- New York is first in the Eastern Conference
- Colorado is 10th in the Western Conference
- New York won five straight, while Colorado has been up-and-down
New York City FC will take on the Colorado Rapids in a cross-conference Major League Soccer matchup this Sunday. Check the New York City vs. Rapids odds down below.
New York has won six straight games prior to the weekend, while the Rapids’ form has been fluctuating between wins and losses.
New York City vs. Rapids Odds
New York is a sizable -220 favorite to win the match, while Colorado is a +500 underdog. There are +320 odds of a draw occurring.
New York’s regular-season resume is far superior to that of Colorado’s, and given that they are on a winning streak, it is no surprise that they have been given such a sizable advantage with the bookies. New York bettors will have to submit a large deposit to turn any sort of substantial profit, while the Colorado faithful could strike gold at a five-to-one ratio if their team wins.
New York City vs. Colorado Rapids Information
The game will kick off at 5:00 p.m. ET inside Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, and will be broadcasted via ESPN+.
New York City Overview
New York City FC won the 2021 playoffs in a classic penalty shootout, overcoming the preexisting MLS odds; this season has been a continuation of where they left off, as rather than sitting in the middle of playoff hopefuls, like they did last year, they are leading the Eastern Conference with 26 points on the back of an 8-2-3 record. They are also in immaculate form, having won six straight matches, the last three of which ended 1-0 in their favor. They most recently defeated a Minnesota United FC team that, despite sitting in ninth in the West, has the makings of an impressive team, adding yet another solid result to their collection.
Valentin Castellanos leads the line and the team with seven goals in 11 matches, putting him amongst the elite in MLS stats and producing an impressive output for a still-23-year-old player. Thiago and Alexander Callens are next in line and round out the top-three goal-scorers for a team that ranks joint-second in the East in total goals scored; however, despite their excellence on the front foot, New York’s defensive record is even more impressive, as they have allowed just 10 goals in their 13 matches. This is tied with the heavily defensive-minded Philadelphia Union for the best mark in the league and has been the difference in the squad elevating above the other playoff contenders surrounding them.
Just like many other teams in the league and around the world, New York likes to set up in a 4-2-3-1 to offer players to nearly every inch of the pitch. They have a free-flowing attack that pushes the needle without threading it to the point that they are exposed on the back end, but even if they are, the cohesion amongst the backline is outstanding and enough to foil most opponents.
Here is how they lined up in their last match: Sean Johnson, Alexander Callens, Thiago Martins, Chris Gloster, Nicolas Acevedo, Maxi Moralez, Alfredo Morales, Keaton Parks, Valentin Castellanos, Talles Mango, Santiago Rodriguez.
Anton Tinnerholm (Achilles), Gabriel Pereira (lower body), and Kevin O’Toole (head) will all miss the match with injuries.
Colorado Rapids Overview
The Rapids won the 2021 Western Conference and were a favorite in MLS predictions during the offseason, but they have not lived up to the hype thus far, managing to reach just 10th place in the conference with a 5-3-6 record. They have alternated between loss and win in their last five matches and have not shown enough consistency to suggest that they will soon return to their usual spot atop the conference, much less even reach the playoffs.
MLS standings do not always define a team, however, and Colorado has a point in its favor here: first and foremost, they have a capable goal-scorer in Diego Rubio, whose seven goals in 13 matches have been influential in the team gathering as many points as it has. Their overall goal-scoring record is close to the bottom in the West, but their defensive record has been better and is right in the middle of the surrounding teams, which is at least an improvement on the team’s position in the league.
Colorado is unique and likes to use a 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 base structure, giving them three central defenders and extra bodies in attack but also leaving them thin on the wings. They will almost always have at least two out-and-out strikers advancing into the box, but their problem is that they are often unable to unlock opposing defenses because of their lack of creativity in midfield and a missing connection between the strikers and playmakers.
Here was the team’s roster the last time they played: William Yarbrough, Danny Wilson, Auston Trusty, Lalas Abubakar, Bryan Acosta, Jack Price, Diego Rubio, Anthony Markanich, Keegan Rosenberry, Jonathan Lewis, Gyasi Zardes.
Braian Galván (knee), Aboubacar Keita (knee), and Oliver Larraz (leg) will all miss the tie because of injury.
New York City vs. Colorado Rapids Prediction
Oddsmakers typically get paid for a reason, and they have come to the correct decision here. New York City should and will probably win this match as both their attack and defense have proven too strong for most teams, so going against one that is inconsistent at best, they should have a field day.
Any underdog bettors should strongly consider a draw instead of a Colorado win.
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