Chicago Fire vs LA Galaxy Predictions & Betting Tips, Match Previews

It was a weekend of run ending results in the MLS last time out, and nobody broke a longer streak than Chicago Fire. They managed to get a very impressive 3-0 win at Montreal Impact to end their winless streak away from home, a streak which stretched back over two years.

This will be sure to have boosted the strugglers confidence a bit, but they still sit rock bottom of the MLS Eastern Conference with just 22 points from their opening 22 games. This puts them a point behind Columbus Crew in 9th and six points outside the playoff zone. They do have games in hand on all but Columbus Crew above them though, so if they can muster up a run of good form they could potentially challenge for the playoffs.

Good form isn’t exactly Chicago Fire’s speciality though. They have lost three, drawn two, and won one of their last six games in all competitions, and in the MLS they haven’t won back to back games since April 2015.

LA Galaxy aren’t in the best of form themselves though. It looks like once again their MLS Supporters Shield challenge will crumble in the closing stages of the regular season. They come into this match winless in their last five in all competitions, with three draws and two defeats, one of which sent them crashing out of the US Open Cup to FC Dallas.

This leaves them in 4th position in the MLS Western Conference, seven points behind FC Dallas at the top of the table and five points adrift of 2nd placed Colorado Rapids. They do have games in hand on Dallas and Real Salt Lake, but Colorado Rapids hold a commanding lead over them. This is the same story as last season, where a poor run starting in October saw them miss out on the top spot by nine points.

Away from home LA Galaxy are a lot more reserved than their attacking set up at home. They have only scored five goals in their last six away days in the MLS, resulting in all of these five ending with fewer than three goals. Chicago Fire are more defensively sound at home as well, with six goals conceded in their last seven at home resulting in five of them having fewer than three goals.

This makes odds of 19/20 for Under 2.5 Goals look a very good value prediction, so I’m backing that along with a 1-1 correct score prediction at 11/2.