The 2023 Leagues Cup continues on Thursday with some Group D action between MLS outfit St. Louis City SC and Liga MX club Club America. The kick-off here at CITYPARK is scheduled for 10 PM ET. This is the first-ever meeting between the two sides. St. Louis, unfortunately, lost on matchday one to Columbus, while the Mexicans have yet to play. This is their first game of the competition. This is the third edition of the Leagues Cup, having initially debuted in 2019 but due to COVID-19 and match congestion last year, there have only been two winners up to this year: Cruz Azul and most recently, Leon. An MLS side has yet to lift the grand prize. Below, find the Club America vs St. Louis City SC picks.
Before we get into the odds, match preview, and picks, check out the biggest Vegas online soccer betting sites if you plan to put money down on this fixture.
Club America comes in as a very slim favorite with +130 odds at Bovada online sportsbook while St. Louis, the hosts, come back at +205. America has one more group game next Monday against Columbus, while St. Louis is in a win-or-go-home situation here.
The Liga MX season essentially just began, which means Club America comes in very fresh. They’ve played twice in the Aperture thus far, notching a 3-0 win against Puebla while losing 2-1 to Juarez. This side was also first in Apertura last term and also finished second in the Clausura. The Eagles are a strong team.
When it comes to the Leagues Cup, Andre Jardine’s men have a great chance of coming out of Group D as the possible winners. St. Louis is playing phenomenal football in 2023 and sits at the top of the Western Conference in MLS action, but they don’t possess the same experience as Club America.
It’s been a while since Jardine’s group played a Major League Soccer outfit competitively, but the last time they did, it went well. Club America hammered Philadelphia 4-0 across two legs in the semifinals of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League. Playing on the road also appears to be a strength for them, picking up 18 points away from home in 2022-23 in Liga MX action. That’s a good sign because CITYPARK isn’t an easy environment to play in. America will need to be at their best.
Who knew an expansion club could do so well in their first MLS season? St. Louis is truly thriving in 23′, occupying first in their conference with a 13-8-2 record, scoring 43 times and conceding 27. However, St. Louis has lost two of their last three games across all competitions. Sunday was a 2-1 defeat in the Leagues Cup to Columbus, giving up two early goals in the first half. They got one back in the 85th minute, but it wasn’t enough. Three points are crucial here if St. Louis wants to move on.
There’s been a plethora of regulars who have contributed in the final third this season. Nicholas Gioacchini leads the way with eight goals and one assist, while Eduard Lowen has six goals and three assists. Eight different players have found the net at least twice. Balance.
Although Thursday’s clash won’t be easy by any means against a strong opponent, St. Louis is essentially flawless on home soil, posting an 8-3-1 record. Their last loss at CITYPARK was on June 21st. Knowing nothing less than a win would be good enough to progress to the knockout stages, St. Louis will be very focused to find a positive result.
I’ve been very impressed with St. Louis, but Club America is no pushover and knows what it takes to win in the big moments. Given the plus odds, it’s best to take the visitors’ moneyline. I believe the hosts will see their Leagues Cup campaign come to an end, which means they will shift their energy to the MLS.
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