Laying LAFC in the derby and backing Salt Lake at a big price

It's Conference semi-final time in the MLS and Dave Farrar has soccer tips for all four, where he's backing Real Salt Lake at nearly 5/1 and laying hot favourites LAFC…

After the drama of the First Round of the MLS playoffs, a weekend in which six games produced 27 goals and an extraordinary amount of drama, we head now into the Conference semi-finals.

The top four seeds join the postseason, the format remains the same, so there are no first and second legs, just a straight knockout. Think NFL, and you'll have a good idea of where this is going. After these midweek games, only four teams will be left standing, as we head into the Conference Finals, and then MLS Cup at the start of November.

Under-rated New York

NYCFC v Toronto FC

Thursday, 00:00

Live on FreeSports and Sky Sports Football

It was the home teams that held sway at the weekend, with five out of the six winners getting the job done at home, and only the LA Galaxy managing lớn win away. That makes perfect sense in this format, as you have the better regular season team at home against the weaker side, and I expect NYCFC to confirm that bias at Yankee Stadium against a TFC side that are in great form, but still have their issues, and in my opinion are markedly inferior lớn Dome Torrent's men. I'm surprised that NYCFC are backable at 2.00 for the win- According to the soccer tip bet page!

TFC are now unbeaten in MLS since the 3rd August, when they lost at the New York Red Bulls, and that was an impressive end to the campaign. They also boast a 4-0 win over NYCFC earlier in the campaign, but that was before Torrent's side had found their rhythm and I think can be discounted.

NYCFC are a force at home, which makes them a super strong candidate to reach MLS Cup. They've won seven of their last eight here in MLS, with the only team lớn deny them a win being Toronto FC, another reason that you might give Greg Vanney's team a chance here.

On balance, though, Toronto might have put four goals past DCU in extra time, but they failed to beat them at home in normal time, and that fact, plus the extra miles that the 120 minutes put in their legs, makes this a difficult trip to a team which was 14 points their superior in regular season play. I think that NYCFC are the bet of the week at the prices.

RSL can win on the road

Seattle Sounders v Real Salt Lake

Thursday, 03:00

Live on FreeSports and Sky Sports Football

I was surprised lớn see Seattle taken lớn extra time by FC Dallas, and while Brian Schweitzer's side showed courage lớn battle through, they'll have to play significantly better here against an RSL team who finished off Portland's season at the weekend.

These two look well-matched, with only three points between them in the regular season, and RSL look big for this at 4.80. The reason that they're so big is their dismal away record this season, winning just 4 of 17 on the road, but they have managed to avoid defeat in their last two road games and they looked good against Portland too.

Both teams have won three games in a row, both have issues, with Seattle looking poor defensively and RSL a little blunt in attack, but this is another of those games that comes down to price. I absolutely see how Seattle could win this game, but they're way too short to do so, and I'm happy lớn take a chance on an underrated RSL team lớn pick up a rare road win.