New York City FC vs LAFC prediction — MLS · Sun 18 Oct · 00:30 UK

MLS · Sun 18 Oct · 00:30 UK
New York City FC 35Draw 27LAFC 38
LAFC or draw has moved from 66% to 65% over 6 days
The call
65%
LAFC or draw
Calls on the result published at 60–70% have landed 69% of the time
151 of 220 settledFull record →
2.7
Goals expected
4d 11hUntil lineups lock
Goal before half-time
70%
Both teams score
55%
3+ goals
51%

What we expect

Our forecast for this match. The tick on each bar is that side’s average over their last six.

what we expecttheir average over the last six
New York City FCLAFC
1.3
Goals+0.1
1.4
avg 1.0 · 3 away · 1+ in 4/6
avg 1.3 · 4 away · 1+ in 5/6
13.4
Shots+0.4
13.8
avg 11.2 · 3 away · 13+ in 2/6
avg 13.3 · 4 away · 14+ in 3/6
4.2
On target+0.4
4.6
avg 3.8 · 3 away · 4+ in 3/6
avg 5.0 · 4 away · 5+ in 3/6
5.5
Corners+0.5
5.0
avg 4.8 · 3 away · 6+ in 2/6
avg 6.3 · 4 away · 5+ in 3/6
New York City FCLAFC
0.4
Goals
0.5
6.1
Shots+0.2
6.3
1.9
On target+0.2
2.1
2.6
Corners+0.3
2.3
New York City FCLAFC
0.9
Goals
0.9
7.3
Shots+0.2
7.5
2.3
On target+0.2
2.5
2.9
Corners+0.3
2.6

Each row is drawn on one scale, so a bar means the same length on both sides. Second-half goals are our full-match forecast minus our first half.

How to read this

The small bars under each number are that side’s most recent matches (up to six), home and away, against opponents of mixed strength, oldest on the left; the dashed line is the number we expect. Our forecast is for this opponent at this ground, so a favourite’s recent numbers often sit below it and an underdog’s above it.

Recent averages · last 6 matches

What each side has actually done lately, home and away — a record, not a forecast.

New York City FCLAFC
Attack
1.0Goals1.3
1.3Expected goals (xG)1.5
11.2Shots13.3
3.8Shots on target5.0
1.7Big chances2.3
4.8Corners6.3
Defence
1.2Goals conceded1.5
1.4xG conceded1.5
11.7Shots faced15.5
4.0On target faced5.7
5.3Corners conceded5.8
3.0Keeper saves4.3
Style & discipline
53%Possession46%
10.7Fouls10.2
1.2Yellow cards2.2
1.3Offsides1.2

Our numbers, most likely first

Ranked by our probability, strongest first — our three strongest above the line.

MarketProbability6-day change
Over 1.5 goals76%0
LAFC to score75%−1
New York City FC to score74%0
Under 3.5 goals71%+1

In plain English

LAFC are more likely than not to avoid defeat, but it is close. The model sees around three goals in it.

What would change the call

LAFC or draw, priced again from the same expected goals if the match reaches these states.

New York City FC lead 1–0 at half-time65% → 32%
LAFC lead 1–0 at half-time65% → 92%
Goalless at half-time65% → 71%

Each row is the call re-priced for that scoreline at half-time. Lineups are not in it — we publish per-player shooting rates, not a squad-strength number, so what a rested front three does to this figure is not something we can honestly put a number on.

New York City FC · last 6

Lat Chicago Fire FC1–212 shots
Dat Atlanta United2–29 shots
Lv Red Bull New York0–116 shots
Wat Real Salt Lake2–06 shots
Lv New England Revolution1–218 shots
Dv Nashville SC0–06 shots

LAFC · last 6

Dv Vancouver Whitecaps1–112 shots
Lat FC Dallas0–111 shots
Dat San Jose Earthquakes2–23 shots
Lat Sporting Kansas City1–322 shots
Wv Red Bull New York2–015 shots
Dat Real Salt Lake2–217 shots

First half — what we expect

New York City FC
45%
to score before half-time
LAFC
46%
to score before half-time

Chance of at least one goal before half-time: 70%

New York City FCLAFC
6.11st-half shots6.3
avg 6.0 · 3 away · 6+ in 5/6
avg 5.8 · 4 away · 6+ in 5/6
1.91st-half shots on target2.1
avg 1.8 · 3 away · 2+ in 3/6
avg 2.8 · 4 away · 2+ in 4/6
2.61st-half corners2.3
avg 2.2 · 3 away · 3+ in 3/6
avg 1.5 · 4 away · 2+ in 3/6

First-half chances

66%Chance of 5+ shots69%
40%Chance of 7+ shots43%
81%Chance of 1+ shots on target84%
30%Chance of 3+ shots on target34%
68%Chance of 2+ corners63%
27%Chance of 4+ corners23%

How the match splits

1st half2nd half
Shots · New York City FC6.17.3
Shots · LAFC6.37.5
Shots on target · New York City FC1.92.3
Shots on target · LAFC2.12.5
Corners · New York City FC2.62.9
Corners · LAFC2.32.6
How to read this

First-half numbers are our full-match forecast split by how much of each side's shooting and corners usually comes before the break. The small bars under each number are that side's most recent first halves (up to six).

Second half — who scores?

At half-time we update each side’s chance of scoring in the second half from what the first half showed.

Player forecasts

How much each player is expected to threaten the goal if he starts — lineups are confirmed about an hour before kickoff.

Based on counted shooting from the 2025 and 2026 seasons in this competition.

New York City FC
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Alonso Martínez
FW · 3.2 shots expected
96%
77%
44%
Monsef Bakrar
FW · 2.5 shots expected
92%
59%
22%
Nicolás Fernández
FW · 2.5 shots expected
91%
71%
35%
Julián Fernández
MF · 2.1 shots expected
88%
43%
11%
Hannes Wolf
MF · 1.7 shots expected
81%
45%
12%
Andrés Perea
MF · 1.4 shots expected
76%
36%
8%
LAFC
1+ shot1+ on target2+ on target
Denis Bouanga
FW · 4.4 shots expected
99%
86%
58%
Heung-Min Son
FW · 3.2 shots expected
96%
64%
27%
David Martínez
FW · 2.7 shots expected
93%
66%
29%
Tyler Boyd
FW · 2.3 shots expected
90%
62%
26%
Jeremy Ebobisse
FW · 2.1 shots expected
88%
62%
25%
Nathan Ordaz
FW · 2.0 shots expected
86%
62%
25%

These are forecasts, not tips. A player’s rate is weighted toward the league average when it rests on fewer minutes, so a small sample never reads as a certainty.

Model inputs

New York City FC form (last 6)D L W L D L
Expected goals gap (home minus away)-0.1 / match
LAFC in their league tableUpper half
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Common questions

Who will win New York City FC vs LAFC?

Bawler's model rates this match: LAFC are favoured (38% win probability vs 35% for New York City FC, 27% draw). The model uses each side’s expected goals, recent form and the strength of the opposition.

What is the predicted score for New York City FC vs LAFC?

The most likely scoreline from Bawler's model is New York City FC 1-1 LAFC (12.9% probability). Expected total goals: 2.7.

How does Bawler predict New York City FC vs LAFC?

Bawler estimates each side's expected goals from its results and the quality of its chances, adjusted for the strength of the opposition and for home advantage, then works out the chance of every scoreline to get win, draw and both-teams-to-score probabilities. Team news and lineups are not built into these numbers. For this match that gives New York City FC 35%, the draw 27% and LAFC 38%. Every prediction is published before kickoff and settled afterwards.

Will both teams score in New York City FC vs LAFC?

Probably — Bawler's model gives both teams scoring a 55% chance. That is based on New York City FC expecting 1.34 goals and LAFC 1.39.

Over or under 2.5 goals in New York City FC vs LAFC?

Bawler's model expects 2.7 goals in total. It leans slightly towards three or more goals: over 2.5 goals is 51%.

Around this fixture

MLS table →
All fixtures & results →New York City FC form →LAFC form →