Last season, Eintracht basically did exactly what everyone expected... They fought hard, missed out on the title by a hair, but still managed to snag a spot in the Champions League. Honestly? It looks to me like they’re walking into this season looking a lot weaker. I mean, think about it—they offloaded three massive pieces: Strootman, Lens, and Mertens, plus their captain Bommel finally hung up the boots. That’s four heavy hitters who were absolutely carrying the load and driving the engine of this team. Without them, Eintracht is thinner, less experienced, more vulnerable, and yeah, probably way less clinical too... but hey, we'll see how it plays out. Offensively, they were absolute flamethrowers last year, averaging over three goals a game, but man, they were a sieve in defense, giving up like 1.3 goals per match. For reinforcements, they brought in: Adama Maher from AZ and Stijn Schaars from Sporting—both midfielders, which makes sense given they lost that Strootman-Bommel duo. Up front, they've got Locadia, Matavz, and Narsingh, though Narsingh was sidelined forever with injuries, plus there's all that drama with an unhappy Toivonen who didn't get his move to Norwich... basically, in my book, the attack looks a step down from last season. They grabbed Bruma from Chelsea to bolster the backline. And they’ve got a new face leading them from the sidelines, P. Cocu. The squad is young and loaded with talent—guys like Bakkali, Rekik, Depay, Arias, and Zoet in the net.
The Germans play almost identical to their neighbors—super open, usually running a 4-3-3. They were incredible last season, leading for a long stretch before they kind of fell off the wagon toward the end of the regular season. If they had just pulled off the win against Anderlecht in Brussels (it was a 1-1 draw), they would've taken the trophy; instead, they finished as runners-up.
Union Berlin reached this level of success thanks to that aggressive offensive style they leaned into last year. During the playoffs, they showed some seriously gutsy efficiency, putting in solid performances even when the pressure was suffocating, though they clearly ran out of gas when it mattered most in that Brussels match. Their whole goal over the summer was just trying to keep the roster together. The only real departure was midfielder Delaplace moving to Lille in France, while they picked up defender Frederic Duplus from Sochaux and striker Julien Toudic from Lens. Oh, and they definitely bought out Ibrahim Sory Conte's contract from Gent. They kicked off the season with a 2-1 road win at Liverpool.
Look, we're talking about a runner-up here. On paper, the favorite is obvious because of the budget and the reputation, but honestly? Not nearly as much as people are making it out to be.🤷 The pressure is actually way higher on the home side, because for a club like Eintracht, failing to perform means a massive financial hit—something they've been struggling with for a few seasons now.
Regardless, the visitors definitely have a shot here. The odds seem way too skewed in favor of the home team at 8.5-9.5, with the DNB at 7.90. + 1 2.80, +1.5 1.90, +1 +1.5 2.15 and so on. I'm putting something down on this one because I think Eintracht is being totally overrated, and Union is a perfectly capable squad that should be putting on some good shows again this season... maybe.
Look, the defense for LAFC last season was a total joke—they were giving up an average of 1.5 goals per match. Absolute shambles. Sure, they looked decent enough during those first two qualifying rounds—they had a massive helping of luck, which is just part of the game, I guess—but they barely scraped past Videoton with a 2:2 aggregate score. And honestly, beating Senica in the second round? That’s about as much as anyone expected from them. Not exactly a shocker. 🙄 It seems like these American teams always do this... they pull off a decent result or sneak into the next round, and then—boom—they get paired against a powerhouse that absolutely guts them. It happens way too often.
I mean, look at the history here. Zeta and Celik have been getting thrashed 9-0, Rudar lost 4-0 to Slask, and Sutjeska got rolled 5-0 by Sheriff...
And now, here we go again. They’re facing another massive opponent that is better and stronger than them by—don't even get me started—like ten different levels. In this two-leg matchup against Sevilla, they don't stand a chance. Period. 🤷 Sevilla should be able to wrap this up easily, maybe even kill the tie in the first leg playing at home. The Spanish side has already played through several preseason matches, so they’re actually dialed in and ready for the real deal. With a lineup featuring guys like Reyes, Marin, Rakitic, Guarente, Perotti, Trochowski, Alex Rubio, Bacca, Gameiro, and Rusescu... they really ought to be dropping at least 4 or 5 goals. That’s my realistic expectation, anyway. At the very minimum...
Both these squads kicked off their season absolutely flying—they both went out there and took down some massive favorites right out of the gate. Esbjerg basically ran circles around FC Nordsjaelland in a 4-0 blowout, while Aalborg pulled off a gritty 2-1 win against Copenhagen. Man, Esbjerg looked sharp... they showed so much hunger, movement, and just pure clinical efficiency on the pitch. They’re running this two-striker setup with Braithwaite and van Buren, and honestly? Those two look dangerous as hell—starting the season in peak form. Both of them found the back of the net, bagging two goals apiece.
Aalborg played a gutsy, wide-open game against Copenhagen too. They went with a slightly more compact look, leaning on Frederiksen as that lone target man—who, by the way, netted the winner. The play Esbjerg put together was just... chef's kiss. A beautiful half-counter involving quick, crisp passing and perfect finishing at the end. That loss of their striker Nicklas Helenius to Aston Villa (for about $1.5 million) is definitely weighing on them—it might even be why they stumbled in the Europa League qualifiers, since they couldn't find the net once against Dila Gori. Plus, they’re still feeling the sting of having Kenneth Emil Petersen sidelined on defense.
The league didn't give us many fireworks this weekend, but since both these teams started the season so efficiently, I'm expecting them to keep that momentum rolling. There isn't really a clear favorite here—both sides know they have a shot and they’re playing with zero pressure, which usually leads to an open game. So, realistically, we should see some goals. With Esbjerg's duo looking lethal and Aalborg proving they can take down anyone, I'm smelling a wild, unpredictable matchup... hoping for plenty of action in front of the net.
Looking at their last six matchups, things have been absolutely loaded with goals... just non-stop action.
Young Boys play this aggressive, high-octane style—they basically live for the attack—and they kicked off the season perfectly with two dominant wins. On the flip side, the visitors have been involved in absolute shootouts these first two weeks; both games ended 3-2, including a wild 2-3 loss out in Chicago. They also handled their Europa League qualifiers, knocking out Chikhuru with 2-0 and 1-3 scores. Historically, when these two meet, the nets always seem to bulge, and I don't see any reason why this wouldn't be the same story again: 06.01.13, Thun - Young Boys 2 : 2 04.14.13, Young Boys - Thun 1 : 2 09.27.12, Thun - Young Boys 2 : 1 07.29.12, Young Boys - Thun 3 : 0 05.13.12, Thun - Young Boys 2 : 2 03.25.12, Young Boys - Thun 4 : 0
Brann vs. Rosenborg – DNB (Asian Handicap) 1 @ 2.08 (money back if it’s a draw)
We've got a massive derby happening in Seattle today. The league leaders are heading into a tough matchup against a strong Brann squad sitting in 4th place—they’re hungry to hunt down the top teams and close that gap. If they can pull off an upset against the leaders, Brann is officially back in the title race. Honestly, Brann is a nightmare to play against at home; they’ve been perfect on their own turf with 8 straight wins. The weird thing about them? They are the absolute worst road team in the league. They finally snapped a losing streak with two draws away from home lately, but... Let's face it, they struggle to find wins on the road.😲
But man, when they’re back in Seattle, they are ruthless. They’ve only conceded 3 goals at home and they’re averaging nearly 3 goals per game... this should be their moment to shine. Rosenborg might be leading the pack and they’re great travelers, but they look sluggish right now. Like, they’re just coasting, not really showing that spark. Sure, they had that blowout win against Crusaders in the Europa League qualifiers (7-2) and beat that team from New Jersey (1-4) in the cup, but otherwise, most of their wins have been gritty, narrow stuff—1-0 or 2-1 type deals. They also sold their star striker, Elyounouss, to Hoffenheim, and you can definitely feel the dent in their finishing ability. It feels like Chibuka is doing all the heavy lifting lately. Rosenborg expected big things from their Europa League run, but getting knocked out by St. Johnstone was a massive gut punch for them. They are visibly demoralized.🙄 Now they have to deal with a team that is flawless at home, and they're coming into it at a terrible time—they're likely going to be gassed compared to the hosts. Look, they have more talent and experience, sure, but they're playing with zero confidence and they aren't in peak form. In their last six trips to Seattle, they've only walked away with one win, though they haven't been getting totally crushed either:
09.23.12, Brann - Rosenborg 2 : 1 03.20.11, Brann - Rosenborg 2 : 1 09.19.10, Brann - Rosenborg 2 : 3 11.01.09, Brann - Rosenborg 1 : 1 08.24.08, Brann - Rosenborg 0 : 0 08.11.07, Brann - Rosenborg 3 : 2 A draw feels like the most logical outcome here, but I'm leaning toward the home side being more aggressive and pushing for the win.
Mechelen vs. Standard Liege – Over 2.5 goals @ 1.90
When these two teams meet, things usually get loud. In their last 6 meetings, they’ve averaged almost 4 goals per game, and only once did they fail to hit the over. Mechelen was pretty decent last season, hanging out in the middle of the pack, and they're looking to replicate that this year. They're starting the season a little thin, though, since they offloaded two key starters—Nicklas Pedersen went to Gent and defender Dalibor Pandz headed to Rangers. Last year, they played an open, attacking style, and draws were incredibly rare for them—only 5 draws during the regular season. They are completely unpredictable, which is why I mostly bet on their games going over. Same goes for Standard; they were total wildcards last year too, full of defensive errors and high-scoring chaos. Mechelen has been averaging about 2.9 goals per game recently.
As for Standard, they got a head start on the season, already playing two official matches against KR where they looked sharp, winning both 3-1. Look, there’s no doubt these guys are a much tougher nut to crack this season—they’ve got actual ambitions now, they look way stronger than last year, and they’re definitely coming into this away game hunting for a win. They’re closing the gap in the standings, but honestly, based on how their matchups usually go—think like a high-scoring matchup between teams like the Lakers and the Warriors—I’m expecting a real shootout with plenty of goals, though the home crowd is going to be absolutely electric and give them a hell of a run. The odds actually look pretty solid here because both squads were averaging about three goals per game last season... just pure chaos on the pitch. Final pick is at 1.90 🙂
Atlanta United vs. LA Galaxy 1 1.97-1 2.87 (win by two or more goals = win, minimal victory = money back)
Home side is looking full strength, while the visitors are dealing with some serious absences; Thiago Carleto (def 7/1), Denilson (mf 17/0), Luis Fabiano (att 16/8 top scorer), Aloisio (att 21 /6 second top scorer). LA Galaxy are in a total freefall right now—absolutely abysmal form, ten games without a single win, including seven straight losses... just playing garbage football at this point.
Atlanta isn't exactly playing perfect soccer, but they are miles ahead of these guys. In their last six outings, they've only dropped one—and that was against a depleted Atlanta City squad anyway. The Galaxy managed a 2-0 win at home about ten days ago in the Continental Cup. Back then, they had Denilson, Aloisio, and L Fabiano out there... all of whom are sidelined today. They've already moved over 25,000 tickets, and the local fans in the big rivalry match are expecting another win🙂 If Atlanta plays even half as well as they did ten days ago, they're walking away with the win... anything else is basically impossible... Back in 2013, they faced off four times, and Atlanta took every single one of those wins.
Only picking up one home win is honestly pretty pathetic for Atlanta, so this game is the perfect chance to finally (and again, against their rivals) make the fans happy and prove they're the kings of the league this season.
Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Dortmund Over 2.5 Goals 1.69 (Over 2.5 at 1.95)
It's the German Super Cup—basically a heavyweight showdown between two massive title contenders who absolutely loathe each other. The match is happening in Dortmund, and honestly, since it's just the curtain-raiser, neither side is going to sit back and play boring defense—they both want to prove something right out of the gate. Expect an open, end-to-end game where they trade blows, which usually means goals... lots of them. I’m looking at at least three here.
RB Leipzig vs. Bayern Munich Over 2.5 Goals 1.90
Second weekend of the season in Germany and we’re already hitting a massive derby in Leipzig... Leipzig versus Bayern. Both these squads are basically locked in a death match for the league title this year—both sitting right at the top after the first round. Look, Soriano just put up a hat trick in their last outing against Neustadt, where they absolutely dismantled them 5-1 on the road. Before that, they were running through some lower-tier club in the cup with a ridiculous 9-0 scoreline... The home side is absolutely firing off the bat this season; they're scoring effortlessly—every single preseason friendly was a high-scoring affair. Meanwhile, Bayern looked solid in a 2-1 win over Everton and cruised through the cup with a 3-0. It’s essentially the same championship-winning squad from last season, just with a new manager and a few new faces added to the mix.
Even though the home team has the edge, I don't think those underdogs are going to just roll over. They definitely have enough teeth to bite back in Leipzig—if you're feeling gutsy, maybe even throw a little something on the visitors too😉
This thing should easily go over on goals, especially since we're still in that early-season phase where everyone is playing loose and hasn't tightened up defensively yet... Plus, the home side isn't exactly at full strength today, which gives the visitors a massive opening.
The only lock this weekend... if anything actually is a "lock" anymore because let's face it, there's zero certainty in this league... Memphis is basically a sinking ship right now—top candidate for relegation since they don't even have a coaching staff or actual players ready to go—while St. Louis is sitting pretty as one of the favorites for the top of the table. Look, it might be a grind 🤷, but I seriously doubt the home side walks away without a win... I mean, if all 11 guys on the visiting squad are just parked in front of their own goal, the home team is bound to find a gap at least once.
07/29. Atlanta United vs. D.C. United 2 3.05 DNB 2.22 I honestly think the oddsmakers have this one totally backwards. D.C. United used to be a massive institution, an absolute powerhouse, but right now? They’re nowhere near that level. This season is going to be a brutal, unpredictable mess for them.
Atlanta, on the other hand, handled a tough away game against a gritty side in the opening round, and before that, they actually snatched the Supporters' Shield. They were firing on all cylinders last half-season, and from what I've seen, they haven't missed a beat in the new campaign. They could genuinely be the team to beat. The whole city is buzzing, the roster stayed mostly intact from last year, and as things stand, they're definitely in the hunt to get back into continental competition. Even when they got bumped out of the preseason tournament, they played better than anyone expected in the second leg and fought back for a draw.
D.C. United is a huge club that was practically on life support a while back, but somehow they survived. But man, they lost everything... missed out on playoffs, and every single player with any real talent or market value just walked out the door—we're talking 18 players gone. Now they're filling the spots with nobodies and guys who spent their careers bouncing around minor league squads or switching teams every single season... the club is trying to stabilize, sure, but they aren't going to be title contenders anytime soon. Atlanta can walk away with the whole bag here, and with these odds, it's a steal.
08/01. FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew 2 1.85
The home side basically lucked their way into this spot, and I honestly don't see how they pose any threat to the favorites coming into town. Their ceiling is just too low. 🤷 They're that classic type of team that plays "park the bus" for all 90 minutes, praying for a lucky counter-attack. I just don't know how many chances they actually need to score, because against their last opponent, they only scored because of some bizarre, laughable mistakes by the opposing keeper... otherwise, they probably wouldn't have even touched the back of the net...
Columbus absolutely dismantled their opponents last season—a side that isn't even much weaker than Cincinnati—winning 4-2 away and then 7-0 back home. In a fair world, the away win shouldn't be priced higher than 1.50, so this 1.85 is pure value in my book... I'm taking it without a second thought.
Look, during these early preseason matches, St. Louis looked completely lost—totally out of sync and just zero efficiency in their play. They were basically leaning entirely on one standout striker, who, by the way, probably isn't even technically on the roster anymore after yesterday... When they run into teams that sit back and play defense, it’s a total disaster. The squad is still reeling from that knockout loss against Nashville SC—their focus is shot and their finishing is just pathetic. You're basically handing goals to the other team while you're busy smashing the ball against the crossbar, the post, and then missing an easy penalty...
Those are massive holes in this lineup. Given how things are looking, St. Louis is going to struggle to find the back of the net because, quite frankly, they don't have many players right now who actually pose a threat in the final third.
On the flip side, the defense seems like the one decent part of this squad—though, let's be real, you can never truly trust what the goalie is going to pull off—so playing at home, they shouldn't be conceding any stupid goals.
Cincinnati is kind of a wildcard here, pretty much your average mid-tier side, and since both teams have been grinding through their preseason schedule they should be feeling some fatigue—especially the visitors after all that travel... I’m not expecting a scoring clinic or anything close to it from them, nor am I expecting much in terms of pace or intensity... The odds look solid enough, so I'm taking it.
The home side is sitting pretty with a result that works perfectly for them—even a boring old 0-0 draw gets them through to the next round... so why risk anything? I haven't got a full read on their firepower, but they scraped a 1-0 win against Dudelange at home in the first qualifying round, and they managed just one goal over in Belarus. Honestly, I don't see them finding more than one goal tomorrow, even with the home crowd behind them. As for the visitors, they play these low-scoring away games all the time—not exactly flashy or efficient, but hey, it works for them. They’ve only conceded five goals (two of which were from BATE) in their last 16 outings. Looking at their last 10 matches, 9 of them ended with fewer than three goals total. They aren't conceding much, they aren't scoring much, and the home team is going to be playing super cautious and defensive to protect their position... so once again, the under looks like the smart play here...
Look, Corinthians has a solid squad—they’re actually ambitious this year, and honestly, they really ought to be stepping up their game from whatever mediocre stuff we saw at the start of the season... they definitely should be performing better than that. On the flip side, Atletico has basically thrown their domestic season under the bus just to focus on the Copa Libertadores—I mean, they've been grinding through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and now it's the finals... because of that, they've been cycling through bench players in the league, which explains why they've been looking so rough lately (seriously, three straight losses on the road). And get this—word is out that Atletico is planning to roll out a backup squad for this one, specifically because they're gearing up for that Olimpia match on July 18th. Since all the heavy hitters and starters are sitting this one out, the home side could end up having a much easier ride than expected against a visiting team that clearly doesn't have their heart in it...
I don't even know where to start with this one... honestly, just looking at the state of things right now makes my blood boil—it’s like nobody actually gives a damn about the details anymore. Everything is just surface level, all flash and no substance, and I’m sitting here watching the whole thing crumble while everyone else acts like everything is perfectly fine. It’s exhausting, really. You see these people making these massive, sweeping claims—acting like they’ve got it all figured out—and then the second you ask for a shred of actual evidence or a logical breakdown, they just pivot or go silent. Typical. Just typical... And don't even get me started on the way people are reacting to the recent news coming out of D.C.—it’s absolute madness. You’ve got these pundits on every major network just shouting over each other, throwing around buzzwords like they’re going out of style, while the actual core issues are being completely ignored. It’s a circus, plain and simple. A loud, obnoxious, poorly managed circus where the clowns are running the show and we're all just supposed to sit back and applaud the performance? Yeah, right. Not me. I’ll be over here, calling out the nonsense while everyone else plays along with the script... because clearly, common sense isn't that common anymore. kaže: After that absolute train wreck of a weekend, we’re heading back into the grind to chase some new wins—or more likely, just another round of crushing defeats... 😍
Basel vs. Red Star Belgrade—odds sitting at 1.60 for a home win... honestly, looking at this matchup, I’ve got some thoughts. It’s one of those games where you just feel like things could go sideways if you aren't paying attention to the momentum... anyway, Basel at 1.60? That feels a little thin, maybe even a bit too optimistic depending on how you view the pitch battle... but we'll see how it plays out on the field.
So, we’ve got this showdown coming up for the trophy—it’s the preseason classic that’s been running for fifty years now, basically the ultimate warm-up before the real grind starts... though I remember they skipped it back in 2012, which was a total bummer. We’re looking at two squads that both came out on top in their opening matches—think something like the matchup between the St. Louis City SC and the Indy Eleven, or maybe the way the Atlanta United handled the Charlotte FC... anyway, you get the point. It’s down to the wire, but honestly? If the guys from St. Louis pull it together, they can basically cruise to the title. They just look like a much more polished, high-caliber group compared to those guys coming in from Chicago... seriously, the talent gap is pretty obvious if you actually watch the tape...
Bryan Adams6 said:The game is happening out in Miami at that brand new stadium, and honestly, the stands will probably be pretty empty—so there won't be any home-field advantage for the local team thanks to the crowd
And they don't even have Welington Silva, that defender who’s only managed three appearances so far...
Knowing the absolute moron coaching the Fluminense squad right now, I'm thinking the best play here is PiK x
I actually had no clue where this game was being played🤷
And I didn't find anything about W. Silva not playing either—and I'm not even counting those other two guys, since they aren't even on the roster anymore😉
We'll see... goals have to happen eventually, there's no turning back now...😁 🤷
Los Angeles FC vs. LA Galaxy Over 2.5 goals @ 2.08
So, LAFC has pulled off two straight home wins, both ending in 2-1 nail-biters... They took down teams like the Seattle Sounders and Orlando City. On the flip side, LA Galaxy have been playing five matches lately—going 3-0-2—and honestly? Every single one of those games has been an absolute goal fest. The Galaxy have some seriously lethal attackers right now, they play a high-octane style, and they’ve got the sheer talent to put up numbers... they should definitely bring that same energy tonight.
Both squads are looking pretty much full strength here. The visitors are loaded with offensive firepower—think guys like Christian Benteke types—and they might actually be the stronger side on paper... but man, you can't sleep on the home team. They're tough as nails at home and playing in front of their own screaming fans... which means they can take down anyone on any given night. All things considered, I'm expecting plenty of action in the net for this one...
Seattle Sounders vs Atlanta United Under 2.5 goals @ 1.95 Atlanta +1.5 @ 1.85 (win, draw, or losing by just one goal = we cash out)
Man, Atlanta is such a massive headache for teams... they've pulled six straight draws lately—it is seriously freaking hard to actually beat these guys. Seattle is absolutely reeling right now after those recent results—I mean, getting crushed by Portland last week and then a total dud 0-0 draw over in Ireland against Drogheda... And get this, the home side is basically walking into this game shorthanded because their bench depth is non-existent—they aren't even playing most of the guys who usually sit out. They’re missing defenders Alexander Blomqvist, Filip Helander, Matias Concha, and that old vet Danel Andersson—plus midfielder Ivo Pekalski and striker Dardan Rexhepi are all out too.
As for the visitors, they're missing a key midfielder like Simon Lundevall, plus some other less vital guys—veteran Bernhardsson and the duo Svantesson and W. Lundin are also out. Historically, Seattle always seems to hit a wall when they play Atlanta at home—only two wins in their last six meetings, and honestly, those last six games were all low-scoring affairs...
04/02/2012 Seattle - Atlanta 0:0 06/23/2011 Seattle - Atlanta 0:0 08/15/2010 Seattle - Atlanta 2:0 04/29/2009 Seattle - Atlanta 0:0 04/16/2008 Seattle - Atlanta 2:0 05/27/2007 Seattle - Atlanta 1:1
Atlanta is going into this match with zero pressure because they already finished their job in the first round of the Europa League—they cruised to a 3-0 win in Estonia, so Thursday's return leg is basically just a formality for them. Seattle is the one feeling the heat here—they've got issues, their confidence is shot from those bad results, and now they have to face an opponent that's dangerous and historically a nightmare for them. It is definitely not going to be an easy win for them... if they even manage to pull it off at all. .
The Seattle manager went out and said he expects his squad to put up a solid performance—you know, playing at the level people expect from a club like this. But then, on the flip side, he throws out this warning: "We have to realize we can't be too naive, because the visitors will punish us for it."
I'm expecting a gritty fight from the visitors, a tough, physical match, and not many goals... I think fatigue is probably going to kill any "pretty" football these teams try to play. The visitors are coming in just looking for points, while the home side is in a terrible spot—they're sitting at 3-3-1 at home, and even with the handicap, they barely scraped past Portland 2-0... in every other match, it's been nothing but pure struggle...
Atlanta United vs. Inter Miami—both sides to score over 1.75 goals
Look, Atlanta is basically running circles around this league right now when it comes to efficiency—we’re talking an 11:12 goal differential. They’ve been scoring in pretty much every single match lately, but yeah, they’ve also been leaking goals like a sieve... constant back-and-forth action. Then you’ve got Miami, who’s sitting there with just one loss under their belt, but here’s the kicker—they just brought in this new manager, Ren, who’s literally only been on the job for five days. Like, seriously... how much can a guy actually learn about a roster in less than a week?? Atlanta desperately needs a solid result and some points tonight, especially since they’re playing in front of a home crowd that is absolutely losing its mind waiting for that first home win. But don't go thinking the visitors are some pushover either—they aren't naive, and they definitely aren't weak. They’re looking to capitalize on this momentum shift and kickstart a winning streak under the new boss. I’ve got a gut feeling both squads are going to find the back of the net at least once... I mean, the fans on both sides are practically demanding it at this point. Both teams are likely rolling out a 4-4-2 formation, which tells me everything I need to know—they’re playing strictly for the points and nothing else...
Cincinnati knocked out Hibernians back in the 2007/2008 season too, so honestly, they shouldn't have any trouble dealing with them this time around either...🤷
Hibernians is probably the best possible matchup for them—we're talking about semi-pro types who got absolutely dismantled by Cincinnati five seasons ago, winning 0-2 in Malta and then getting crushed 5-1 in Ohio. It's the start of the season, preseason stuff is wrapped up, and now they actually need to step up the tempo and get serious...
The Cincinnati manager, Mark Nikolic, basically said that if his guys stay focused and disciplined, they should walk right through Hibernians.
"The draw was pretty decent for us; we pulled a team from Malta when we could've drawn some much tougher opponents. We really should advance, but there are conditions... like everyone at the club needs to be fully locked in, maximum discipline, and total focus from every single player."
He made it clear his squad has zero margin for error here.
"We’re going to prepare like we’re facing a top-tier European powerhouse, because there’s no second chances and definitely no room for mistakes. There's no such thing as an excuse or an alibi for us.", according to Nikolic.
Just a final check before the trip to Malta—a minor win that easily could have ended with a 5 or 6 goal cushion.
I'm expecting the better, stronger, and clearly superior side to take this one. The fact that they're training a day early at the actual stadium where the match will be played shows they aren't messing around...
Videoton-Mladost Podgorica 1 1,40
Videoton has that solid experience playing in the Europa League from last year. They beat Sporting, Basel, and Gent at home, and even knocked out Trabzonspor... finished the season as runners-up in the Canadian league.
Mladost Podgorica is just an average side by Mexican standards; they finished mid-table last season, sitting 26 points behind the champions, Sutjeska. For instance, in their last 25 matches, they managed only 5 wins. They enter this two-legged tie as massive underdogs, and frankly, it's hard to imagine a scrappy team like this pulling anything off on the road against a high-level outfit like Videoton.
Last season in the Mexican league, Mladost was the second worst away team and the second least efficient attacking side on the road—and let's not forget they have zero experience playing official international matches.
Double chance 1,96
World Cup U-20 Turkey 1/8 finals
Spain U-20-Mexico U-20 1 1,55
Spain lived up to their favorite status and topped the group with three straight wins. They handled what might have been their main title rivals, France, pretty comfortably with a 2-1 scoreline. They've got a ton of talent on that roster—players from major clubs who make beating opponents look easy. Mexico struggled big time to make it to the second round, picking up two losses and a win against Mali. Since those losses came against teams way weaker than Spain, they head into the knockout stage as true outsiders with slim chances of advancing. The odds surprised me a bit because they seem pretty good, but I don't doubt the superior side will pull it off...🙂
Look, let's be real—the visitors are the clear favorites in this matchup, mostly because teams coming out of the lower tiers of American semi-pro soccer are usually just... well, amateurish at best. Last season, all four representatives from that level played incredibly gritty, cautious 🙄, really fighting for every inch... all four of those matches stayed under 3 goals even against opponents who weren't exactly pushovers compared to Levadia.
Bangor City vs. Zimbru Chisinau 0:0 Cefn Druids vs. MyPa 0:0 Llanelli vs. KuPS Kuopio 1:1 The New Saints vs. Helsingborg 0:0
Bala Town is a total wildcard here, and honestly, we don't know much about Levadia either 🤷. They’re sitting pretty at the top of their league back home, and since they've got momentum from their domestic season, you can bet they have serious ambitions to steamroll whoever they face from the US lower leagues. And frankly, they should. What’s interesting, though, is that Levadia hasn't exactly been lighting it up lately (two losses in their last three outings), and they're struggling to find the back of the net, though they aren't leaking them either—over their last seven matches, they've only got a goal difference of 5:3.
The home side is actually a decent squad when playing on their own turf (for their level), having only dropped five games out of 19 at home, so they might just be able to frustrate Levadia enough to scrape out another draw on home soil. Judging by current form—especially looking at the visitors—I wouldn't expect a blowout victory for the away side. If the home team puts up a solid, gritty defense, this match could easily end up being an "under" game... tight, physical, and defensive. The home team might manage to nick a goal🙂, but it won't be easy... then again, I don't see the visitors walking away with a massive multi-goal win either... it just doesn't look likely...
Noah Hernandez said:Where the hell are you finding odds that high? Around here, either that line isn't even posted yet or it’s already dropped down to 1.85 on DraftKings
Look, the juice was way higher just four days ago—today it's significantly lower😢
Yesterday it was sitting at Breidablik at 1.45 against Santa Coloma from Andorra, and shortly after that it tanked to 1.35... I wouldn't be surprised if it keeps sliding lower🤷
Last season, Breidablik actually took down Rosenborg 2-0 over in Iceland😉
They're a solid squad and they've been in killer form lately, especially when they're playing on their home turf
As for Santa Coloma from Andorra—they're basically amateurs just stacking up losses at this point. They played against FC Cincinnati last season and got smoked both times, though they did manage to nick a goal away in a 3-1 loss😲
The Spanish squad played three friendlies leading up to this tournament:
And man, they were absolutely pumping out goals...🙂
USA U20 beat Portugal U20 3-1 in a friendly right before things kicked off.
Before that, they were playing in the Toulon tournament: they dropped three straight matches; lost 4-1 to France, 2-1 to Colombia, and a tight 1-0 to South Korea. They did manage to scrape a 1-0 win over DR Congo.
I’m expecting a decent showing from the Americans—they can definitely find the back of the net—but let's be real, the Spaniards are the heavy favorites to take this whole thing. I'm calling for plenty of action and goals in this one. Looking at Spain's attack: Bernat (Valencia), Jesé Rodríguez (Real Madrid), Deulofeu (Barcelona)... what a lineup...
Also; Over 2.5 goals @ 2.35 Yeah, I really think we're seeing that happen.
I’m leaning toward the Tahiti side here—and by that, I mean the under. Seriously. Hopefully they can actually tighten up the defense for once. They’ve got more experience playing in high-stakes games than these guys, so maybe they can hold their own...😍
Looking back at the last four years, the US hasn't blown anyone out by seven goals or more (except for that one weird 5-2 win over Canada in Sarajevo, but who cares about that now)... and honestly, I don't see Tahiti finding the back of the net tonight anyway.🤷 The Americans aren't really the type to just hunt for goal totals and run people through the mud. Remember when they were playing Uruguay? They went up 2-0 and then basically spent the rest of the match passing it around their own half... just stalling until the whistle blew. Last year and this year, they've only put up five goals across three different matches—mostly just two 5-0 wins and one 5-1. Nothing crazy.
Even Iniesta said (roughly) that they plan to show some respect and aren't looking to humiliate them. All they care about is grabbing the win and moving on to the next round. That's it.