DC United vs CF Montreal Prediction and Betting Odds | MLS July 23
DC United vs CF Montreal Betting Preview
Wayne Rooney delivered a handful of highlight reel moments when he was on the pitch for DC United. What kind of impact will he have as a manager? WagerTalk soccer handicapper Nick Borrman offers his thoughts on Saturday’s MLS showdown between DC United and Montreal CF.
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| Saturday, July 23 | MLS Betting Notes |
|---|---|
| DC United: | +140 |
| CF Montreal: | +175 |
| Draw: | +245 |
| Total: | 2.75 Goals (Odds Above Courtesy of DraftKings) |
| Game Time: | 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT |
DC United vs CF Montreal Analysis
The renamed Montreal Impact, now Club de Foot Montreal, is having a solid season as they sit No. 4 in the East with 32 points and a 10-2-8 record. They travel south to visit DC United, who now have Wayne Rooney back, this time as manager, although he has not yet been on the sidelines as he waits for his work visa to be cleared. The team could certainly use his boost as they sit bottom of the table on just 18 points with a 5-3-11 record.
The East coast is in the middle of a heat wave as kickoff temps will be in the mid-90s with no rain in sight.
Montreal’s Impact
Of course, I’m not talking about the team’s name, but rather their impact on the Eastern Conference table this season. It’s been a tale of three seasons for them as they started the year playing in the CONCACAF Champions League, which if you have read or watched enough of my game previews, you know that means they struggled in MLS play, going winless in their first three matches.
Then, after being eliminated by Cruz Azul in the quarterfinals, Montreal went on a run of eight-straight games unbeaten with six wins and two draws as they started to climb the table. That stretch included some very good results as they beat the NY Red Bulls and drew vs the Philadelphia Union.
As the schedule then started to ramp up for them with the addition of another competition, the Canadian Championship, they lost four of their next six games including two Cup matches, which included being eliminated by Toronto in the semifinals.
Now, with all competitions but MLS play behind them, Montreal is back on the forefront winning three of their last five matches. On the season they own the fifth-best xG differential at +0.39 per game, allowing just 1.21 xGA per game, which ranks No. 4 in the league, thanks to allowing the fewest shots at just 9.5 per game.
DC Desperate for Rooney
A manager change is a great way to rally a team and turn their season around. The question remains when Rooney will be cleared to be on the sidelines for his first match, however. His impact with the teams as a player a few seasons ago was great. He helped the them make the playoffs in both seasons he played, scoring 23 goals and assisting on 15 others in 48 total matches.
As it stands now though, DC looks like one of the worst teams in the league with a -0.47 xG differential which ranks as the third-worst in the league. Their defense is mostly to blame as they have allowed 1.76 xGA per game, ranking No. 26 out of 28 teams. Although I will add that their offense hasn’t been much better, averaging 1.30 xG per game which ranks No. 22.
DC United vs CF Montreal Prediction
At the end of the day, we are looking at a team that has won just one single match out of their last 11 being favored in this game. Sometimes it can be as simple as grabbing the better team at a + goal number and that is what we have here. Add in the fact that Montreal has really dominated the H2H series as DC has just three wins in the last 14 meetings, and the play on this game becomes even more clear. Grab the head start on Montreal +0.25 (-125).
Soccer Betting 101
New to betting on soccer? Not familiar with all the wagering options, such as three-way betting and the Asian handicap? What stats should a novice soccer bettor focus on? What are some basic tips and strategies? Carmine Bianco and Nick Borrman joined Kelly Stewart to share some tips to novice soccer bettors.
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Meet the Author
Nick Borrman fell in love with professional ‘football’ (as anyone outside of the United States would refer to it) the first time he attended an MLS match. Now, he uses statistical analysis as well as current trends to successfully find value on soccer matches across the globe. Borrman focuses much of his attention on the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga and Serie A, as well as the most prestigious tournament of them all, the Champions League. Borrman derives many of his plays from his model forecasts and releases plays several days ahead of time to consistently beat line moves.
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