LAFC vs. Seattle Odds
| LAFC Odds | -185 |
| Seattle Odds | +425 |
| Draw | +320 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (-175 / +120) |
| Day | Time | Friday | 11 p.m. ET |
| How To Watch | FS1 | fuboTV |
| Odds updated as of Friday evening via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute soccer odds here. | |
Gareth Bale could make his first Major League Soccer start Friday when Los Angeles Football Club hosts Seattle in a Western Conference showdown.
Bale, the Wales international who has played for Tottenham and Real Madrid, has come off the bench twice after joining LAFC at the start of the summer transfer window. He scored his first MLS goal in his second appearance to seal a 2-0 road victory against Sporting Kansas City last weekend.
The Sounders visit California after snapping a three-match slide in a 2-1 win against Colorado, when they played with just 10 men for a duration of the match. Nicolás Lodeiro scored the winner from the penalty spot after his free kick helped set up Jordan Morris' equalizer just before halftime.
These teams met in Seattle on June 16, when Albert Rusnak and Cristian Arango (LAFC) traded goals in a 1-1 draw.
Los Angeles FC
As straightforward as it might seem to start Bale once he's ready, Arango is giving manager Steve Cherundolo a surprisingly tough decision.
Arango has scored seven goals in his last eight matches, including a splendid opener against Sporting Kansas City. He also played the pass that freed Bale for his opener later on.
And there's not exactly an urgency to heap more minutes upon the Welshman. LAFC enters with a 3-point lead in the race for its second Supporters' Shield. The outfit has a four-point edge and match in hand on Austin FC in search of the top Western Conference finish, plus a first-round playoff bye.
LAFC has also excelled by wearing down foes, with 29 of its 42 goals coming after halftime. That could give Bale as much value in the sub role he's filled so far this season.
By The Numbers
- +23 — The second-half goal difference for LAFC this season.
- +20 — The club's overall goal difference during the MLS campaign.
Seattle Sounders
Morris' first-half goal against Colorado took him into the Seattle lead with six ahead of Raúl Ruidíaz, who remains out with a pesky hamstring issue.
The Peruvian has been upgraded to questionable on Seattle's injury report, although it's unlikely any appearance would be a long one. He has played in only one match since June 14.
The Sounders actually have a better home winning percentage than when they finished second in the Western Conference table a season ago. However, it's these away days that have plagued them.
They enter the weekend ninth in the West after earning only a point per road match so far. In 2021, Seattle's 1.82 points per game was second in the league.
By The Numbers
- 32.1 — Total percentage of Seattle goals scored away from home (9 of 28) this season.
- 1-4-1 — The Sounders' away record (W-L-D) without Ruidiaz
Betting Analysis & Pick
It's risky to back any side favored as heavily as LAFC in the parity driven MLS, especially against an opponent with Seattle's pedigree. It's also risky to bet against the hosts, who truly have been the clear best team over the first two thirds of the season.
However, there's some value on the visitors in the first-half market.
With their more patient approach under Cherundolo, the Black & Gold have been a decidedly second-half team, holding a halftime lead only three times at home and four times overall.
And Seattle's willingness to sit deep at times means when teams have broken it, it's often occurred late. The Sounders have been at least level in 15 of their 21 games at halftime, including eight of 10 away fixtures.
There's no reason to expect either team to alter their posture much. So, I'm backing Seattle to be at least level at halftime at -145 odds, with an implied 59.2% probability as my top pick.
The Pick: Double Chance (1H) — Seattle or Draw (-145)
