los Angeles FC vs Philadelphia Union |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAFC To Lift Trophy | -275 | -300 | -275 |
| Philadelphia To Lift Trophy | +220 | +200 | +200 |
The 2022 MLS Cup Final is this Saturday and is being played at the home ground of LAFC, the Banc of California Stadium.
Hosting priority was awarded to LA (if they made the final) after they won the Supporters’ Shield. They confirmed their participation in the final with their 3-0 victory over Austin FC in the Western Conference Final last weekend.
As respective conference winners, both sides entered the postseason playoffs at the conference semi-final stages.
LAFC started their postseason with a 3-2 win over LA Galaxy in their semi, and they then comfortably defeated Austin FC 3-0 in the Western Conference Final.
While Philadelphia defeated FC Cincinnati 1-0 in their Eastern Conference semi-final, then beat New York City FC in their Eastern Conference Final to take their place in Saturday’s showpiece event.
These two sides have only ever met on four occasions. There’s been three draws, and one win, for LAFC. That was a 4-1 victory back in 2018. Significantly, there have been over 2.5 goals in three of the four matches.
Along with the 4-1 result, there has been a 2-2 draw (May 2022), and a 3-3 draw (March 2020). The fourth result was 1-1 back in September 2019. I personally wouldn’t place a huge amount of emphasis on the matches before the 2-2 draw played out in May this year. The other three results are a long time back, and a lot has changed in that time for both sides.
In the regular season LA won 21, drew four, and lost nine. Philadelphia won 19, drew ten, and lost five. In short, Jim Curtin’s Philadelphia side were the harder side to beat, and LA were more attack minded.
Jim Curtin’s side also scored more goals (72), and conceded less (26) than LAFC. LA’s record was 66 scored, 38 conceded. So unless both sides cancel each other out, it looks like goals can be expected this Saturday.
Over 2.5 is -170 with the best MLS betting sites, and I think that will win. I’m going to take more of a chance though and go with over 3 goals, which is -116 with BetOnline.
Elsewhere, and with experience like Giorgio Chiellini in defense, and the goals of Cristian Arango up front, it’s hard to see past LAFC. Heck, they’ve gotten this far leaving Gareth Bale on the bench.
It’s fair to say that shocks do happen, and Philadelphia United are capable of winning. But I have to go with the form here, and I think that LAFC are more likely to take more chances to win the match, and I think they will be the victorious team.
But do we bet on Cherundolo’s team to win in 90 minutes, or to lift the trophy by any method? That is the only question.
To lift the trophy is -275. To win in 90 minutes is -130. So I am going to go with the better betting odds and make a win for LAFC in 90 minutes my main betting pick.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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