Toronto FC vs. Columbus Crew Betting Odds, Preview, Picks: Value Sitting on Draw; Lorenzo Insigne Debut Must Wait (June 29)
Gavin Napier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: A Toronto FC fan wears a Lorenzo Insigne jersey at a recent match.
Toronto FC vs. Columbus Odds
| Toronto FC Odds | +145 |
| Columbus Odds | +155 |
| Draw | +270 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (-145 / +105) |
| Day | Time | Wednesday | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| How To Watch | ESPN+ |
| Odds updated via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute soccer odds here. | |
Two days after the formal introduction of Italian star Lorenzo Insigne to Major League Soccer, Toronto FC is back in action without its new summer signing on Wednesday, as it welcomes Columbus to BMO Field for a midweek fixture.
The Canadian club has circled July 9 as the date Insigne will make his debut in MLS, which should be a huge boost for a team that comes into this match in 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, the Crew has also struggled this season, entering the game tied on points with Toronto to go with only four wins.
Both squads are hoping the big moves in the transfer market will turn their fortunes around, so a result in this fixture could go a long way to pushing either side into playoff contention.
Toronto FC
Toronto’s signing of Insigne clearly shows the ambition of the club to pull itself out of the hole that it’s in this season.
The playmaker comes to MLS with a very decorated past, which includes 96 goals in his 10-year tenure for Serie A club Napoli and winning the 2020 UEFA European Championships with Italy.
In a deal reported to make him the highest-paid player in the league, Insigne will need to hit the ground running if he wants to win a trophy with Toronto.
By The Numbers
- -17.1 — Toronto’s xGDiff is the lowest in MLS by a wide margin, according to fbref.com, with Sporting Kansas City (-11.2) being the next closest team.
- +0.30 — With this mark in post-shot xG minus goals allowed per 90 minutes, goalkeeper Alex Bono ranks top 5 in the league in the statistic.
Columbus Crew
While all eyes are on some of the other summer signings, Columbus also dipped into the transfer market last week by announcing the acquisition of forward Juan “Cucho” Hernandez from English side Watford.
The 23-year-old Colombian striker comes to the U.S. after scoring five goals and providing three assists in the Premier League last season. That should help a team that has struggled without a consistent goalscorer.
However, Hernandez will not be available for this game as the transfer is not made official until July 7.
By The Numbers
- +3.2 — Only eight teams have a better xGDiff than Columbus, which includes just four in the Eastern Conference.
- 6 — With this many matches ending in draws, only the Philadelphia Union (8) and Portland Timbers (7) have finished with more stalemates in MLS play.
Betting Analysis & Pick
These teams are tied on points, so I think the best play on the board is to back this game to end in a draw at +270 odds via BetMGM as my top pick.
I mentioned the note above about all the ties Columbus has on the year and the visiting side also has the most road league draws with five in eight games away from home.
The odds for picking a winner on the moneyline also show you that bookmakers are expecting a close game. So, I can’t look away from this great price for a draw between two struggling sides.
The Pick: Draw (+270)
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