LAFC vs. LA Galaxy Odds, Picks and Predictions: Finding Betting Value For Saturday Night’s Matchup

Editor's note:Javier Hernandez has been ruled out of this game as of 9:30 p.m. ET and Jeremy Pond no longer recommends betting the LA Galaxy moneyline.

MLS Is Back: LA Galaxy vs. LAFC Odds

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There are very few rivalries as heated and lit across the North American soccer landscape as the Los Angeles Football Club-Los Angeles Galaxy feud.

On Saturday, the latest edition of “El Trafico” takes place in a crucial Group F match at the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando.

Both clubs enter the match in less than stellar form after their opening contests of the competition, being held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

Manager Bob Bradley surely had mixed emotions after LAFC rallied for a 3-3 draw against Houston in its group-stage debut. Trailing 3-1 in the second half, LAFC scored two unanswered goals to earn the tie and point against the Dynamo.

LAFC seemed out of sorts offensively at times, which could be largely attributed to the absence of star Carlos Vela. The Mexican international opted to skip the competition due to the global pandemic.

The Galaxy had to be extremely disappointed following a 2-1 setback against Portland in a crazy, back-and-forth affair. Los Angeles had an opportunity to jump out to a 1-0 lead in that match via a penalty kick, but Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez was denied and it really set the tone of the match moving forward. A late goal Chicharito got Los Angeles on the board, but it wasn’t enough and makes this showdown beyond important for the Galaxy.

This inner-city rivalry is relatively new, with LAFC one of the newer teams to join Major League Soccer. However, it didn’t take long for these sides to deliver some of the most entertaining matches the league has ever seen.

And how wild have things gotten between these two over the course of their recent meetings? The numbers tell it all:

Last Six Meetings:

• LAFC 5, LA Galaxy 3
• LAFC 3, LA Galaxy 3
• LA Galaxy 3, LAFC 2
• LA Galaxy 1, LAFC 1
• LA Galaxy 2, LAFC 2
• LA Galaxy 4, LAFC 3

Not only are the results pretty even, but the aggregate scoreline is knotted, 16-16.

Needless to say, this match has the makings of another good, old-fashioned shootout since both teams traditionally leave their respective defensive wits in the locker room in these showdowns.

With that in mind, I am backing the total to go safely over the number as my top play. Jumping on both teams to score would seem like a logical play as well, but the number is way too high and provides little to no value. If you’re keen on making that one of your wagers, I would take a risk and hold out for a better live number in the first half if possible.

If you are looking to back a side, I would take a small shot with the Galaxy to pull off the upset at a very ripe number. Chicharito and his teammates were actually very unlucky to pick up all three points against Portland despite their uphill battle and played well during several stretches of the match.

I feel like there is more balance in the Galaxy lineup compared to what LAFC is bringing to the table at this point.

The Galaxy is worth the minor risk at playing it to pick up all three points in this ultra-important showdown.