New York City vs Whitecaps Betting Tips & Predictions

After a respectable, if unspectacular, debut season in the MLS last year it was looking good for New York City as they picked up three points on the opening day of the season in a dramatic 4-3 win over Chicago Fire.

However, they have failed to perform since that win, and if they don’t turn it around soon they could find themselves failing to better their 8th place finish in the MLS Eastern Conference.

They followed their opening day win with a draw against Toronto FC, and their draw at home to Montreal Impact on Thursday takes their record this season to one win, three defeats, and four draws. This puts them in 8th in the Eastern Conference with seven points from their opening eight games, and many of the teams around them have a game or two in hand.

Whitecaps had an impressive campaign last year as they finished 2nd in the Western Conference behind FC Dallas, but things haven’t gone as well as they would have hoped so far this term. They find themselves down in 7th in the Western Conference now, with all but two of the remaining teams in the division having a game in hand on them.

They have managed more points per game than their hosts though, with 11 points from nine matches being a marked improvement on New York City. Four of these points have come in the last two games as well, with an impressive 3-0 win at home to FC Dallas being followed by a draw against Sporting Kansas City on Thursday.

This takes their win tally this season up to three and their recent record to three wins, two draws, and two defeats in their last seven outings. Away from home they have lost three of their four games this season though.

The major problem for both sides recently has been a lack of goalscoring threat. Whitecaps have only managed three goals away from home this season and have failed to score in their last two away days, whilst New York City have scored just two goals in their last four home games, resulting in all four of those games seeing fewer than three goals.

Four of Whitecaps last six outings have seen two or less goals as well, which makes odds of 1/1 for Under 2.5 Goals look very attractive. I’m backing a 1-1 draw at 11/2 as well.