Week 19 MLS Picks
We’re feeling great coming off a short MLS weekend that produced an Austin FC victory and more importantly for those of you reading this, positive results on Underdog and at the books. Let’s keep it going.
Before we get to the picks as normal, another reminder that we’ve got an addition to this weekly article in 2025. If you’ve been following along with the podcast during the offseason, you’ll know we’ve partnered with Underdog Fantasy. If you want to play along with us at Underdog, you can sign up today using this link and when you use promo code "NORTHEND" at sign up you'll get up to $1000 in bonus cash plus a free pick!
The official league injury report for Saturday’s games came out Friday afternoon, let’s dive into the Week 19 picks.
Underdog Fantasy Entry of the week
Each match week, we’ll have an Underdog Fantasy entry for you to tail if your heart desires. Let’s get to the board and build a winner!
We’ve got some attractive, high-multiplier options on the Week 19 board and we’ll begin with one of our mainstays this season in FC Cincinnati’s Evander. The Knifey Lions are on the road to take on New England on Saturday and while they’re shorthanded on their back line, that’s not what we’re concerned about here. Evander is averaging 1.69 shots on target per 90 this season and is over this number in seven of the 12 matches where he’s played more than 72 minutes in 2025. The Revs on the other hand allow the second most shots on target against per game in MLS, making the 1.35x multiplier a very attractive proposition and good enough to find its way into this weekend’s main entry.
Then we’ll go back to the exact same prop that graced last weekend’s winning entry and target Osman Bukari’s shots on target line. The thinking here is very much the same. While Bukari is averaging 0.8 shots on target per 90 minutes, the great form Austin fans have seen from him of late has translated to him putting balls on frame (but unfortunately for the Verde faithful, not past opposing goal keepers). The Ghanaian winger has at least one shot on target in eight of his last 11 starts, so we’re slotting him in at a 0.95x multiplier.
To finish things off, we’ll sandwich the sub-1x Bukari multiplier with another plus-1x option and look to one of the two late night matches out west. DC United is fresh off a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Chicago Fire and now travel to the elevation in Salt Lake City to square off against RSL. The visitors are still without Christian Benteke and that has spelled success for U22 Initiative midfielder Gabriel Pirani. The young Brazilian is averaging 3.03 shot attempts per 90 this season and has gone over this number in each of his last three games.
Using the standard payout selection on Underdog, this 3-pick entry will payout a prize of 9.23x your entry fee if successful.
We’ve added some additional plays that can be substituted in place of the props given above if you miss lock for one of those games or one of those options doesn’t start. The additional plays this week are listed in order of preference and we’re fine using these props in any entry.
Anders Dreyer O 2.5 shots attempted (1.09x)
John Pulskamp O 1.5 goals allowed (1.34x)
Pep Biel O 1.5 shots attempted (0.86x)
Novak Micovic O 1.5 goals allowed
Gabriel Pec O 3.5 shots attempted (0.96x)
Results
Underdog Fantasy (Last Week): +4.04 U
Underdog Fantasy (Season): +12.75 U
Week 19 Picks
Columbus Crew
ML -105
The 2023 MLS Cup Champions will host the team at the top of the current Supporter’s Shield standings on Saturday and they’ve got a significant advantage on the availability report. The Whitecaps did crush many a bettor last weekend when they were even more shorthanded and took down the Seattle Sounders by a 3-0 scoreline as the Sounders were shown two red cards in the second half. But going away to Columbus is a different story, and even though the Crew will be missing guys like Max Arfsten due to international duty, it’s still advantage home team in this one. We’ll take the Crew to win outright near even money.
Minnesota United
ML +110
Another game where we’re playing the availability report with very similar thinking as the previous pick. San Diego is decimated by both injury and international duty this weekend and while the home side is also missing key players like Tani Oluwaseyi, Joseph Rosales and Dayne St. Clair, the Loons still have the advantage here at Allianz Field. We’ll take Minnesota United to take all three points in this important matchup at the top of the Western Conference table.
Chi/NSH o 3.5
+130
A matchup between two teams sitting in the top five in MLS in total expected goals, with the home team also being top five in expected goals conceded? Sign us up for the over! Now, a 3.5 total is lofty, but we haven’t just seen these two teams involved in some high scoring affairs this season, we’ve seen these two teams light up the scoreboard against each other already. The first time they met each other this season in late April there were nine (yes, nine!) goals scored. Three of Nashville SC’s last four matches across all competitions have featured four or more goals, while the same can be said of seven of the last nine Chicago Fire games. Goals goals goals!
Austin FC
ML +110
With our favorite team getting healthy over the last few weeks, hope has returned to The North End. Key players like Dani Pereira and Mikkel Desler re-joining the ATX lineup significantly raises both the floor and ceiling of this roster. This weekend they’ll host New York Red Bulls, a team that has found plenty of success overall this season but struggles away from home, earning just five points from their eight road games in 2025. Austin FC is no giant at Q2 Stadium to this point of the year, but we’re gonna ride with the Verde and Black at plus money at home.
Goal Scorers
Every week we’ll pick a few of our favorite goal scoring options in the betting market. Here are the Week 19 shouts.
Diego Rossi +170
Evander +225
Luca Orellano +400
Osman Bukari +320
Myrto Uzuni +265
Kelvin Yeboah +145
Bongokuhle Hlongwane +310
Hany Mukhtar +180
Jonathan Bamba +390
Petar Musa +195
Gabriel Pirani +390
Martin Ojeda +205
Results
Last Week: +8.17 U
Season: +19.78 U
