LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers – MLS, October 7, 2020

It’s second vs. bottom in the Western Conference this week as Portland Timbers travel to California to face LA Galaxy on Wednesday, October 7.

A damaging four-game losing streak has seen the Galaxy fall to the foot of the standings, while three straight wins have enabled Portland to keep pace with frontrunner Seattle.

If you’re interested in betting on this game, make sure you check out my LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers prediction and pick below.

I’m not going to lie to you, 10bet has seriously surprised me with their odds for this game. Of course, the Galaxy is likely to benefit slightly from playing on home soil. But I don’t think home advantage alone makes the Los Angeles club the favorite to beat Portland.

Let’s not forget the Galaxy has failed to win any of their previous five outings, while the Sounders head into this clash on a three-game winning run. In my opinion, the odds gap should be far narrower here.

Following a poor showing at the MLS is Back Tournament, the Galaxy returned to regular-season action with four straight wins. Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s men even extended their unbeaten streak to five games with a draw against San Jose Earthquakes, but that was the last point they picked up.

Things were looking bright for the Los Angeles club last month, but a month is a long time in soccer. Four consecutive defeats have left Barros Schelotto fighting for his job, with just four wins in 14 games coming this year.

If it wasn’t for Sebastian Lletget, the Galaxy would almost certainly be in a worse position. The former West Ham man has notched up six goals and two assists in his previous nine appearances, but his teammates must start chipping in to lift the club out of trouble.

The Galaxy was beaten 2-1 by San Jose last time out, yet Portland crushed the Quakes 6-1 last month to kick off their three-game winning streak. That gives you an indication of where the two teams are at right now.

The Sounders secured a hugely impressive 1-0 victory over conference-leader Seattle a fortnight ago before beating Vancouver Whitecaps by the same scoreline last weekend. Giovanni Savarase’s men took the lead inside 15 minutes in each of their last two outings and managed to hold out on both occasions.

After winning the MLS is Back Tournament, it feels like Portland is on a mission to make their mark on MLS this season. 2020 has been a great year for the Oregon club, and it could easily get even better on Wednesday.

I’m going against the bookies and backing Portland to come away from California with all three points. The Sounders have been unstoppable in recent weeks, while the Galaxy has struggled to deal with their opponents.

With such a talented squad, I’m confident the Galaxy will end their losing streak soon. But I’m expecting the Los Angeles club to suffer their fifth straight defeat on Wednesday.