Last Updated on November 30, 2023 6:20 pm by Erwin Noguera
The Conference semifinals are history, so we are down to the last three matches in the MLS Season, the Conference Finals, and the Championship game.
We are turning our focus to the Western Conference Finals, where the 3rd and 4th placed LAFC and Houston Dynamo managed to endure the playoffs to now fight for the conference crown, outlasting St. Louis and the Seattle Sounders, who were over them in the regular season.
Los Angeles FC are hosting their opponents and will enjoy the home crowd on their side, and after beating the Seattle Sounders, that will build some extra confidence.
Houston Dynamo took out Sporting Kansas City by a single goal last time, ending their Cinderella run and making their way to this Conference Final. They, however, are going to have a way tougher rival in this clash, so they will have to go out to the field at their best to make it through.
When:
Saturday, December 2nd at 9:30 pm ET at BMO Stadium
Moneyline odds:
LAFC -160
Houston Dynamo +400
Draw Offs:
+325
Where Can I Watch?
Why Bet on LAFC?
The Black & Gold edged the Seattle Sounders 1-0 in the Western Conference semifinals to advance to this stage. We saw a relatively passive approach from the reigning MLS Cup champions in Seattle, but in the end, they got the job done and posted a second successive clean sheet in the postseason.
Having the kind of top-end attacking talent they possess provides Steve Cherundolo with a nice luxury to hang back and sustain plenty of pressure as their strikers rarely miss an opportunity presented to them.
Navigating a busy campaign for LAFC has been tricky, with this team competing in 51 matches across all competitions this year. However, they have yet to claim a title.
Why Bet on the Houston Dynamo?
The Orange Crush defeated Sporting Kansas City by a 1-0 score and will play in the Conference Finals for the first time since 2017. All season long, the Dynamo keeps going on thanks to some exceptional ball-winning midfielders and chance-creators, and that was the case last Sunday against KC.
Ben Olsen has been a massive success story in his return to MLS coaching, leading this club to their first trophy since 2018, capturing the US Open Cup earlier this year. Meanwhile, the Dynamo have not lost an MLS encounter inside the 90 minutes since September 23 (2-1 defeat versus Sporting KC).
The Orange Crush has not won a conference final since 2012 when they were in the Eastern Conference and defeated Olsen’s old team, DC United (2-1), advancing from that tie 4-2 on aggregate.
Final Betting Analysis: LAFC vs. Houston Dynamo
The quality of an in-form Bouanga, along with the top-class goalkeeping of Crepeau, could be what separates these two evenly matched sides. As strong as Houston is in the middle of the field, they do not have anyone in the attacking third with the finishing ability of the French-Gabonese attacker.
We expect the LAFC to crown themselves in this match and make their way to the Championship clash with a 1-0 score.
Go for a victory for the locals at -160. If you bet $100 at such odds, you could get $62.50 for a total payout of $162.50.
LAFC vs. Houston Dynamo Preview Betting Pick: LAFC
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