- Chicago v New York Red Bulls
- Saturday, April 29, 22:30 EST
- Soldier Field
NY Red Bulls has made a poor start to the season and Chicago can take full advantage by picking up another win this weekend.
Who do Bettors Favor?
According to the top-rated online sportsbooks bettors favor Chicago to win here, although not by a significant margin, considering that it is playing at home. Chicago is available at odds of around +144 while the visiting team is a short +198 and the draw is priced around +148.
| Chicago v NY Red Bulls |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | +148 | +144 | +140 |
| Draw | +224 | +228 | +215 |
| NY Red Bulls | +210 | +198 | +210 |
Signs of Promise in Chicago
With eight games played in the new MLS season, it is still too early to draw conclusions, but Chicago has shown some signs of promise over the last few weeks.
A total of two victories and four draws is only a modest record and it is important to remember that Chicago is approximately in the same position in terms of points as it was at this point in 2022. Yet, the performances thus far have been significantly better.
For a start, Chicago has recorded 12 goals so far this season, which is way more than the five goals it managed through eight games last year. Although Ezra Hendrickson's promise to play possession soccer has not been fully realized and the team has missed some opportunities, it is currently in tenth place, just outside the playoffs, which is an improvement for a franchise that has not qualified for the postseason since 2017.
Its weekend loss to Atlanta by a score of 2-1 was not catastrophic, but the team must improve its ability to turn good scoring opportunities into goals and find a way to hang on to a lead. It has dropped four points from winning positions in the second half so far this season.
NY Red Bulls In Crisis
The New York Red Bulls have gotten off to a dreadful start to the season, despite entering the year with a great deal of optimism due to their summer recruitment efforts.
After a string of poor results, including the weekend's alarming loss to Montreal, the team is now ranked third-to-last in the Eastern Conference with just eight points after nine games. In fact, the two teams beneath New York have a game in hand, so theoretically, Gerhard Struber's squad could soon be in last place.
The organization has also been affected by the controversy related to Dante Vanzeir's racial slur during the match against San Jose. MLS did not do the franchise or the sport any favors by implementing a generous six-game suspension, a penalty that even, or perhaps especially, New York fans felt was too light, causing them to walk out of a game two weeks ago against Houston.
Perhaps most alarming for the head coach is the fact that the recent forward purchases do not appear to have increased the team's offensive effectiveness. Six goals have been scored thus far, and the team's customary high-intensity pressing style has been absent. Nine games into the season, it is not premature to say that this is a team in crisis.
OSB MLS Betting Head-to-Head
Since Chicago was one of the establishing MLS franchises and New York joined in 2009, this is one of the oldest rivalries in the Eastern Conference.
Since their first meeting in 2009, there have been 33 games played between these two teams, and their rivalry has been remarkably even, as the head-to-head record shows. Chicago has defeated New York Red Bulls 13 times in 2009, compared to 12 times for NY Red Bulls, with eight matches ending in a tie.
The most significant meeting occurred in the 2017 postseason playoffs, when New York Red Bulls won 4-0 in Chicago, but the most recent matches have been won by Chicago. The last time Chicago and New York met in 2002, they played to a 3-3 draw in New York, but Chicago has won three of the last four.
MLS Betting Team News
Victor Bezerra, Federico Navarro, and Jairo Torres sat didn't feature in either of Chicago's last two matches due to leg injuries, and Torres and Navarro are still listed as questionable, while Bezerra is definitely out. The team could also be without Xherdan Shaqiri, who suffered a leg injury against Atlanta.
The team news for New York is much worse. In addition to Vanzeir's continued absence, there are currently a total of six players on the injured list. Frankie Amaya (ankle), Steven Sserwadda (knee), and Lewis Morgan (hip) are all sidelined, as are Matt Nocita and Serge Ngoma with hamstring injuries. Struber was hoping to have Luquinhas back by now, yet the winger remains sidelined with an adductor strain and is not expected to play in this match.
OSB MLS Betting Picks
The odds suggest that the visiting team is expected to be competitive here, but I'm not sure. Injuries have hit Struber's team hard and morale appears to be quite low, while Chicago has demonstrated enough so far to suggest it could be a contender for the playoffs. The home win looks the best pick here.
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