Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting Kansas City Prediction, Preview and Odds - 8/7/21
Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting Kansas City
The MLS betting action goes on Saturday, August 7, with seven games on the schedule, including the marquee Western Conference matchup between the Colorado Rapids and Sporting Kansas City at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. These two foes already met once in June, and Sporting beat Colorado at home, 3-1. Kansas City is undefeated in four straight meetings with the Rapids, tallying three wins in the process, so let’s see what’s the best Colorado vs. Sporting betting pick for Saturday night.
The Rapids won five of their last seven home games
The Colorado Rapids are coming off a 1-0 road victory at Austin FC this past Saturday, as the 24-year-old winger Andre Shinyashiki scored his third goal of the season. The Rapids kept their net intact for the third time in the last five outings, so the head coach Robin Fraser must be pleased with a narrow victory.
Colorado is now sitting at the fourth spot of the Western Conference standings with 27 points (W8, D3, L4) and a 22:16 goal difference. The Rapids are undefeated in seven straight showings at home, recording five wins in the process.
The 30-year-old winger Michael Barrios is Colorado’s top goalscorer this season. He’s found the back of the net five times, while three guys, including Andre Shinyashaki, have added three goals each. Midfielder Jack Price has five assists in 13 appearances, and he’s been terrific for the Rapids so far this season.
Kansas City aims for its fourth straight road W
Sporting is coming off an excellent 4-1 road victory over Los Angeles FC this past Wednesday. The Wizards took just nine shots towards LAFC’s goalie while yielding 21 in a return, but they cruised through the clash, bagging three first-half goals.
It was the Wizards’ third straight victory away from home. They are currently tied with Seattle for the top spot in the Western Conference, having 33 points on their tally (W10, D3, L4) along with a 33:20 goal difference.
The 25-year-old winger Daniel Salloi is a key player for Kansas City this term. He’s scored a whopping 10 goals in 17 appearances to go with six assists. Striker Alan Pulido has bagged seven goals in 12 appearances, and both Salloi and Pulido scored a goal each last Wednesday.
Side: Draw
Both teams have played well lately, earning ten points over the last five games (W3, D1, L1), so I’m expecting a hard-fought battle in Commerce City. It’s really tough to separate the Rapids and Wizards, so I’m backing a draw.
As I’ve mentioned, the Rapids are unbeaten in seven consecutive home contests, while the Wizards have won four of their previous five games on the road. Kansas City has dominated Colorado in their first meeting of the 2021 MLS season, but this time, the Wizards will have a much taller task on the road.
Total: Both Teams to Score YES
Sporting Kansas City is keeping the ball in possession for 61.3 percent of the time on average. The Wizards prefer an attacking approach, and they won’t hesitate to attack the Rapids on the road, so I’m looking for an open-flow game with at least one goal on either side.
Ten of the Wizards’ last 11 games overall saw both teams scoring. Their defense hasn’t been at its best, but Sporting has scored 13 goals over its last five showings on the road. On the other side, Colorado kept its net intact in three of its last five home games, but the Rapids have conceded in each but one of their previous eight MLS encounters with Kansas City. Therefore, my best betting pick here is BTTS Yes.
