Soccer Sunday: Four picks and a parlay

Hoffenheim has not been spectacular at home in the Bundesliga this season, with four wins and five draws in 12 matches. But its opponent Sunday, Nurnberg, has been dreadful on the road. Nurnberg has no wins from 11 games, with two draws. But its goal differential on the road is atrocious: seven scored, 33 allowed, for a -26 GD. Hoffenheim needs a win to jump back into the UEFA Europa League battle, and should get it here.

There may not be a team in Europe with as much buzz around it right now as Ajax. The Dutch side not only knocked out the three-time defending UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid Tuesday, it also embarrassed the Spanish team at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ajax comes into its weekend match flying, and will look to continue its great form against 14th place Fortuna Sittard. Ajax has yet to lose at home in the league, while Fortuna Sittard has just two wins, and a -20 goal differential, on the road.

Porto comes into Sunday’s match with last place Feirense off the high of Wednesday’s dramatic extra time win over Roma to advance into the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. But Porto is now two points behind Benfica in the Primeira League, and will need to win out to have a chance. That starts Sunday, with Porto expected to roll to an easy win. It has a +21 goal differential at the Estadio Dragao, with 10 wins from 12. Feirense has been awful on the road (and at home), with just one of its two wins from its travels.

The MLS season has just started, but defending champion Atlanta United already needs a win, after a 2-0 loss to Wayne Rooney’s D.C. United side on opening day. It gets a chance Sunday to play expansion side Cincinnati, which was thumped 4-1 by Seattle last weekend.  Expect Atlanta to bounce back at home in its first home league match of the campaign.

Schedule:
(Home team always listed first)

GERMANY BUNDESLIGA
Hoffenheim (-400) vs. Nürnberg (+1000), draw (+500), 10:30 a.m. (FS2 and Fubo.tv)
Pick: Hoffenheim -1 (-150)

NETHERLANDS EREDIVISIE
Ajax (-2000) vs. Fortuna Sittard (+4000), draw (+1400), 11:45 (ESPN+)
Pick: Ajax -1 first half (+110)

PORTUGAL PRIMEIRA LEAGUE
Feriense (+1100) vs. Porto (-400), draw (+450), 4 pm (GolTv and Fubo.tv)
Pick: Porto -1 (-133)

USA MLS
Atlanta United (-225) vs. Cincinnati (+600), draw (+370), 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Pick: Atlanta United -1 (+115)

Three team parlay:
Ajax first half -1 (+110), Hoffenheim money line (-400), Porto money line (-400), pays (+220)