It’s been a very disappointing season for Sporting Kansas City. Hopes were high that the franchise could win another MLS Cup after finishing atop the Western Conference standings in 2018, but they are sitting in 10th place with 25 points entering their game with the Seattle Sounders on Sunday night. Sporting KC’s once stolid defense has buckled, and their 39 goals allowed are the third-most given up in the conference.
Don't miss the Major League Soccer action from CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington. at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 4, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on FS1.
MLS Betting at BookMaker.eu
Seattle Sounders FC -112
Sporting Kansas City +267
Draw +274
Over/Under 2.5 and 3
Odds Analysis
The Seattle Sounders are set to keep one of the most incredible streaks in professional sports alive. Seattle has made the playoffs in each of its first 10 seasons, and that run is probably going to reach 11 this year. The Sounders are in second place in the Western Conference with 38 points coming into this match.
Seattle has won four of its last six matches, but the Sounders last home game ended up being their first loss of the season. They were knocked off by Portland in a Cascadia Cup match, and their chances of winning the regional cup now aren’t great. The Sounders are coming off a win though, knocking off the Houston Dynamo 1-0 last week.
Coming into this weekend, Sporting KC have lost three of their last five matches. They have scored just five goals during that stretch (three against lowly Vancouver), but they did secure a clean sheet in both victories.
The visitors lost a home game 2-0 to FC Dallas last week. Sporting KC had 18 shots, but only two of those shots were on frame as Dallas did well to continually get back and defend.
Key Absences
The hosts lost forward Will Bruin to a torn ACL in June, continuing an unenviable run of losing at least one top attacker to a major injury that has stretched back a few years now. Midfielder Victor Rodriguez has been ruled out of this match with a strained hamstring, while defender Brad Smith’s status is up in the air due to an undisclosed injury. Defender Kelvin Leerdam and forward Raul Ruidiaz are both questionable.
Sporting KC lost two defenders to major injuries at the beginning of the season and that has led to some of their problems. Jaylin Lindsey suffered a torn meniscus in late March and Rodney Wallace underwent hip surgery in late April. Midfielder Cameron Duke is out with a hamstring injury.
Player to Watch
Nicolas Lodeiro has been the maestro in the midfield for Seattle once again. Lodeiro left the club to participate in Copa America, but he is back, and Seattle is ready for him to produce once more. He leads the team with nine assists on the year, and his four goals are fourth on the team. With Ruidiaz and Leerdam both banged up, his ability to make plays is even more valuable here.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It’s not often I go against Seattle, especially at home, but the injury situation for the Sounders isn’t great. Ruidiaz has been the top scorer and Leerdam is tied for the second-most goals on the team, depriving the hosts of some of their biggest weapons.
Sporting KC have not been abysmal in the much better Western Conference, and they knocked off the Sounders 3-2 in late May behind a Johnny Russell hat trick. I won’t call for a win, but a result seems plausible.
Major League Soccer Odds: Sporting Kansas City 1, Seattle Sounders 1
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