The Chicago Fire ( 3-0-3, 9 Points ) have caught some fire of late, and they are going to hope to keep things rolling when they visit Sporting Kansas City ( 2-4-2, 10 Points ) on Sunday afternoon.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Even though the Fire have won three straight matches, it is SKC which has the edge in this match according to the oddsmakers. Home field advantage has landed Sporting as a -145 favorite, which has also put Chicago at +0.5 ( +125 ) on the Asian handicap. The total is rather average by MLS standards at 2.5 ( under -120 ).
KEY INJURIES
The Fire remain without Mike Magee and Patrick Nyarko as long-term injuries. Michael Stephens, who is a big cog in Chicago's midfield, didn't play last week thanks to an ankle injury and is considered questionable for this match as well.
Sporting KC has no new injury concerns, though Ike Opara remains out as he continues his lengthy recovery from his ruptured Achilles tendon.
Each team also has a suspension to deal with. Matt Watson will sit for the Fire, while Servando Carrasco is out for this match as well. Both players were not issued red cards, but they were still given their suspensions for rough play on the pitch.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I thought we were resilient in the fact that we got back into the game pretty quickly. Sometimes it is not easy when the other team scores, you want to check the reaction. I thought our reaction was very good. That should serve us well." – Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes after his team fought back late against Houston last week in a 4-4 thriller
RECENT FORM
Kansas City hasn't been in the best form of late, as it is without a win in three straight matches. However, these last two at Houston and at Los Angeles have been very difficult fixtures, and the truth of the matter is that the team deserved better on both accounts.
The Fire have won three straight matches, though it should be noted that all three fixtures were played at Toyota Park. There's also a difference between going up against Philadelphia. Toronto and New York City and trying to go claim a scalp at Sporting Park. Prior to that, the Fire had won a game this season.
TALKING TOTALS
The eight-goal outburst for SKC and Houston last weekend was a classic, and it was an easy over for bettors as well. That's now three overs in four matches to wrap up April for Sporting Kansas City, a streak which it could very well continue if it can pound the ball into the area as often as it has, especially off of set pieces, these last few weeks.
Chicago has netted six goals this season, five of which have come in the last three games. That said, the Fire are still only 2-4 for over bettors on the season.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
When you look at the big time scorers for Kansas City, you have to be impressed with what they have been able to do historically against Chicago.
Dom Dwyer scored in all three matches last year against the Fire, while Graham Zusi has four goals in 12 matches against them.
Without a true ace in attack, Chicago is going to be in trouble in this match, as the six goals that it has scored this season have come from six different players.
The end result should be a home victory for Sporting, ending Chicago's winning streak at three matches.
Sporting Kansas City 2, Chicago 0
BookMaker has MLS lines for every match of the season. Sporting Kansas City is lined as a -145 moneyline favorite, while the total is set at 2.5 ( under -120 ). You can make a futures bet and predict the champion, wager on head-to-head matchups or use BookMaker’s live betting feature to gamble while the match is happening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between Sporting Kansas City and the Chicago Fire is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. ET at Sporting Park in Kansas City, MO. The match will be televised live on ESPN2.
