MLS: Sporting Kansas City vs. LAFC Preview, Odds, Prediction

Sporting Kansas City hosts the favorites for winning this year’s MLS Cup, the LAFC. The visiting team is topping the Western Conference standings, playing excellent football, and expecting to become even better with the two arrivals from Europe. Opposite to them, SKC is sitting last in the West, with lots of problems in its performances and with injuries hauling the team since the start of the campaign. This unit was among the best last year, but the combination of a few negative factors dragged them down to the bottom of the standings.

Preview

SKC (+200) has 20 points in 22 games and still has some theoretical chances of reaching the postseason. They would need to put together a winning streak of several games though, which isn’t looking likely right now. 

The most recent game they had was in Salt Lake where Real beat them 3-0. The past three events this assembly had were on the road, with SKC winning one in Montreal, 1-2, and playing 1-1 in Minnesota. 

This team has three losses and two wins at home in the past five games, with the note that the two triumphs were in the US Open Cup. That means that SKC lost the previous three MLS clashes in front of its fans. 

LAFC (+225) has one defeat, one draw and five wins in the past seven games. The only loss was in Vancouver against the Whitecaps, and prior and after, they had two wins apiece.

Steve Cherundolo’s unit comes off back-to-back victories. One was against the biggest rivals, LA Galaxy, in El Trafico, 3-2 and the most recent on the road in Nashville, 1-2. Both Bale and Chiellini played in this one, the Italian starting the match and exiting later, while Bale entered in the last 20 minutes. 

LAFC posts mixed results on the road, with the victory in Nashville being the first one following three in a row. They would lose to the Galaxy in the US Open Cup, play against the Sounders 1-1, and then lose in Vancouver.

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As said, the situation in Sporting is critical. Cisneros, Kinda, Pulido and Thommy are out for sure, while Ford, Melia and Zusi sit as doubtful. As usual, Peter Vermes will have a lot of problems coming up with a competitive lineup.

Gaines and Musovski are out, while Brian Rodriguez is questionable.

Head to Head Games

The previous meeting was three months ago in LA, and the hosts won that one, 3-1. They met three times in the 2021/22 campaign, with the FC winning in LA, 4-0, losing at the same place, 1-4, and Kansas City, 2-1.

Six of the past seven games have ended with both teams scoring and with three or more goals. 

Prediction

The odds on LAFC’s victory are far too profitable not to go after them. We know that the home field plays a big role in the MLS, but as we saw, SKC lost against much weaker teams at their Children’s Mercy Park in KC. Because of that, our pick will be LAFC to win at +225. The odds are very tempting here.

Pick: LAFC Win +225

 

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