FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps MLS Preview and Prediction
At 5-4-3, FC Dallas will host the 8-2-1 Vancouver Whitecaps for a midweek MLS match this Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
The hosts trail second-place Vancouver by seven points with one more game played, but they’re currently in a strong run of form, winning two straight against Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls. Meanwhile, the Whitecaps are in somewhat of a run after back-to-back draws versus California opposition.
Well, Vancouver is on the road once again on Wednesday, and they’ll need a stronger performance to return home with all three points.
FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps MLS Odds and Betting Trends
FC Dallas is a notable +260 home underdog on the three-way moneyline, which is slightly juicier than the draw (+250). Once again, Vancouver is a -105 road favourite on the MLS odds, marking the third consecutive match in which they’ve been a favourite away from home. Another way to bet on the hosts is to take them on the double chance market, where they have -130 odds. If FC Dallas wins or draws the match, that bet would cash.
On the goal front, oddsmakers are stuck between 2.5 and 3.5. Over 2.5 goals has -175 odds, while Under 3.5 goals carries a -175 price. The last five MLS meetings between these squads finished with an average of 1.8 goals per contest. Once again, oddsmakers also expect Vancouver’s Brian White to score (+125), but Petar Musa (+150), Rayan Elloumi (+175), and Thomas Muller (+185) are all shorter than 2-1 to find the back of the net.
FC Dallas
FC Dallas has been an interesting team this season. They’re currently seventh in the Western Conference and have rattled off back-to-back victories against two squads currently in the playoff picture. However, this win streak marks their longest win streak since September of last season, as they’ve struggled to consistently stay hot. However, there’s no denying that they have one of the best attacks in the MLS (23 goals for – third in the West), and Petar Musa is a big reason why.
The Croatian forward had 19 goals and six assists in 29 starts last season for FC Dallas, and he’s continued that form by scoring 10 goals and two assists through 10 starts this season. He’s second in the MLS in goals entering this match and has scored or assisted in seven of his last eight MLS matches. Additionally, he’s notched 44 shots (20 shots on target) in those 10 starts, so his shots prop is definitely something I’m looking at for this match.
Vancouver Whitecaps
I’m sorry to say this, but the Vancouver Whitecaps are becoming my kryptonite. Not really, but I picked them to take down the LA Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes, and they came up short both times with 1-1 draws. However, the reasoning and analysis behind the picks were still sound, and Vancouver won the xG battle in both matches. The biggest issue for the Whitecaps, which I flagged in last week’s article, is that they cannot afford to trail early in games.
The Whitecaps are still 9-0-1 when they’ve scored first this season, but they’re just 0-2-2 when their opponents find the back of the net first. It’s not like they aren’t trying to score early and often, either; Vancouver has 74 shots on target (third in the MLS) and has only faced 30 shots on target against them (first in the MLS). To me, this is still the best team in the league, and I anticipate they’ll get back on track sooner rather than later.
MLS Prediction: Who Will Win FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps?
FC Dallas is in a good run of form, but as we’ve seen already, they haven’t been able to keep that up this season. Overall, I expect the Whitecaps to finally pull out three points, but it won’t be easy. They’ve been playing well, but haven’t produced results, and while I expect them to win this game, I’m more focused on the hot run of form from FC Dallas’ Petar Musa. The Croatian is playing like one of the best attackers in the MLS, and I predict he will score or assist a goal in this match.
Best Bet: Petar Musa to Score or Assist (-110)
Score Prediction: FC Dallas 1 | Vancouver Whitecaps 2