Colorado Rapids vs. Seattle Sounders Prediction, Preview and Odds - 7/4/21
The Sounders are the lone unbeaten team in the MLS and they hit the road to play a Rapids’ team that had won two in a row before losing badly in their last match.
Colorado had won two in a row in shutout fashion before giving up three goals in their last match in a bad loss. The club sits in fourth place in the Western Conference nine points back of Seattle and three of their last four matches, including their last two, have been on the road.
The Sounders have the most points in the MLS and they are coming off a draw in their last match. They had won their previous two matches and the team is led by a defense that is only giving up an average of 0.63 goals per match.
This is the first match of the season between these teams.
Third Time is Not the Charm
The Rapids had won two in a row outscoring their opponents 5-0 before their last march, which was on the road, where they lost to Sporting Kansas City 3-1. In the match they were down 3-0 before Keegan Rosenberry scored the lone goal in the 84th minute and while Colorado narrowly lost the time of possession battle (56% to 44%) they were doubled up giving up six shots on target while they only had three.
For the big Sunday match facing Seattle, Colorado has nearly a full squad available, but DF Steven Beitashour is listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury. The Rapids have played two fewer matches than Seattle, so a win could be huge for them in the standings. Diego Rubio leads the club with three goals and three other players have two goals and Jack Price leads the team with four assists. Rubio has been in form as of late with two goals and an assist over the last five matches.
Drawing with the Cellar Dweller
Seattle was at home in their last match and played to a 2-2 against a Vancouver Whitecaps team that is in the basement of the Western Conference. Raúl Ruidíaz scored his league-leading ninth goal and Jimmy Medranda scored in the 71st minute to secure the draw. The Sounders had the possession 62% of the time and had 19 shots but only had five on target while Vancouver had four.
DF Nouhou Tolo is listed as questionable for this match due to a groin injury. Ruidíaz has scored a goal in three straight matches and Brad Smith is the only other player for Seattle with more than two goals with three. The Sounders have scored the second-most goals in the league (20) and they have a whopping goal differential of +13 after 11 matches played.
Pick:Seattle +200
The Sounders were not overly impressive in their last match where they were at home and played to a 2-2 draw against a Vancouver team that is in last place in the West. I think that may have been a wake-up call for a club that is the lone unbeaten one in the MLS. The Rapids were cruising with two straight shutout wins before their defense fell apart in their last match where they gave up three goals. Seattle is only two points clear of Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference and they will come out firing in this match. They will use their great D and solid midfield to pick apart the Rapids and get the road win.
Total: Over 2.5
I am leaning towards the Over in this match even though the Sounders have played killer defense on the season. They have only given up seven goals in 11 matches but two of them came in their last one facing a last place Vancouver team and that match was at home no less. The Rapids had two straight shutout wins before their D was less than stellar in their last match giving up three goals. I see both teams coming out on the attack where neither team will secure a clean sheet. Seattle will score multiple goals and because of that, the Over is the pick for this conference affair.
