Right now, the United States is the center of the soccer world, as not only are some of CONCACAF’s top national teams partaking in the Gold Cup, the world’s best club teams are facing off in the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup. 32 powerhouses from six different continents are competing in eight groups of four, with Group D action kicking off today with a showdown between MLS side Los Angeles FC and English giants Chelsea.
In honor of the tournament, DraftKings Sportsbook is offering up a single-use Profit Boost Token, eligible to use on 4+ leg SGP(x)s that are +300 or longer. Here’s my entry for this meeting of David and Goliath.
Chelsea vs. Los Angeles FC Same Game Parlay
- Chelsea/Chelsea Half Time/Full Time
- Liam Delap Anytime Goalscorer
- Denis Bouanga 3+ Shots Taken
- Moisés Caicedo 3+ Tackles
LAFC is one of the better stories in the MLS, having won the MLS Cup once and the Supporters’ Shield twice since it first became a franchise in 2018, and given that it sits fifth in the Western Conference through the first few months of the regular season, it shouldn’t be counted out. The Black and Gold have an extremely strong attack, having scored the second-most goals in the conference in the season’s early going, and Olivier Giroud — a former Chelsea man — is still a top-notch striker even at the age of 38.
But the level in the Premier League is still so much better than that in the MLS, and that alone gives the Blues the edge. It’s likely that Chelsea will come out of the gates firing, with new star striker Liam Delap eager to show his mettle in his first game with the club, and a halftime edge will be enough for the Blues to hold on. Delap was one of the few bright spots for relegated Ipswich Town in the 2024-25 Premier League season, banging home 12 goals, the only player from a relegated club to reach double digits.
If Chelsea has a solid lead after the first half, it might switch to a more defensive formation, allowing star CDM Caicedo — its 2025 player of the season — to shine and give Bouanga, a goal machine for both LAFC and the Gabonese national team, a chance to fire at will. Caicedo ranked fifth in the Premier League in tackles this season, so MLS midfielders shouldn’t be an issue for him.
