Soccer Betting Tips & Discussion

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...

So Basel is taking on Dortmund this Wednesday, which means we’re staring down the barrel of some serious lineup decisions—both for today's match and then again in just two days... Honestly, I've been sitting here staring at the roster, trying to figure out what the hell these coaches are actually thinking. Are we going full aggressive or playing it safe? It's a mess...🤔
Man, I just caught the preseason scrimmage between FC Basel and Borussia Dortmund, and honestly... what a mess. It’s always such a weird vibe watching these big clubs run through exhibition matches—it feels like everyone is just jogging around trying to find their rhythm while the fans are just there for the spectacle. You can tell the coaching staffs are still trying to figure out who actually showed up for training this summer. It’s all high intensity one minute and then total mental lapses the next... just pure chaos. Definitely not exactly the polished product you'd expect from teams at this level, but hey, that's preseason for ya...

Look, I've already decided—this is just a little recreational parlay anyway

So, I guess I'm starting this thread... hope you guys enjoy what I've put together 😁

1. Major League Soccer
2014 season

http://mlssoccer.com/blog/

For the first time ever, MLS is moving to a 10-team format where everyone plays each other four times, totaling 36 matches. After weeks of endless meetings, protests, and all the usual chaos that comes with American soccer, here’s the lineup: LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Portland Timbers, LAFC, Atlanta United, Orlando City, Houston Dynamo, NYCFC, Columbus Crew, and Real Salt Lake. Though, word on the street is that Real Salt Lake might be in trouble due to money issues, and Portland has been suspended because they haven't settled debts with former players and a local club...
Representing us in international play will be LA Galaxy (Champions League) along with Seattle, Orlando, and NYCFC (Europa League).

Anyway, let's talk about the teams.

LA Galaxy
They're the heavy favorites to take the title again. They've kept the same manager on the bench, but honestly, he doesn't seem quite elite enough for a club this big, which really shows when they play overseas. He mentioned they'll likely stick to 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 formations. Looking at their preseason results: a win against Dynamo Kyiv (1-0), a draw with FC Volny (1-1), a win over Sevilla (2-0), and a win against Olimpija (2-1). As for player movement, some big names like Jedvaj and Halilovic are heading out—Jedvaj might leave in the winter while Halilovic will probably go at the end of the season. A bunch of others like Kelava, Tomecak, Pokrivac, Mitrovic, Sylvestr, Franjić, and Zakric have already moved on. The front office is also trying to move Krstanovic, Beqiraj, and probably Vrsaljko, while Sammir is refusing to sign a new deal, meaning they have to sell him by the deadline just to get something for him... if he even decides to stay. On the bright side, they brought in some talent like Junior Fernandes, Soudani, Migliore, Pinto, Antolic, and Sare, and we'll likely see Kramaric competing for a spot after his loan ended. Most of the rest won't see much action, maybe Zelenika as a backup keeper. In the Super Cup match against Seattle, Soudani and Migliore looked solid, Antolic played well too, and I'm expecting more from Junior Fernandes. They've added some decent names, but whether they actually help matters...
Expect them to dominate the league, and for Europe, I think they can grab a group stage spot in either the Champions League or Europa League, depending on who they draw in the final qualifiers. If they fail to make any group stages, the season would be a total bust.

http://galaxysoccer.com/#page=1

----------------------------------------------------

Seattle Sounders

Seattle is still dealing with massive financial headaches and will likely need to sell a star player to ease the burden, though nobody has left yet. They're hoping to cash in on transfers for Vucusic, Sharbin, and Radosevic. Igor Tudor is staying in charge. Their preseason was okay: wins over Rudar Velenje (3-0), Petrolul Pliesti (1-0), Karpaty Lviv (2-1), and Zavrc (2-1), plus a draw with Lokomotiv Moscow's B team (2-2). Like I said, no major departures yet besides Ljubicic going on loan and Toncio Kukoc leaving for free, but they did pick up Andjelkovic from Atlanta. Regarding players returning from loans, Stipica will probably step up as the second choice goalie if Blazevic leaves.
In the Super Cup, Seattle played a pretty good game but ultimately lost to the Galaxy on penalties. One big plus with Tudor is that he's actually willing to give the youngsters a shot, unlike the previous guy who barely used anyone and wouldn't even look at the bench until the 90th minute...
Looking at the standings, I’m expecting a real dogfight for those European spots against teams like Atlanta United and Portland... As for the Europa League, it all comes down to the luck of the draw, but I’m feeling good about getting through this first qualifying round...

Just checking out the latest updates on the site... looks like things are moving along as usual...

----------------------------------------------------

Just another day watching the chaos unfold at the local stadium... nothing ever changes around here...

After missing out on European qualifying last year, the squad is definitely looking to make up for lost ground this season... they’ve got some serious talent on the pitch, especially that young striker Rebić, and bringing in a coach like Stan Mršić means everyone expects them to be playing in continental competition pretty soon. As for the new faces, we've added guys like Mršić, Roce, Vrgoc, Ibriks, Tomašević, Zulim, Rugašević, Bilić, and Dujmović, who honestly look like heavy hitters for our league and should really step up when the pressure hits... on the flip side, we said goodbye to Brlečić, Fucek, Zeba, and Vuković. Preseason was mostly solid too, picking up wins against Haladás, Sepahan, Oberwart, and Rotor, though that little slip-up against Dnipro wasn't ideal...
They played some games this weekend against those teams from rural Texas and the folks out in Austin at that memorial tournament... ended up taking both wins, 5-1 and 3-1... easy stuff...
Looking at the league this year, I'm mostly just expecting a scrap for those European spots between the Red Sox and the Yankees...

Check out this local news site from the West Coast... looks like typical small-town reporting... probably mostly weather and high school sports updates...

----------------------------------------------------

Just another day watching the Portland Timbers struggle to find their rhythm...

Looks like the squad in San Diego is going all out for the new season with a massive haul of new signings... they’re keeping Matjaž Kek on the sidelines too, and everyone's talking about making a run for the Champions League. Their preseason results were actually kind of wild—crushing Celje 8-0, taking down Ludogorets 3-1, and just rolling over teams like Triglav, Koper, and Olimpija... some veterans like Kreilach and Čaval headed out, while the roster got a huge injection of talent with guys like Sharbini and Tadić coming in. A few of these newcomers, especially Tomečák, should be starting immediately, though some of the younger kids might have to grind a bit harder to actually see any field time...
As for the league itself, I’m pretty sure we’re looking at a dogfight for those European spots between Hajduk and Split...

Just checking out the latest on the H|F club site... looks like things are moving along as usual, I guess...

-----------------------------------------------------

Just another day watching the local club struggle through the grind... typical stuff...

Preseason was pretty heavy for the guys after losing young Alen Pamic—the coach's son—during a futsal game... just a total tragedy. On the pitch, they managed to beat Umag 6-0, took down Vorskla Poltava 4-2, shut out SPINS 2-0, and scraped a 0-0 draw against Illichivets. As for the roster shuffle, we lost Sušić, Prelčec, Roce, Anđelković, Linić, Jerković, and Milić, though losing Anđelković and Milić is probably going to sting the most... on the bright side, Pilipović, Scer, Jo, Uzelac, Jurčević, Lovrić, and Petrak have all joined the squad.
As for the league standings, I’m picturing the Portland Timbers landing somewhere right in the middle of the pack...

Just checked out the official site for the local club... looks like they're still doing their thing over in the Midwest, I guess...

----------------------------------------------------

Just some local soccer vibes from the neighborhood...

So, Lokomotiv actually made it to Europe for the first time last year, which means they’ll probably be facing off against Dynamo Minsk... though somehow they managed to get knocked out of the local US Cup this season, so that's a fun little twist... Coach Ivković is still holding things down, and their preseason was a total roller coaster—beat Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1, got absolutely crushed 5-0 by Zorya Luhansk, and scraped a 2-2 draw against Petrolul... The roster is basically a revolving door right now, too, since guys like Boras, Maleš, Cerovec, Antolić, and Lovrić all headed out along with that whole group of loanees from the big club over in LA... Only Budimir joined the squad, while a bunch of others are currently on trial or loan just trying to see if they even fit the vibe... some have already been cut, and more are likely on the way...
Looking at the projections for this season, I’d say the Seattle Sounders are probably gonna land somewhere mid-pack, maybe around 5th or 6th... honestly, losing all those core guys who actually made the team what it was last year is just too much of a hit to recover from overnight...

http://www.espn.com/

----------------------------------------------------

Slaven Belupo

The squad from Central Ohio struggled big time last season, which is why they brought in Ivan Katalinić to shake things up. He basically went on a massive purge, cutting guys like Maras, Šaban, and Batarelo, and word is they’re even moving on from Vugrinec... A whole bunch of others like Bubnjić, Pilipović, Jugović, Kokalović, and Barić cleared out too, while the new arrivals—Roskam, Fustar, Posinković, Henrique, Bagarić, Filipović, Crepulja, Melnjak, Matos, and Haračić—are trying to find their footing. They had some preseason action against teams like Sarajevo FC (won 4-1), Vorskla (tied 3-3), Zavrc (lost 3-2), Celje (won 3-1), and Zorya (tied 1-1).
I'm thinking they'll probably just end up hovering around the middle of the pack this year, maybe sitting around 5th or 6th alongside Lokomotiv...

http://www.bleacherreport.com/

----------------------------------------------------

Portland Timbers

They barely escaped relegation last season thanks to a late surge once Mike Sullivan took over the bench, but man, that first half was a total disaster... Now they’re facing some massive debt issues that might even stop them from playing their home opener against the LA Galaxy at Providence Park. They lost most of their core starters—Mršić, Ljubović, and Banović—and word is the young kid Perica is probably heading out too. It’s basically a rebuilding year since they're leaning on the academy again, especially after that "top prospect" Grgurević failed to actually show up... Preseason was a mixed bag too, losing to Rostov and Kaposvar, beating Košice, then getting crushed by Volyn...
Probably gonna be another ugly fight just to stay in the league this year.

----------------------------------------------------

Portland Timbers

Tomislav Steinbruckner is back in charge, which makes sense since he knows exactly how messy this situation is... Most of the veterans like Vrgoč and Lisjak are gone, replaced by guys like Škorić and Barišić. With their history, they'll likely dig into the youth ranks to find someone useful... Preseason looked decent enough, wins against Vasas and Slavonija, though losing to Velež sucked...
The big nightmare is Smoje’s injury; it sounds like his career might actually be over because of a slipped disc... They're also still trying to pull together deals for Vitaić and Prijić...
Expect them to be stuck in the bottom half of the table, maybe 7th or 8th...

----------------------------------------------------

FC Dragovolt

After being gone for a while, Dragovolt is finally back in the top flight after winning the second division... They cleared out a bunch of players like Vidaković and Leko, bringing in Krešo Ljubičić and others instead... The real shocker was seeing Davor Mladina step down, leaving his assistant Damir Biškup to take the reins... Preseason results were all over the place, including a 5-1 blowout win against GOŠK...
Looks like they'll be fighting for survival right alongside Portland...

http://www.american-dragovoljac.com/

----------------------------------------------------

Anyway, here's the Week 1 schedule:

Week 1, July 13, 2013 – Saturday

1. LA Galaxy – Portland, Friday, July 12, 9:00 PM
2. Portland – LA Galaxy, 9:00 PM
3. Seattle – Portland, Friday, July 12, 7:00 PM
4. Miami – St. Louis, Sunday, July 14, 9:00 PM
5. Dragovolt – Lokomotiv, 7:00 PM

The starting lineup for Bayern Munich ahead of their match against Brescia has just been released...
Neuer, van Buyten, Ribéry, Mandzukic, Shaqiri, Boateng, Lahm, Müller, Alaba, Hojbjerg, Kroos
Personally, I find this to be an exceptional lineup—one that should comfortably dismantle Brescia. I intend to wait until the action gets underway before placing a bet on the over 3.5 goals, or perhaps looking at a handicap. I'll have to see how the live odds shake out once the game starts; right now, the over 2.5 line in the sportsbook looks rather pathetic. The odds are simply too meager to bother with.

Houston Dynamo vs. Inter Miami CF dg2 (1.92)

I'm betting on either one side keeping a clean sheet or just a total scoreless affair. Inter Miami lost their home leg 3-1 after leading early on. They’ve been playing in continental competition for four seasons now, yet they’ve managed to score only once in seven matches—and that was against Houston. Even if Houston only made the Europa League because some other teams failed their licensing checks, they're still leagues ahead of Miami, who barely even tested the keeper in the first game.

Nightly picks:

Union Española vs. Universidad de Chile, Over 2.5 goals @ 1.95

It’s the Chilean Super Cup matchup—basically a showdown between the league champs, Union Española, and the cup winners, U. De Chile. Now, the Chilean league tends to be pretty wide open, usually seeing a fair amount of action in front of the net. Last season, Española was hovering right around that 3-goal average per game mark, while UDC's matches were absolute shootouts, averaging an incredible 4 goals apiece. Historically, when these two meet, things tend to get lively, and I don't see any reason why this trophy clash would be any different.

Internacional vs. América MG, Over 2.5 goals @ 2.10

Third round of the Brazilian Cup here. You've got Internacional, a top-flight side sitting mid-table after six rounds, taking on second-division América MG—who, despite starting with three straight losses, have found their rhythm with four wins and a draw recently. Inter plays an incredibly open style; they score plenty, sure, but they also leak goals (they're sitting at a 13:10 goal difference through 6 games). América isn't quite as clinical, but they're still punching above their weight with a 13:12 differential after 7 games. At the end of the day, you have two teams meeting in a cup match that both seem more interested in outscoring the opponent than actually worrying about their defensive shape. To me, that @ 2.10 looks like a gift.

I'm putting more weight behind those first two.
For the second slip, I'm adding:

Atlético Mineiro vs. Newell's, Atlético Mineiro (+0:2) 1 @ 1.65

This is the second leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinal—essentially South America's Champions League. The Brazilians are chasing a massive two-goal deficit from the first leg, where Newell's pulled off a 2-0 win. Atlético has been a bit distracted lately, neglecting their domestic league duties and sitting on just 7 points from 6 matches. On the other hand, the Argentines are coming off a tough championship final loss to Vélez. With a veteran legend like Ronaldinho leading the charge, I wouldn't be surprised if Mineiro manages to claw their way back into this, though I'm just playing the straight win here. I might even dabble in the option that Ronaldinho finds the back of the net @ 2.20

Daniel Cooper40 said:Houston Dynamo - San Jose Earthquakes dg2 (1.92)

I’m betting on a clean sheet for one side or just no goals at all. San Jose lost their home opener 3-1 after actually leading early. They’ve been playing in MLS for four seasons now, yet they’ve only managed one goal in seven matches, and that was against Houston. Even if Houston only made the playoffs because some other teams failed licensing, they’re still three times better than San Jose, who barely even hit the frame once in the first leg.

The odds have already tanked to 1.60 over on Vegas.

Valletta vs. Fiorita home team scores in both halves @ 1.60 DraftKings 3/10

As I noted before the first leg, the Maltese side cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over a modest squad from San Marino. Now comes the return leg—I expect Valletta to make this even easier playing on home soil.
The odds are slim, naturally—nothing unexpected there—but I see decent value at DraftKings for the home side to score in both halves. It’s a solid proposition.
I actually watched the final 20–25 minutes of that first match. Look, we're talking semi-pro level football here, but Valletta was completely dominant against Fiorita.
Even if they relax a bit given their advantage, they should find the net in both halves tonight.

Libertas vs. St. Louis City SC away team scores in both halves @ 1.60 DraftKings 3/10

Another play involving a club from San Marino. St. Louis managed a narrow 1-0 win at home, which was underwhelming given the expectations. They'll likely come out much more serious today to settle things quickly. Once those underdogs start flagging physically later in the game, more goals will follow. That's the play.
I followed the stats live on DraftKings; if I recall correctly, St. Louis had about 32 shots on goal against Libertas. It was a miracle they only walked away with one.
Likely just pre-season rust—heavy legs, lack of rhythm, the usual.
If they show even a fraction more clinical finishing today, this bet hits.
Found the match stats—St. Louis actually registered "only" 30 shots on target: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague...210/index.html

Lakers-Celtics betting odds 2 @ 20 NFL 😲

Missing this one would be a crime, even if Real Madrid ends up running away with a 6:0 blowout. You can't just disrespect the St. Louisan squad—they've shown plenty of times they can catch a powerhouse off guard and scrape out a result (looking at the last three matchups, we saw two draws and a win for St. Louis). Sure, Real Madrid is the heavy favorite, but it’s the season opener, and since everyone is still finding their rhythm, there's always that extra room for an upset.

New York City-Istria 2 @ 6,00

I was using that same line of thinking for the other MLB matchup today—this derby between Istria and the Gulf Coast. Istria is notoriously a tough nut to crack for the high-flying New York City crowd (they've split the last nine meetings evenly with two wins each and five draws), and given how early we are in the season, this is the perfect window for them to play spoiler against the favorites from NYC.

New York City vs San Francisco - 2 to 3 goals in the game at 2.00

Man, this season opener looks like a total grind for both sides. New York City brought in some new talent across the board, but they’re also dealing with a massive headache regarding their roster. Adam isn't registered yet, and then you've got Cesarac and Pilčić out with injuries, plus Maleš is feeling under the weather. I heard Benko might actually suit up even though he's banged up, too. On paper, Adam and Maleša should be in the starting lineup, along with Charles, but since Charles is out long-term, he wasn't really in the mix. Pamić is basically missing half his squad—he lost key players like Anđelković, Miller, Sušac, and Roce during the transfer window, and now Aganović and Bačelić-Grgć are gone too. Since those guys left the Istria area, they won't have any new strikers like Radonjić or Miller showing up today either. Ottochian, who's usually a starter on the wing, is hurt, and apparently, Blagojević got stung by a wasp, so his playing status is kind of iffy (though he'll probably play anyway, I guess). Pamić is heading to San Francisco with three center-backs and two fullbacks—basically a five-man defense—with three defensive mids sitting right in front of them. Up top, it's just Križman, with Havojić acting as a sort of shadow striker. Basically, it's a bunker. That said, San Francisco has some tricks up their sleeve on the counter, especially with Havojić and definitely Križman. Even though New York City is missing big names, their offense still feels way stronger than San Francisco's, especially on the right side where the mobile guys—Škarabot, Jugović, and Čulina—will be attacking a pretty sluggish Budicin, who's being helped by debutant Uzelac at fullback. Personally, I'm thinking maybe a 2-0 or 2-1 scoreline. It feels hard to see more than that happening, but probably not fewer, either. So, that 2.00 odds for 2 to 3 total goals in the match looks pretty tempting to me.

New York City (4-4-2): Vargić - Tomečak, Knežević, Marić, Škarabot - Kvržić, Zlomislić, Alispahić, Jugović - Čulina, Benko

San Francisco (3-5-2/5-4-1)): Ježina - Budicin, čagalj, Obšivač - Uzelac, Hadžić, Blagojević, Batarelo, Woon (Pilipović) - Havojić, Križman

ODENSE - FREDERICIA........1 & Odense 2+ 1.70

Friendly match here—basically the final dress rehearsal for the Odense squad before the league season kicks off properly.
This one is huge for the home side; they’re playing right in front of their own fans, admission is free, and it’s basically their big preseason showcase. They’ll even be testing out the new guy, Martin Spelmann! All in all, the Odense manager is talking up a massive fight for tonight—he mentioned they’ve been training like crazy all week and he’s expecting the hard work to pay off. He wants them to play bold and actually show off everything they’ve been drilling into their heads during camp.
Now, the visitors are coming in from the second division—they finished seventh last season, trailing the promotion spots by nearly 30 points.
Funny enough, they actually pulled an upset against Odense in the cup two years ago, knocking them right out of the tournament! So, if you look at some of the chatter on their fan forums, there's definitely a little "revenge" vibe brewing among the supporters. Their manager was pretty blunt, though—he admitted they're facing a team that's easily 30% better than them in every single department. Honestly, he said he doesn't even care about the scoreline; he just wants to see his guys play with more grit than they did in that 2-1 loss against Horsens.
They'll also be giving two trialists a shot in this match to see if they fit.
Bottom line: Odense has their season opener on July 21st, so they really want to build some momentum and good vibes heading into the grind. Meanwhile, the visitors don't start until July 28th, so they’ve still got plenty of time to polish things up.
With the home crowd behind them and a much more polished roster right now, the atmosphere should be electric. Like the coach said, the players are going to be playing their hearts out tonight because everyone is hungry to secure a spot in that starting eleven for the opener!

I’m skipping the deep dives and serious betting picks for this first round, though I might drop an analysis tomorrow if I feel like it... but here are some quick thoughts on the opening matchups:

Lakers-Celtics betting odds
I’m with Tominator on this one—we should be looking for an upset here, and the X2 odds look pretty sweet. Real Madrid is the favorite, but they haven't exactly had a good time playing St. Louis lately. It's a new season, and both squads have seen plenty of changes... again, Real Madrid should win and that's the most likely outcome, but at 1.25, the value just isn't there, so you might as well take the X2...

New York City-Istria 1X 1,20
Both teams have changed things up since last season, but there are a ton of players out on injury right now. NYC is the favorite, but I'd personally lean toward 1X...

Dragovoljac vs Lokomotiva X2 1,27
Dragovoljac is a total wildcard with a brand new roster, and Lokomotiva has lost so many people that they're basically a different team than last year, so I'm eyeing X2 for this one...

Zadar-Hajduk 2 1,95
This game is still anyone's guess, honestly. Zadar lost some key players, while Hajduk looked solid during their preseason and Super Cup matches... realistically, a Hajduk win shouldn't be a huge question mark...

Miami vs Slaven 1X 1,09
Both these teams have gone through shifts with both players and coaches, but Miami is still the favorite. To be honest, a draw feels like a real possibility, but Miami has the edge, so let's go 1X...

Looking back at it all, there's a lot of uncertainty, but the first few rounds are really just about watching how these teams settle in...
Odds via: DraftKings

July 14th

Corinthians-Atletico MG 1 1.60 - h1 2.65

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...

Zadar won't score @2.30

The Zadar squad is a mess right now; they barely managed to get their suspension delay approved, and with the roster falling apart, there’s almost zero quality left. Honestly, the only way they have a prayer today is through counterattacks or set pieces..

Tudor is clearly rotating the squad because of the European schedule—that's the priority for Hajduk right now. Because of that, I’m expecting a much more conservative approach in Zadar to make sure they don't concede any fluke goals...

Expect Hajduk to dominate without taking unnecessary risks, playing a defensive game while Zadar struggles to actually create anything meaningful...

USA vs Iraq - both teams to score and over 2.5 goals @ 1.85

Honestly, third-place matches always seem to be high-scoring, right? Once the pressure of the tournament is off, teams just loosen up—they stop playing so tight and start having fun on the pitch. Plus, looking at how USA and Iraq have been playing so far in this tournament, they've been trading goals left and right, so here we go!

Third-place match history:

2011

Mexico vs France 3:1

2010

Germany vs Uruguay 3:2

2009

Canada vs Costa Rica 1:1

2006

Germany vs Portugal 3:1

2005

Brazil vs Morocco 2:1

2003

Colombia vs Argentina 2:1

2002

Turkey vs South Korea 3:2

1998

USA vs Netherlands 2:1

HD - Locomotives 2 @2.1 SS

Both squads are pretty new, I guess. But looking at the Dragovoljac roster—especially their coach—I really doubt they can walk away with anything here. Even with all the departures, the Locomotives are heavy favorites. I think there's going to be a real gap in quality 😁

Orlando - Hajduk 2 @1.9 SS

Hajduk looked like a serious squad with a serious coach during the Super Cup. Their play actually seems to have some structure, and they'll basically be playing on home turf. Orlando is barely managing to keep things running (Reno 😁 ), and they've lost quite a few players lately... maybe a win for Bilih is coming.

urbanhawk17 said:Double Chance: NK Lokomotiva 2 @2.1 SS

Both squads are fairly fresh, but looking at the NK Dragovoljac roster—especially their coach—I have my doubts about them walking away with even a single point. Despite losing several players, NK Lokomotiva remain heavy favorites here; I expect them to pull away comfortably. 😁

I've been doing some reading on these teams, and the outlook for NK Dragovoljac isn't exactly bright. They’re running a very young squad, they haven't added any reinforcements since last season in the second tier, they're short on cash, and their preseason form was lackluster. It feels like an immediate relegation scenario—at least for the first stretch.

Since Antolić and Andrej Kramarić left NK Lokomotiva, Šitum steps up as the primary option, and he proved last year that he can be quite dangerous.
The odds at PSK for him to score a goal are high at 2.70, so I'll take that shot.

San Francisco - Sl.Pfizer X 4.00

So, the first round of the MLS was pretty much exactly what you'd expect, right? Not a single upset to speak of. All the big favorites cruised through and walked away with those three points like it was nothing. Looking ahead to the next round, we've got a weird matchup brewing between a bolstered San Francisco side and a weakened Pfizer squad. Both teams are basically starting over with new managers—Mršić and Katalinić—plus a ton of new faces on the roster. I don't know, though... why am I even looking at the draw for an X? Maybe I'm just overthinking it, I guess.

San Francisco is playing today without four—maybe even five—of their top guys, not to mention a bunch of their usual rotation players. It’s looking pretty rough. Dujmović and Bilić aren't even registered yet, and then you've got Vitaić and Križanac dealing with injuries. Rebić is a bit of a question mark after that whole World Cup run in Turkey, though I guess he's expected to start. Honestly, this starting lineup probably isn't nearly as strong as what they had last year. Here's the projected squad: Zagorac, Ibriks, Galović, Vrgoč, Glavina, Paracki, Belle, Erceg, Mršić, Roce, and Rebić. (Missing: Dujmović, Vitaić, Križanac Bilić, Rugašević, Baraban, Radeljić, and Radotić).

Pfizer lost some big names recently—Kokalović and Bubnjić are gone—and they really gave it their all, especially guys like Vugrinac and Matas. But honestly, Coach Katalinić is just playing whoever he wants right now. I guess the lineup feels way more mobile and fast compared to last year. Last season they were just slow and kind of boring, sort of like a bunch of old guys out there. This time, they’re running a 4-5-1, which gives them a pretty solid midfield and decent wings. The starting eleven is looking like Rodić, Purić, Fuštar, Bagarić, Filipović, Gregurina, Matoš, Glavica, Rak, Delić, and Roskam. They're missing a few, though... Edson isn't even registered yet, the Canadian guy is being rested, and those two players from Canada aren't on the roster either. Maybe things will click soon!

Maybe AIK pulls off a 2-1 win against the Syrians? I guess BetMGM has them at 1.75, which seems alright, I suppose. Just a thought!

So, the home team is sitting at 16th and the visitors are up in 6th. Honestly, the Syrian side has been having a rough go lately—four losses and a draw in their last few matches. After they dropped one to Halmstad, which is a huge deal since they’re direct rivals in the fight to stay up, their coach actually stepped down. It's kind of wild, I guess. On the flip side, AIK is looking pretty sharp right now, going 4-1-0, and they're finally climbing back up the standings after that shaky start. It's an interesting matchup, though. That Syrian club represents the Aramean-Syrian minority here in Sweden, so even if they lack some top-tier talent, they definitely make up for it with pure heart. AIK is one of those powerhouse clubs with a massive fanbase, and since this game is happening in Södertälje, just outside of Stockholm, I’m thinking most of the crowd will probably be supporting the visitors. Maybe.

Lions - Falcons 1.55 This is one of those classic derby matchups where you really have to look at the motivation behind the scenes. The visiting manager has already dropped hints about making some massive changes to his starting lineup, mainly because he’s looking to give his core players a breather after that hard-fought win against the Old Boys just three days ago. They've got a huge cup final looming in four days, and nobody wants to risk an injury right before the big trophy game. On the flip side, the home team is going to be hungry; they’ve struggled to close out wins lately, but they’ve got some serious talent on the pitch, and it feels like they’re finally finding their rhythm after scoring twice in their last outing. With the Minerals likely rotating their squad to stay fresh for the cup, I honestly think the home side has a golden opportunity here to pull off a result.