One of the matches in the upcoming MLS round will take place on Thursday, May 29, in New York, where the local New York Red Bulls will host Charlotte. Let’s take a closer look at a bet on goals in this clash.

New York Red Bulls

The New York Red Bulls head into the upcoming match in high spirits. After suffering two defeats in the league, the team stabilized their results—first edging out Dallas on penalties to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup, where they will face Philadelphia Union, and then convincingly defeating D.C. United 2-0 away in MLS action. The team now sits ninth in the table with 21 points.

The Red Bulls have been particularly confident at home. In their last ten home matches across all competitions, they’ve lost just once, racking up six wins and three draws. The recent home demolition of LA Galaxy—an emphatic 7-0 victory—stands out in memory.

The head-to-head history with Charlotte also favors New York. In the last five home encounters, the Red Bulls have claimed four wins and drawn once. In four of those games, both teams found the net and the total exceeded 2.5 goals, highlighting the entertaining and open nature of their meetings.

Charlotte

Charlotte started the current season well, showing consistent results, but lately the team has hit a noticeable slump. Their winless run across all competitions stretched to seven matches—five defeats and two draws, including an exit from the U.S. Open Cup after a draw with D.C. United and a subsequent penalty shootout loss. However, in the last round of the regular season, Charlotte finally snapped this streak with an important 3-2 home win over Columbus Crew. They now sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings, one point ahead of the New York Red Bulls.

However, Charlotte’s away form is much weaker. The team is second to last in the conference for away results: just one win in seven road games and a five-match winless streak on the road across all competitions.

The head-to-head history also does not favor Charlotte—their last win over New York dates back to 2022. Since then, the teams have met six times, with the Red Bulls winning three and three matches ending in draws. Notably, the last five encounters between these sides have all been high-scoring—both teams scored in each of them.

Key facts and head-to-head stats

New York Red Bulls have not won in 3 of their last 4 matches.
Charlotte have failed to win in 7 of their last 8 matches.
6 of Charlotte’s last 7 matches have ended with over 2.5 goals.
Both teams have scored in 6 of Charlotte’s last 7 matches.
New York Red Bulls are unbeaten in 7 of their last 8 head-to-head meetings against Charlotte.
Both teams have scored in the last 5 head-to-head encounters.

Probable lineups

• New York Red Bulls: Carlos, Parker, Duncan, Heck, Valencia, Stroud, Edelman, Carmona, Forsberg, Harper, Choupo-Moting.
• Charlotte: Kalina, Malanda, Privett, Scardina, Westwood, Pep, Diani, Zaha, Vargas, Marshall-Rutty, Agyemang.

New York Red Bulls vs Charlotte prediction

This match between the New York Red Bulls and Charlotte promises to be a tightly contested affair—both teams are close in the standings and have experienced minor dips in recent rounds. However, the Red Bulls hold several significant advantages: they are strong at home and have dominated recent head-to-head meetings, remaining unbeaten against Charlotte since 2022. At the same time, Charlotte have shown a good level of football despite their poor away form and are capable of putting up a fight. Considering both teams’ playing styles and the history of high-scoring head-to-head clashes, there’s every reason to expect both sides to score once again. My prediction for this match: both teams to score at odds of 1.71.

Match preview

The 2025 season has been extremely challenging for Atlanta— the team is hovering near the bottom of the standings with just 14 points from 15 matches. Under the guidance of Ronny Deila, United have shown occasional flashes of brilliance, but defensive instability and poor finishing often undermine their efforts. However, their recent victory over a strong Cincinnati side (4-2) proved that Atlanta’s attack can still spring a surprise.

At home in Georgia, Atlanta play with a bit more confidence, but their results remain mediocre: three wins, three draws, and three losses. Deila prefers an attacking model focused on creativity and pressing, but the backline struggles to keep up with the MLS tempo. In the upcoming match against a powerful opponent, Atlanta will need to be more cautious at the back— otherwise, even home advantage might not be enough to save them.

Orlando are enjoying a confident MLS campaign, collecting 27 points to sit inside the top four of the table. Under Oscar Pareja, the Lions rely on a balanced approach: a rock-solid defense combined with lightning-quick transitions— a formula that works like clockwork. Their tally of 28 goals scored and just 16 conceded this season is a testament to their efficiency.

In their last outing, the Lions eked out a narrow 1-0 win over Portland, showcasing their ability to grind out results even in less-than-spectacular form. Their away record is less convincing— only two wins, four draws, and one defeat on the road— but the team rarely falters in crucial moments.

Probable lineups

• Atlanta: Guzan; Edwards, Williams, Abram, Amador; Fortune, Slish; Almirón, Miranchuk, Lobzhanidze; Latta Lat.
• Orlando City: Gallese; Freeman, Schlegel, Jansson, Brekalo; Pašalić, Atuesta, Araújo, Angulo; McGuire, Muriel.

Match facts and head-to-head

• In the first meeting, Orlando beat Atlanta 3-0 at home
• The “Total over 2.5” bet has landed in three out of the last five matches
• The “Both teams to score” bet has landed in two of the last five encounters

Prediction

Despite differing ambitions in the standings, this upcoming clash promises to be fiercely contested. Atlanta are traditionally strong at home and have the firepower to score, but Orlando are consistent and well-balanced. We expect goals from both sides, but a draw remains a real possibility given the hosts’ motivation and the visitors’ cautious away approach. Our pick: both teams to score at odds of 1.55.