Real Salt Lake (3 wins, 2 losses, 4 draws) welcomes the LA Galaxy (5-2-1) to Rio Tinto Stadium Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. Below, we preview the Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy odds and lines, and make our best MLS bets, picks and predictions.
Real Salt Lake has yet to lose at home, where it is 2-0-1 this season. Twenty-four-year-old F Tate Schmitt and 29-year-old F Bobby Wood lead the team in scoring with 2 goals apiece.
RSL is 6th on the Western Conference table. It has 9 goals in 9 games, while allowing 13 goals, which is tied for the fourth-most in the conference.
The Galaxy are 3rd on the West table with 10 goals and 6 allowed. This team is drastically different than the typically goal-heavy Galaxy teams fans have gotten used to.
LA is still led by 33-year-old Mexican F Javier Hernández. He has 5 goals on the season while no other Galaxy player has more than 1. The Galaxy are 2-1-1 on the road.
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy odds, lines, picks and predictions
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:20 a.m. ET.
Money line: Real Salt Lake +160 (bet $100 to win $160) | LA Galaxy +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Draw +230 Over/Under: 2.5 (O: -112 | U: -108)Prediction
Real Salt Lake 1, LA Galaxy 1
Money line (ML)
LEAN to a DRAW (+230).
The Galaxy are the better side, but on the road against a team that has yet to lose at home this season, I’ll take the DRAW.
The Galaxy are 2-0-1 in their last 3 with both wins coming by a single goal. LA has only had one game decided by more than 1 goal, so it has been in close battles.
RSL needs to come out with energy in this battle, having drawn 3 of its last 4. Considering the form both teams are coming in with, a DRAW (+230) seems like the best value.
Over/Under (O/U)
BET UNDER 2.5 (-108).
The RSL defense is not nearly as bad as it seems.
In 9 games, RSL has given up multiple goals 3 times, having allowed 2 twice and 6 once. Take away that 6-goal game, and RSL has allowed 7 goals in 8 matches. It had one tough outing. That doesn’t make it a bad defense.
It has allowed 3 goals in 3 home games, while the Under is 5-4 in RSL’s 9 games.
In 8 games, the Galaxy have allowed multiple goals once. It has 4 shutouts in 4 games, and they’ll be taking on an RSL attack that doesn’t have many lethal attackers and hasn’t scored in 2 games.
UNDER 2.5 (-108) is the game’s best bet.
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