Atlanta United vs. Toronto FC Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 8/18/21
Atlanta United vs. Toronto FC
The Major League Soccer betting action continues Wednesday, August 18, with 11 games around the country, including the Eastern Conference showdown at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Five Stripes meet the Reds for the first time this season, so let’s see what’s the best Atlanta United vs. Toronto FC betting pick for Wednesday night, as the kick-off is set at 7:00 PM ET.
Atlanta Utd aims for its third consecutive W
After a terrible 12-game winless streak that lasted for more than a couple of months, the Five Stripes outlasted Columbus Crew 3-2 on August 7. Last Sunday, they made it a winning streak with a 1-0 home victory over Los Angeles FC, as the Five Stripes finally found the back of the net at home.
Atlanta United has earned just four points in its last four outings at Mercedes-Benz Stadium while tallying a 1:2 goal difference. The Five Stripes are currently ninth in the East with 21 points (W4, D9, L6) and a 22:25 goal difference.
Josef Martinez scored a winner against LAFC, and the 28-year-old striker also netted once against Columbus, increasing his tally to four goals in 15 outings in all competitions this season. Winger Ezequiel Barco also has four goals, while midfielder Marcelino Moreno added six goals and a couple of dishes in 18 MLS appearances this term.
Toronto FC hopes to stop a four-game winless streak
The Reds are sitting bottom of the Eastern Conference following a 2-1 home defeat to New England this past Saturday. They kept the ball in possession for 63 percent of the time but managed to muster only nine shots towards the Revs’ goalie.
Toronto FC is now winless in four straight outings, recording a couple of draws in the process to go with a 4:8 goal difference. The Reds have earned 15 points out of their first 19 games (W3, D6, L10) along with a 24:40 goal difference.
Midfielder Jonathan Osorio leads the charge for the Reds with four goals in ten appearances. Striker Ayo Akinola has three goals in 11 outings, but he’s sidelined with a knee injury, while midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo is the team’s best assist-maker with four dishes in ten games.
The Pick:Atlanta United to Win
The Five Stripes are slowly building up their form. They’ve scored in each but one of their last six games overall, and Gonzalo Pineda, who’s had a debut as Atlanta United head coach in that 1-0 win over LAFC, will certainly demand more from his boys.
On the other side, the Reds have been terrible so far this season, especially at the back. Their defense is the worst in the majors by far, and Toronto has allowed a whopping 17 goals over its previous five showings away from home.
Hereof, I’m backing the hosts to win at -115. The Five Stripes will be fired up to beat the Reds, who have won four of their last five encounters with Atlanta. Last year, Toronto beat the Five Stripes 1-0 as -180 home favorites.
Total:Over 2.5 Goals
I’ve mentioned how bad Toronto’s defense has been so far this season, so I would be surprised with a low-scoring affair Wednesday night in Atlanta. Four of Toronto’s last five games saw more than a couple of goals on the scoreboard, as well as three of Atlanta’s previous four contests at any location.
The Five Stripes will look to keep the ball on their feet in this one, as Toronto prefers to lean on counter-attacks. The Reds have scored at least once in five of their last six road tilts, and all those six games had three or more goals in total. Give me the Over 2.5 Goals at -152.
