Raphael Durand
Dailysports's expert
One of the fixtures of the upcoming USL Championship matchday will take place on Saturday at Toyota Stadium, where local side Lexington hosts Colorado Springs. I’m backing a bet on goals in this encounter, and the odds look pretty appealing.
Match preview
Lexington has struggled for consistency this USL season, sitting only 12th in the Western Conference. However, the team pleasantly surprised their fans with a fresh victory over table leaders New Mexico—2-1 at home—which clearly gave the squad a much-needed morale boost.
That win, by the way, snapped a winless home streak that had stretched to seven matches. Despite their lowly position in the standings, Lexington almost always finds the net at home, making them a dangerous opponent for Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs come into this clash in much better form, holding 9th place and riding a solid three-match unbeaten run. In their last outing, they dispatched Oakland Roots 2-0, showing they know how to capitalize on their chances and hold onto a lead.
Still, Colorado Springs aren’t always rock-solid at the back—they often concede even against teams from the lower half of the table. Importantly, the visitors boast a dangerous attack: they’ve scored at least once in four of their last five matches. Given Lexington’s defensive lapses, the visitors should have every chance to make this a high-scoring affair.
Probable lineups
- Lexington: Thompson B., Hafferty J., Burks K., Sargent K., Jeaffal S., Zengue Ex., Nick Firmino, Epps M., Meedens A., Adedokun M., Ajago F.
- Colorado Springs: Herrera S., Mahoney M., Ward A., Clegg T., Micaletto M., Echevarria S., Herman K., Fontana A., Hanya Y., Foster I., Tejada J.
Match facts and head-to-head
- This will be the first-ever meeting between these teams
- The "Both Teams to Score" bet has landed in Lexington’s last four matches
- Colorado Springs have seen "Both Teams to Score" win in two of their last five games
Prediction
Both teams come into the match with plenty of attacking intent but also defensive vulnerabilities. Lexington are strong at home and will look to extend their positive run in front of their fans, while Colorado Springs will try to exploit the hosts’ defensive issues. Our pick: Both teams to score at odds of 1.65.
