Saint Louis City SC vs Austin FC Prediction & Betting Tips - Major League Soccer

Prediction published on 19/08/2023, 12:45  by Devesh Jaganath in Major League Soccer Predictions

Following a poor Leagues Cup campaign, St Louis and Austin will resume MLS action on Monday at Citypark. The hosts currently lead the Western Conference, while the visitors are in fifth place. St Louis comes into this match after failing to qualify from the group stages in the Leagues Cup. They were beaten 2-1 by Columbus Crew and 4-0 by America. Having exited the cup competition in the group stages, St Louis have not played a match in three weeks. However, they will likely be glad to return to league action, where they have been very good this season. The hosts currently sit atop the Western Conference with 41 points after 23 matches, four points clear of Los Angeles FC. To date, they have a record of 13 wins, two draws, and eight losses and are the highest-scoring team in the West with 43 goals so far. In their last six matches before the Cup, St Louis recorded four wins and two losses. Their home record reads as eight wins, one draw, and three losses in 12 matches on home soil, which is the sixth-best home record in the MLS this season. St Louis won the only previous encounter between these sides 3-2 back in February this year, and they are the favourites to win this one as well. 

Meanwhile, Austin are some way from the type of form that saw them finish last season in second place in the Western Conference. The visitors are currently in fifth place after 23 matches. They are on 32 points as it stands, which is nine behind their opponents at the summit and have recorded nine wins, five draws, and nine losses to date. Austin also had a very poor Leagues Cup competition, as they lost both their group-stage matches to Mazatlan and Juarez 3-1. Before the cup, Austin were starting to string together a good run of results in the league and will be hoping to refind that form. Over their last six league matches, the visitors recorded four wins, one draw, and just one loss, which was an away game against the Vancouver Whitecaps. They have also been in good goalscoring form, currently ranked third in the Western Conference, and they have also found the net in each of their last 12 league games dating back to mid-May. However, their major issue this season has been their away form which currently stands at three wins, two draws, and six losses in 11 matches, which is the 14th-best record across the MLS. While they are the outsiders, they cannot be ruled out of taking something from this match.