Columbus vs Portland
MLS, Saturday, 7:30pm ET

Play: Portland +1
Odds at Time of Release: -110
Line Parameter: Playable to -120

Columbus are coming off yet another draw, their FIFTH in a row, against Real Salt Lake. Very important factor here is that Columbus will host Monterrey in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup Semi-Finals on Wednesday, so there's bound to be some distraction and reduced minutes for the starters. 

Despite their involvement in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, Columbus have done a pretty decent job in the MLS (contrary to what most MLS teams involved in the CCC have done in the past), losing just once in 12 matches in all competitions (W4 D7 L1), with their MLS record at W3 D4 L1, sitting 4th in the East. 

Portland are coming off a 2-2 draw at home against LAFC, their second in a row after a 3-3 at Kansas in which they came back from THREE goals behind to force a draw. Win-less in L/5 (D2 L3), but they have scored in 7 of 8 matches (scoring 2+ goals in 6 of 8), but keeping ZERO clean sheets (and conceding 2+ goals in 5 of 8). 

Both Teams to Score is a perfect 9-0 in L/9 H2H matches within the last decade, with Portland losing just ONCE to Columbus in that span (W7 D1 L1). Portland are W3 D1 L1 in L/5 matches in this venue, and if there's one team that can take results against Columbus, it's Portland. They've upset them way too many times in recent years, in matches that always produce a lot of goals. Apart from the 9-0 run in BTTS, there is also an 8-1 run to the Over 2.5 Goals, so we could easily see some goals here once again. 

The Asian Total is set at 3 and I can't say I love that, Columbus have managed to keep things tight and I doubt they will open up that much to produce a 4+ goal match here. Portland are playing very openly though, and could drag Columbus into an up-tempo match. 

But side bets is where we are looking at, with Columbus being -185 favourites (I don't agree with that either), Portland at +450 and the draw at +310 (Columbus are in love with the draws right now). The Asian Spread is now set at 1, with Columbus -1 at -105 and Portland +1 at -105. 

Columbus are better than they have been in the past, and Portland are the opposite, so take those past H2H results with a grain of salt. But with Columbus having a historical match coming up, there's bound to be some distraction, and some rotation. Moreover, Columbus have won by 2 goals or more (thus covering the -1 spread) just ONCE this season, while Portland have lost by 2 goals or more just once, to Philadelphia. 

Columbus are most likely on a "don't lose" kind of mode in this spot, and even if they are winning, I doubt they will want to spend a lot of energy chasing a win by multiple goals, a 1-0 win would be an excellent result. Portland are known to score late goals, although I do think they can potentially upset Columbus in the form of a Draw (or even a win?) here. 

Take 2u on Portland +1 (-110)