MLS Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas Prediction, Preview and Odds - 9/4/21
Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas
The MLS betting action continues Saturday, September 3, 2021, with the Western Conference showdown from Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, as Real Salt Lake meets FC Dallas for the second time this season. Back in May, these two foes played a 2-2 stalemate at Toyota Stadium in Frisco which was their third straight draw in head-to-head duels. The hosts are slight favorites for Saturday’s clash in Sandy, so let’s see what’s the best Real Salt Lake vs. FC Dallas betting pick.
Salt Lake aims for its third straight home W
The Claret and Cobalt are coming off a heavy 4-1 defeat at the Vancouver Whitecaps this past Sunday. It was their second straight defeat, as Real Salt Lake suffered a 2-1 loss at the Colorado Rapids two weeks ago. On the other hand, the Claret and Cobalt have won three straight games at Rio Tinto Stadium, so they are still in the playoff picture.
Real Salt Lake sits at the seventh spot of the Western Conference standings with 27 points (W7, D6, L8) and a 31:27 goal difference. Midfielder Damir Kreilach leads the way with eight goals and four assists in 20 appearances, while striker Rubio Rubin has five goals and five dishes on his tally.
The Claret and Cobalt have a new head coach, and Pablo Mastroeni’s debut against Vancouver was one to forget. Mastroeni has some selection problems, as the first-choice goalkeeper David Ochoa is out with a hamstring injury, while right-back Aaron Herrera is questionable for Saturday’s game due to a tight hamstring.
FC Dallas is undefeated in four consecutive road games
The Hoops’ campaign has been a proper rollercoaster thus far. Last weekend, they snapped a three-game winless streak with a 5-3 thrashing of Austin FC on the road. The Hoops scored four first-half goals and made it 5-1 early in the second half to record their fourth victory in the last eight games overall.
FC Dallas is now unbeaten in four straight road contests (W2, D2). The Toros are sitting at the 10th spot of the Western Conference table with 25 points (W6, D7, L9) and a 30:33 goal difference.
The 18-year-old striker Ricardo Pepi commands the way for FC Dallas this season, scoring 11 goals in 21 appearances. Pepi bagged a brace in that 5-3 victory over Austin. Winger Jader Obrian and striker Jesus Ferreira have scored four goals each, while winger Szabolcs Schon has accounted for six assists in 13 outings so far this term.
The Pick:Draw
There’s a lot at stake for both teams, so we should see a hard-fought battle that could easily go three-way. Of course, the hosts are slight favorites, but the Hoops have been excellent on the road lately after failing to score a single goal in six straight showings away from home earlier in the season.
Hereof, I’m backing a draw, but avoiding the side bet seems like a smart move. As I’ve mentioned, the last three meetings between Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas finished in a draw, and the Hoops will be fired up to get another good result on the road.
Total:Both Teams to Score YES
The Hoops have played well as of late, though their defense has been a big issue all season long. They’ve recorded just one clean sheet in the last seven outings at any location. Also, their last four road contests saw both teams finding the net, so I’m backing both teams to score Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium.
On the other side, Real Salt Lake has conceded in six of its previous eight outings at home. The Claret and Cobalt have some problems at the back, and they’ve allowed ten goals over their last five games overall. With the odds at -137, BTTS YES seems like the best bet for this one.