FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 9/29/21
META TITLE: MLS FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City
FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City
The 2021 MLS season continues Wednesday, September 29, with plenty of interesting matchups on the schedule, including the Western Conference showdown from Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The Hoops meet the Wizards for the third time this term, so we have prepared the best FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City betting pick and odds along with the latest team stats, news, and betting trends. These two foes split their first two encounters in 2021, and each team emerged victorious on the road.
FC Dallas is winless in five straight outings
The Hoops wrapped up a three-game road trip last Saturday, suffering a 1-0 defeat at the Vancouver Whitecaps. It was their second loss on the spin and third in their last five games overall along with a couple of draws against New York City on the road, 3-3, and the San Jose Earthquakes at home, 1-1.
FC Dallas will almost certainly miss the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Toros are sitting at the 11th spot of the Western Conference standings with 27 points from 27 games (W6, D9, L12) and a 38:44 goal difference, trailing the No. 7 seed by seven points.
The interim head coach Marco Ferruzzi cannot count on left-back John Nelson (back), while the other guys are ready to go. The 18-year-old striker Ricardo Pepi leads the way for the Hoops with 12 goals in 24 appearances this season. Winger Jader Obrian has scored eight goals in 26 apps, while midfielder Jesus Fereira is the team’s top assist-maker with six dishes in 19 outings.
Sporting Kansas City continues to chase the No. 1 seed
The Wizards are coming off a 2-1 home loss to the Seattle Sounders this past Sunday. They snapped a two-game win streak and lost the top spot in the Western Conference. Now, they are trailing the Sounders by a couple of points, sitting at the second spot with 46 points from 26 games (W13, D7, L6) and a 44:28 goal difference.
Sporting Kansas City has played in a shaky form over the last few weeks. In their previous seven outings at any location, the Wizards have recorded a pair of wins and losses along with three draws. They kept their net intact in two of their last four contests, but in the other two, the Wizards yielded six goals in total.
The 25-year-old winger Daniel Salloi is the Wizards’ best player this season. He’s accounted for 13 goals and six assists in 23 MLS appearances so far, while forward Johnny Russell has added six goals and six assists in 22 apps. Striker Alan Pulido has eight goals on his tally, but he’s questionable to play due to a knee injury.
The Pick:Sporting Kansas City to Win
The hosts opened as slight +160 underdogs, while the visitors sit at +150 to earn all three points. This clash could easily go three-way, as the odds indicate, so I would stick with the totals and avoid the side bet.
Back in August, the Hoops and Wizards split a couple of games, and Dallas suffered a 2-0 loss at home while pulling off a surprising 2-1 victory at Kansas City. Over their previous seven H2H duels, the Wizards have recorded just one win, but they seem like a better team at the moment, so I lean the visitors in this one. Sporting has a lot at stake, while Dallas is in dire straits.
Total:Both Teams to Score YES
The Toros have nothing to lose and should be highly motivated to put on a solid performance in front of the home fans. On the other side, the visitors desperately need a positive result, so I’m expecting both teams to find the net.
Six of the Toros’ last seven games saw both teams scoring, and FC Dallas has netted 15 goals in that stretch. They should have enough firepower to score once here, as Sporting has recorded a clean sheet in three of its last four outings away from home. Still, the Wizards have conceded four goals in their previous showing on the road.