As the season progresses there are a few games that get postponed. Major League Soccer does its best to ensure that they are recuperated in a timely fashion. Therefore, this week we’ve got six games taking place. We’ve cherrypicked the best in our midweek July 4th & 5th MLS predictions 2023 so you know what to look out for in midweek.
Midweek July 4th & 5th MLS predictions 2023
Orlando City SC vs Toronto FC
Wednesday 5th July, 00:30 BST
Starting the midweek of July 5th & 6th MLS preview is a great way for American Soccer fans to spend their July 4th celebrations. Support Orlando and send the Canadian franchise back to the North with their tail between the legs?
Orlando City comes into this game having resoundingly dispensed with Chicago Fire. The purple-clad franchise was prolific going forward as Facundo Torres flexed his abilities to change their fortunes while Ramiro Enrique came off the bench to show this team has real depth to wrap up a 3-1 win.
Terry Dunfield is only the interim manager at Toronto FC as Bob Bradley was sacked last week. However, the new manager bounce has alluded the club as they lost to Real Salt Lake in an uninspiring game that finished 1-0 at BMO Field.
Prediction: Orlando wins. Torres to rack up a few against a poor Toronto side.
Colorado Rapids vs Portland Timbers
Wednesday 5th July, 02:30 BST
It’s the last chance saloon for these two Western Conference teams lingering outside the playoffs. While a singular win here won’t be the totality between success and failure, it could spark a much-needed run of form.
The Colorado Rapids have been on a downward trajectory since beating LA Galaxy 3-1 in early May. They’ve not won since. In fact, they’ve not even scored a goal in the last 360 minutes of football. While there’s been a few clean sheets in there, it’s not the results needed to get the team up the standings.
By comparison, the Portland Timbers aren’t quite as bad, having won as recently as mid-June but come into this match coming off a 4-1 drubbing from Minnesota United. Franck Boli could be one of the best MLS players, but his goals aren’t enough to make Portland competitive all the time.
Prediction: The midweek July 5th & 6th MLS predictions 2023 for this match are made harder by both teams struggling right now. It’s got draw written all over it…maybe?
LA Galaxy vs LAFC
Wednesday 5th July, 03:30 BST
This match was supposed to take place on the opening weekend of the season. However, poor weather conditions meant that the two Los Angeles teams started their campaigns a week later than everyone else. With the game taking place at the Rose Bowl, which team will lay claim to the pride of the city?
LA Galaxy has been poor in 2023. The team has looked second-best in almost every game it has played and the franchise looks like it’s being run not just into the ground but beneath it. Defeating LAFC 2-0 in the US Open seemed like more of a fluke than a real result of substance. While the team still isn’t winning many games, it has started to draw a few more. Which is a sign of life at the very least.
The Galaxy used to play their home games at the Rose Bowl during the infancy of the franchise and Major League Soccer. Returning to the 90,000+ capacity venue for El Trafico is a great occasion but Galaxy isn’t befitting of the rivalry right now given the gulf in performance.
The defending MLS Cup champions might not be up to their standards from the prior year but LAFC still commands a presence in the Western Conference. A win here would put them level on points with the leaders, St. Louis City. The team would be brimming with confidence… if they hadn’t lost 1-0 to FC Dallas at the weekend.
Prediction: LAFC is among the best franchises right now and LA Galaxy is the opposite. Despite the Rose Bowl normally hosting American Football, this one could be a cricket score for LAFC.
New York City FC vs Charlotte FC
Thursday 6th July, 00:30 BST
Closing out our midweek July 5th & 6th MLS predictions 2023 is the matchup at Citi Field between New York City FC and Charlotte FC. Both teams currently sit outside the Eastern Conference post-season berths but are level on points going into the game. It’s clutch time in the Big Apple for sure!
New York City FC finally broke their drawing streak and did it with a win as they had five stalemates before Matias Pellegrini gave the franchise a 1-0 triumph against CF Montreal at the weekend.
Charlotte has had over 10 days to prepare for this fixture having not played at the weekend. The rest time should serve them well as this team has been noted as very good going forward but leaving themselves exposed at the back, as illustrated in recent results including a 2-2 draw, a 3-3 draw, and a 4-2 loss.
Prediction: Neither could lay claim to be one of the best MLS teams this season but Charlotte has more firepower and could come away with the win. Also, NYCFC typically struggles in ‘home games’ probably because they have multiple stadia.