Football betting analyst Mark O’Haire returns to share his favourite fancies with a pair of plays from League Two and Major League Soccer this weekend.
Mark is back after the international break looking to continue his great start to the season…
⚽ Weekend 🎧@DanielHussey2, @MarkOHaire and @adrianjclarke to preview:
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EFL and Europe 💶
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GOALS THE FOCUS WITH RELIANT ROBINS
Swindon are the Football League’s early season entertainers and Saturday’s showdown with Walsall at the County Ground promises plenty for goals-based backers.
I’ll be supporting Over 2.5 Goals at a very appealing 1.83 – a line that’s already been crossed in 10 of the pairs combined 13 League Two fixtures thus far.
Michael Flynn’s hosts have covered in five of their opening six outings. In fact, the Robins have delivered four Over 3.5 Goals winners in that same sample, with both sides scoring on five occasions.
Town have struck twice or more in five of those six games, notching at least three times in half of their overall league encounters, racking up 20 goals in the process.
League Two’s Player of the Month, Jake Young, has bagged nine goals already, forming a lethal partnership with veteran Charlie Austin up top, whilst Swindon are only sat behind big budget pair Mansfield and Wrexham in terms of Expected Goals (xG) output, highlighting their final-third ability.
However, the Robins have been far from reliant at keeping their own rearguard safe. Swindon have recorded a solitary shutout in league football under Flynn, conceding twice or more in three of six contests with the Wiltshire outfit also sitting second in terms of non-penalty xG (npxG) conceded.
It’s therefore unsurprising to see that Swindon’s matches are boasting a humungous 5.17 goals per-game average, as well as a chunky 3.60 npxG per-game average, again making the Over 2.5 Goals selection an attractive proposition at the price proposed.
Walsall head to Wiltshire having scored in all seven League Two tussles in 2023/24, with six of those dates returning Both Teams To Score profit.
The Saddlers have struck twice themselves on four occasions with their only shutout arriving against lowly Colchester.
Mat Sadler’s men make the journey after securing their maiden away success of the season last time out, pocketing an eye-catching come-from-behind 2-1 triumph at Salford, a result that extended their unbeaten streak to four (W2-D2-L0).
The West Midlanders should provide plenty of threat and can play their part in an enjoyable, high-scoring shootout.
- OVER 2.5 GOALS in Swindon vs Walsall – 1 unit @ 1.83
CANADIANS TO CLAIM VITAL VICTORY
The regular Major League Soccer campaign is turning for home and vital victories are required as teams scramble for play-off positions.
Points are precious at this stage of the season and Saturday night’s clash between Montreal and Chicago Fire could be considered a crucial six-pointer in the Eastern Conference as both teams eye qualification places.
Montreal begin the weekend in a wildcard position but only five points shy from automatic qualification for round one of the play-offs.
Chicago are only three points off their hosts yet Fire look well worth opposing here at the prices.
We can support Montreal to win this match-up at 1.96 and I’m eager to get the Quebecois onside.
The Impact have been a bit Jekyll and Hyde between home and away efforts, but the good news is four of Montreal’s last seven outings are at their formidable Stade Saputo base and head coach Hernan Losada will be keen to keep the Canadians on-track after bagging nine triumphs from their first 13 home MLS matches this term.
Across those 13 fixtures, Montreal managed eight clean sheets and restricted their opposition to just nine goals.
Defensively, the burgeoning squad have impressed, whilst new addition in attack Kwadwo Opoku has made a positive early impact on the side.
With Montreal boasting an excellent 2.05 points-per-game average as hosts, Chicago have struggled to find any sort of form on their travels.
Fire average only 0.85 points in away day encounters, losing eight of 13 games as guests and conceding multiple goals on eight occasions.
The visitors are allowing 1.63 Expected Goals (xG) per game on the road.
Chicago have lost the shots on-target and shots in the box count in 10 of their 13 away games, whilst 10 of the 11 points they have earned arrived against bottom-10 teams.
Across all venues, Fire have lost four successive fixtures, failing to score in three of those contests, allowing 1.89 xG per-game and giving up 12 Big Chances
They’re easily opposed at the prices.
- MONTREAL TO WIN vs Chicago Fire – 1 unit @ 1.96
Recommended Bets
- OVER 2.5 GOALS in Swindon vs Walsall – 1 unit @ 1.83
- MONTREAL TO WIN vs Chicago Fire – 1 unit @ 1.96
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