MLS Soccer Predictions – FRIDAY Sept 24th, 2010 – New York Red Bulls vs Los Angeles Galaxy
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The MLS began its 15th season this year and we’ve finally decided it’s time to give this league some handicapping love and provide some free SOCCER gambling analysis every week.
Onto the week’s MLS preview and prediction for the week.
Matchup: New York Red Bulls v Los Angeles Galaxy
Date: Friday, September 24, 2010
Time: Kick-off: 11:00 PM EST
Venue: Home Depot Center, Carson, CA.
TV: ESPN2/ESPND
MLS Fixture Betting Lines and Odds from Betus
Money Line: Los Angeles (-140) New York (+350)
Spread: Los Angeles -1 ½
Over/Under: 2 ½
With five weeks left in the regular season, the Los Angeles Galaxy became the first team to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 victory against D.C. United on Saturday night.
Fourteen clubs are still competing for seven remaining playoff spots including the New York Red Bulls (12-8-5) who are fifth overall and three points behind Eastern Conference leaders Columbus Crew. They will be searching to add three more points to its postseason pile by beating the Galaxy (15-5-5) at the Home Dept on Friday night.
That will be no easy task as Los Angeles is 8-2-2 at home including back-to-back wins starting with a 3-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Sept. 11, followed by a 2-1 win over DC United just seven days later. With 50 points from 25 matches, the Galaxy are assured of having more points than at least eight other teams this season.
Meanwhile, the Red Bulls are 3-1-1 in its last five matches and are coming off a 2-2 draw at FC Dallas in its last outing. New York is 4-5-4 way from its home pitch, and will now look for the reversal of its first meeting with the Galaxy at Red Bull Stadium on April 14.
LA edged out a narrow 1-0 win in that contest, on Edson Buddle’s league-leading 13th goal in the 10th minute as the Galaxy hung on for the win. 
New York has a plethora of the brightest newly signed stars, including French international Thierry Henry and his former Barcelona teammate, Mexican national team captain Rafael Marquez. While Henry will miss the match on Friday with a sprained right knee MCL, Marquez will pair with Columbian striker Juan Pablo Angel who leads the club with 12 goals.
However, the Galaxy too boasts its own superstars starting with the highest-profile American soccer player in Landon Donovan and perhaps the world’s highest-profile athlete in David Beckham.
Virtually unknown outside the soccer world, Donavan was thrust into the limelight after his incredible pair of game-winning goals that catapulted the USA to the Round of 16 where they were eliminated by Ghana in the 2010 World Cup. Donovan has been getting his scoring touch going after returning from South Africa, and currently has 14 assists and seven goals, placing him ahead of Cobi Jones as the Galaxy’s all-time leading scorer.
Both Beckham and Donovan are slated to make the stating XI against New York.
While Marquez’s presence will drive the Red Bulls’ offense, the key to beating the Galaxy are in the hands of the defense. Defender Tim Ream, who leads the club with 2,250 game minutes in 25 appearances, will be expected to be that key. He will get some help from Goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, a clutch stopper who has a 1.43 goals against average, a 76.6 percent save percentage and 85 saves to his name.
The one weak spot for Los Angles will be along the backline. The absence of Omar Gonzalez due to suspension on Friday, will force Galaxy defender Todd Dunivant to pull double duty.
This could also put some added pressure on Galaxy keeper Donovan Ricketts to come up with big stops against the Red Bulls’ attack.
Ricketts currently has a 0.79 GAA, a 77.6 percent save percentage and has 66 saves to his name against a 15-5-4 record between the posts.
Prediction: These are two teams with dangerous offensive weapons, and solid play between the sticks, making it a difficult one to call. However, with LA having nothing to play for and NY still fighting for a spot in the postseason, conservative play from Los Angeles ends this one in a 1-1 draw.
We will continue to provide free weekly MLS gambling predictions due to the responses we’ve gotten on ourSoccer handicapping forums, and survey responses we’ve conducted on our soccer betting blog.
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Matt Martz is a sports writer for the Bakersfield Californian located in Central California. Blessed is the gambler who expects nothing, for ye shall not be disappointed.
