Philadelphia Union vs. FC Cincinnati – MLS, October 7, 2020

A fortnight after Cincinnati held Philadelphia to a goalless draw in Ohio, the two sides clash again at Subaru Park on Wednesday, October 7.

The U has claimed three points from a possible six since then, with a victory over Inter Miami coming before a defeat to Toronto. On the flip side, Jaap Stam’s men have suffered back-to-back defeats, meaning they have only managed to win one of their last ten games.

Read on to see my Philadelphia Union vs FC Cincinnati prediction and betting pick.

With Philadelphia and Cincinnati battling at opposite ends of the Eastern Conference, I’m really not surprised that 10bet views the home side as the clear favorite to win this one.

Fourth-place Philly is only three points off the top, while third-bottom Cincinnati is just two points ahead of Inter Miami and DC United.

Let’s take a closer look at the teams and decide whether or not the Orange & Blue can upset the odds in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia’s five-game unbeaten run was brought to an end by Toronto FC last weekend. Sergio Santos gave the U the lead after just five minutes, but a second-half resurgence from the Canadians eventually saw the game end 2-1.

Interestingly, Cincinnati was the only team that had stopped Philly from winning before Sunday’s defeat. Along with last month’s draw, victories over New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Montreal Impact, and Inter Miami saw Jim Curtin’s men pick up 13 points from a possible 15 across September.

Since making it all the way to the semi-finals of the MLS is Back Tournament, Philly has won six of their ten regular-season games. Not only are Curtin’s men the third-highest scorers in the division, but they also boast the third-best defensive record. Consistency has been key for the U.

Unfortunately, consistency is not a word that is associated with Cincinnati. The Orange & Blue has only managed to win one of their ten games since the MLS is Back Tournament, with five defeats coming along the way.

The Ohio club’s stubborn approach has led to an unusually high number of goalless draws over the past couple of months. Stam’s side held DC and Columbus Crew in August before frustrating Chicago Fire and Philadelphia in September.

However, Cincinnati needs to start turning draws into wins to stand any chance of reaching the final series play-offs. The Orange & Blue remains just four points behind tenth-place Nashville, so there is still hope.

But having only netted eight goals in 15 regular-season games this term, the lowest scorers in the Eastern Conference must improve in attack.

Jim Curtin’s men could find themselves leading the way in the Eastern Conference this week if results elsewhere go their way. On the other hand, Cincinnati could end up at the bottom of the pile if things don’t go in their favor.

Considering that Philadelphia leads Cincinnati by a whopping 15 points, I think odds of 1.60 for the home win are pretty generous. We all know that Stam’s side can frustrate their opponents, but the U should be too strong on this occasion.