This looks to be the most important fixture of the MLS weekend with both Toronto FC and Philadelphia Union hot on the heels of Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference (7.30pm ET Saturday). The sides are locked on 28 points coming into this game so clearly the result is going to be crucial in terms of progression at the end of the regular season.
Both teams are in solid form and look to be evenly matched on paper but what do the American sportsbooks make of Saturday’s vital fixture? Find out with our Toronto FC Vs Philadelphia Union predictions and full preview.
Moneyline Odds
With both Toronto and Philadelphia on the same number of points, we’ve been expecting a tight moneyline betting line for this one and there will be some value for those who make the right call. The bookies have, however, identified a clear favorite with Toronto as short as -115 in places. The draw is listed at around the +275 mark, while a win for Philadelphia is only slightly longer at a best of around +280.
There will be some definite interest in those + figures with Union having won four of their last five matches. A goalless draw with Cincinnati last time out is the only blip in what has been a stunning run of form but they are up against tougher opposition this time. Toronto have won three of their last four and, with home advantage across the border, they are genuine favorites.
Prop Bets
Another point in Toronto’s favor is the fact that they beat the league leaders in their most recent match. A 3-1 win over Columbus Crew saw the veteran forward Jozy Altidore on the scoresheet for what was just his second goal in this MLS campaign. The USMNT striker will always feature highly in the individual goal scorer betting but that’s a poor return by his high standards.
Over in the Philadelphia Union camp, Polish striker Kacper Przbylko is clearly the man to watch. In his last eight games, the 27-year-old has registered six goals and two assists and will be looking to maintain that record on Saturday.
Goalscorer betting has been slow to come in but we can certainly take a look at the team props ahead of kick off. Both teams to score is always a logical place to start and this bet is available at around -160. We don’t like too many bets that are odds-on but we’ve seen that both sides have been free scoring in their recent matches. The only concern is that Union keeper Andre Blake has returned two successive shutouts but BTTS still looks good for Saturday.
The free scoring could also lead to some potentially strong returns in the total goals markets. Currently, odds of -133 are available to go over the 2.5 line but, if we push that to over 3.5, we can get a far more reasonable +190.
Correct Score betting will obviously return higher odds in return for a far more difficult call. If we are to enter this market, we would edge towards a 2-2 draw which is available for Saturday at a tempting +1100 in places.
Our Preview’s Toronto FC vs Philadelphia Union Predictions & Picks Conclusion
Our betting tips are relying on a trend to continue and we would need both Toronto and Philadelphia to carry on with their free scoring ways. There is clearly a lot at stake in this game and we can often see tight and cagey matches but that’s not how these teams tend to approach their encounters.
They’ve yet to face each other so far in this MLS campaign and that makes our task a little more difficult but we’ll look to expect some goals on Saturday. When the individual goal scorer betting opens fully, a stake on Kacper Przbylko to find the net would be our clear preference. He is in prolific form and, as a member of the away side, the Pole should carry slightly longer odds than Jozy Altidore.
The expected goal feast should trigger the both teams to score wager and, while this is looking a little short, it should be relatively safe when compared to some other options. Over 3.5 goals returns reasonable odds and, once again, we’re confident that the recent trend for high scoring games will continue.
As for the match result, we think that these teams will cancel each other out but not in a negative way. A draw looks to be more than plausible between two sides who look so evenly matched so we’ll look for the squads to share the points. It should certainly be an entertaining 90 minutes and let’s look for these three picks, as part of our concluding Toronto vs Philadelphia Union predictions, to make it a profitable evening too:
- Bet the draw on the moneyline @ +278 with BetOnline. Next best is +275 with Bovada.
- Take both teams to score (BTTS) @ -160 with Bovada.
- Go over 3.5 goals @ best odds of +190 with Bovada.
Matt Harris is a golf and soccer expert for USA Betting. His other area of specialist knowledge is cricket. He is well known in sports journalism and contributes articles to a plethora of big-name websites and media outlets. Titles that he writes or has written for include: Betfair, BetVictor, Unibet & Just Bookies.