went with RSL pk 3.5u +140 (betcris) for Tue night
Columbus vs Real Salt Lake
- first leg of CCL quarterfinals with winner set to face Saprissa/Olimpia victor which means MLS team will be favored to hit the finals of the CCL.
Under normal conditions this would be a tough match and series to predict but it is absolutely RSL's to lose. While RSL are the best, and most stable, team in MLS the Crew dropped a ton of guys (9 i think) in the offseason including starters GBS (top scorer with 9 goals), Hejduk, Carroll, Moffat, and Padula. The so-called "bash brothers", strikers Lenhart (2nd top scorer with 6 goals) and Gary also sent packing. They had just a 5 match preseason (1-1-3) so little time to play together and it gets worse because their top 2 keepers are injured forcing them to sign a new guy for this match while another group of starters (Gaven, Francis, O'Rourke, Duka) are injured and likely won't play. The Crew's midfield looks like some USL-2 midfield and their attackers, while impressive in other leagues, have yet to prove their worth in the MLS. In fact, really the only thing normal about Columbus is the central defense pairing which is one of the league's best.
RSL finished their preseason with a nice 2-0 win over Chivas USA and get back a bunch of guys that were injured on and off during preseason. Really the only question mark is who will partner with Saborio up front now that Findley is in England. The choices...Espindola, Paulo Campos, and Alvarez are all class because RSL likely have the deepest roster in the league. Guessing it's Espindola but so much talent there then add in the MLS' best midfield and you have a solid front 6. Columbus, on the other hand, finished their preseason getting whacked 4-2 by Houston and losing both Francis and Duka to injuires. Prior to that match Colorado beat them 2-0 so they will likely not be a confident bunch coming into the first real match of the season (finished preseason 1-1-3).
Anything can happen as it's the first real match of season columbus knows a loss here means they're out of CL as they have no chance at RSL where they're 0-0-4 1/9. While I hate betting MLS teams away from home RSL should be too experienced and too good for a young Columbus team still learning to play together.
Columbus vs Real Salt Lake
- first leg of CCL quarterfinals with winner set to face Saprissa/Olimpia victor which means MLS team will be favored to hit the finals of the CCL.
Under normal conditions this would be a tough match and series to predict but it is absolutely RSL's to lose. While RSL are the best, and most stable, team in MLS the Crew dropped a ton of guys (9 i think) in the offseason including starters GBS (top scorer with 9 goals), Hejduk, Carroll, Moffat, and Padula. The so-called "bash brothers", strikers Lenhart (2nd top scorer with 6 goals) and Gary also sent packing. They had just a 5 match preseason (1-1-3) so little time to play together and it gets worse because their top 2 keepers are injured forcing them to sign a new guy for this match while another group of starters (Gaven, Francis, O'Rourke, Duka) are injured and likely won't play. The Crew's midfield looks like some USL-2 midfield and their attackers, while impressive in other leagues, have yet to prove their worth in the MLS. In fact, really the only thing normal about Columbus is the central defense pairing which is one of the league's best.
RSL finished their preseason with a nice 2-0 win over Chivas USA and get back a bunch of guys that were injured on and off during preseason. Really the only question mark is who will partner with Saborio up front now that Findley is in England. The choices...Espindola, Paulo Campos, and Alvarez are all class because RSL likely have the deepest roster in the league. Guessing it's Espindola but so much talent there then add in the MLS' best midfield and you have a solid front 6. Columbus, on the other hand, finished their preseason getting whacked 4-2 by Houston and losing both Francis and Duka to injuires. Prior to that match Colorado beat them 2-0 so they will likely not be a confident bunch coming into the first real match of the season (finished preseason 1-1-3).
Anything can happen as it's the first real match of season columbus knows a loss here means they're out of CL as they have no chance at RSL where they're 0-0-4 1/9. While I hate betting MLS teams away from home RSL should be too experienced and too good for a young Columbus team still learning to play together.
