On Saturday, August 31st, the Vancouver Whitecaps will travel to take on Austin in a Western Conference MLS matchup. This game is set to start at 8:30 PM and will be played at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX. The Whitecaps are +165 on the money line compared to Austin at +143. The line for a draw is sitting at +260, and the over/under goal line is 2.5 goals. Vancouver is 6th in the Western Conference with an 11-8-5 record, while Austin is 9th at 9-10-7.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Austin Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Vancouver Whitecaps at Austin
- Where: Austin, TX at Q2 Stadium
- Date: Saturday, August 31st
- Betting Odds AUS +143 | VWH +165 O/U 2.5
Vancouver Whitecaps Preview
Through 24 matches, the Vancouver Whitecaps have a record of 11-8-5, putting them 6th in the Western Conference. They have been favored in 12 matches, going 6-4-2, while going 5-4-3 as the underdog. Over their last four matches, they have gone 2-1-1, with their only loss coming at home against the Houston Dynamo. Following this match, they will return home to take on FC Dallas on Sunday, September 8th.
The Vancouver Whitecaps have been taking more shots on goal than their season average in four straight matches. They are currently 17th in MLS in shots on goal per match. Brian White is their top scorer, as he is 16th in MLS with 12 goals scored. He also leads the team in shots on goal. Ryan Gauld is their leader in assists, as he is 13th in MLS with eight. He is also second on the team in goals scored.
Heading into their match against Austin, the Vancouver Whitecaps' defense is coming off a match where they allowed four goals to the Houston Dynamo, who are 19th in scoring. This season, Vancouver is 12th in goals allowed per match, and they are 27th in blocked shots. Yōhei Takaoka is 23rd in clean sheets this season, and he is 15th in saves. Over their last three matches, they have given up an average of 2.0 goals per match.
Austin Preview
In their last five matches, Austin has gone 2-2-1. They have been up and down, but they have been able to stay in the playoff race in the Western Conference. Overall, they are 9-10-7, which has them tied with Orlando City SC with 34 points. They have been favored in nine matches, going 4-3-2, and they have been the underdog in 17 matches, going 5-7-5. After this match, they will head on the road to take on Toronto FC on September 14th.
Sebastián Driussi is the top goal scorer for Austin this season, finding the back of the net five times, which is 75th in MLS. He also leads the club in shots on goal, which is 60th in the league. Alexander Ring is the leader in assists for Austin, with four, and he has also scored two goals this season. Austin is 27th in MLS in goals scored and 29th in shots on goal. They have taken more shots on goal than their season average in five straight matches. Their passing percentage is 10th in the league.
When it comes to goals allowed, Austin's defense is 11th in the league at 1.4 goals per match. However, they have been trending in the right direction, allowing just 1.3 goals per match over their last seven matches. They have also faced some tough offenses during that stretch, including Nashville SC (29th), Charlotte FC (28th), and FC Dallas (14th). Brad Stuver is third in the league with 100 saves and has seven clean sheets this season.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Austin Head To Head
The first meeting of the season between Austin and Vancouver ended in a 0-0 draw. Vancouver had six shots on goal compared to just one for Austin.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs Austin Free Pick
Coming into this match, both Austin and Vancouver are near the bottom of the league in shots on goal. Our projections have this one ending in a 1-1 draw, with a payout of +260. Austin's Sebastián Driussi is being given the best odds to score a goal in the match, while Fafà Picault has the best odds to score for Vancouver.
- KnupSports.com Free Betting Pick: DRAW +260
