The MLS season has reached the business end as the Wild Card round for the Eastern Conference will see the New York Red Bulls take on Charlotte FC at the Red Bull Arena.
The eighth and ninth placed teams in the east will go head-to-head for a chance to face off against Cincinnati in Round 1, after regular season campaigns that failed to really live up to expectations.
We'll take a look at the match-up and provide you with our best free soccer betting picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the action.
Learn more about how to bet on the MLS playoffs here.
New York Red Bulls vs Charlotte FC information
- Wednesday, October 25th 2023
- Red Bull Arena, Harrison, New Jersey
- 19:30 ET kick-off
Season so far
New York had a tough season and they certainly weren't at their best over the course of the 34 game campaign. They managed 11 wins, 13 draws and 10 defeats across the season, scoring just 36 goals and conceding 39 for a goal difference of -3.
The Red Bulls didn't pick up a win until the fourth game of the season when they beat Colombus, and then didn't manage another win for almost two months before they managed a shock win over local rivals New York City FC.
In the middle of that run they faced off with Charlotte and the two sides drew 1-1. New York managed to steal a spot in the Wild Card with an eighth place finish during the season by picking up four of their ten season wins in the final five games of the season.
Red Bulls ended the season with wins over DC United, FC Cincinnati, Toronto FC and Nashville SC to edge their way into the post-season right at the death.
Charlotte's season was poor also, as they picked up 10 wins, 11 draws and 13 losses in their 34 game season for a 9th placed finish, having scored 45 goals and conceded 52.
Much like New York they didn't pick up a win until the fourth game of the season, having lost their opening three in a row. They then had to wait five more games before their second win thanks to a win over Colombus Crew as they went on a run of five wins in seven games.
They followed that with a horror run of just one win in 15 games which saw them tumble down the table, with nine draws in 11 games. They picked up three wins in their final four games against Toronto FC, Chicago Fire FC and Inter Miami CF to clinch their spot.
MLS Picks: New York Red Bulls to win @ -137
Considering these two teams drew 24 of their 68 games combined during the regular season, it's absolutely no surprise that both of their meetings this season ended in ties.
The clash at the Red Bull Arena ended 2-2 back in June, and both teams went on to end the season in very strong fashion so will be coming into this win-or-go-home game full of confidence.
But the home advantage and stronger defensive set up should see New York come out victorious. Striker Karol Swiderski managed 10 goals in 22 games this season and leads Charlotte's scoring charts, but he hasn't scored against New York before.
New York have really struggled in front of goal, with their top scorer Omir Fernandez having six goals to his name for the campaign. But defensively they have been strong and they'll be banking on that to get beyond the Wild Card round.
Troy Lesene will set the team up not to lose and with the quality they have throughout the pitch they should be able to push through and claim the win inside 90 minutes to set up a weekend clash with Cincinnati.
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MLS Picks: Both teams to score @ -110
Neither team have been particularly prolific this season and there are no real goal threats in either side that could prove to be a difference maker in a close game.
That means both coaches are going to set up to get the best out of the entire team to bolster their chances of success, and that should lead to an open game with plenty of chances.
A tight game favors nobody since neither team has a certified scorer in their team, so the more open it becomes the better for their own chances even though it also leaves them more susceptible at the other end of the field.
Both teams scored in both of their games against each other earlier this season, and Charlotte saw both teams score in 21 of their 34 games this season too. Add that to the fact New York Red Bulls saw both teams score in 16 of their 34 games in the MLS this season, and the chances of it happening again are high.
It's a solid value bet to see the bet available at -110, and it's our pick of the day for the game.
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