Minnesota United vs. Sporting Kansas City Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 10/30/21

Minnesota United versus Sporting Kansas City

Minnesota United is currently on the outside looking in. Minnesota sits eighth in the MLS Western Conference with a record of 12-9-11, 45 points and a -3 goal difference. Only the top seven clubs qualify for the postseason and Minnesota is tied on points with 7th place Real Salt Lake but trails on goal difference. Minnesota was defeated by Vancouver 2-1 on Wednesday in its most recent MLS fixture and has just two matches to qualify for the postseason. Minnesota will play without Justin McMaster.

Sporting Kansas City took over first place in the Western Conference and currently is 17-7-7 with 58 points and a +22 goal difference. Sporting Kansas City defeated the LA Galaxy 2-0 on Wednesday night and with the three points leapfrogged the Seattle Sounders who have led the conference for the entire season. Sporting KC also has a match in hand after playing 31 matches and Seattle has played 32. Sporting Kansas City will play without Felipe Hernandez, Jaylin Lindsey, and Alan Pulido, while Jose Mauri and Daniel Salloi are questionable.

Minnesota needs as many points as possible

Minnesota United is tied on points with 7th place Real Salt Lake and one point behind sixth-place LA Galaxy and equally important must keep 9th place LAFC behind them as they only lead LAFC by one point. Minnesota has picked up points in each of its last two matches at home with a draw and a victory but to make life easier needs to take three points from Sunday's match at home against Sporting KC which could prove difficult to do.

Over the last five matches in the MLS, Minnesota has two victories, two losses and one draw. Robin Lod is the leading goal scorer for Minnesota with eight and Adrien Hunou has scored 6. Franco Fragapane is the leader in assists for Minnesota with 9. Goalkeeper Tyler Miller has appeared in 28 of Minnesota's 32 matches and has allowed just 29 goals. Miller has allowed two goals or less in each of the last four matches.

Sporting Kansas City Must Take Advantage of Match in Hand

Sporting Kansas City is tied on points with Seattle at the top of the Western Conference but has a match in hand and must take advantage of a possible additional three points to separate from the Sounders. Sporting Kansas City has played on the road with 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in it's last 10 matches away from home. One of the draws was 0-0 on the road against Minnesota on August 21.

Sporting Kansas City has four victories and just one loss over the last five matches played against MLS opponents. Daniel Salloi, who is questionable for Sunday's match with a bad ankle, is the leading goal scorer for Sporting Kansas City with 16 and close behind is Johnny Russell with 14. Russell and Salloi are co-leaders in assists with 7 apiece. Goalkeeper Tim Melia has appeared in 25 of Sporting Kansas City's 31 matches and has allowed 27 goals. John Pulskamp started Sporting Kansas City's most recent match resulting in a 2-0 victory over Vancouver but has appeared in only six matches this season.

Pick: Minnesota United -105

Although Minnesota United has played to a 0-0 draw and was defeated 4-0 by Sporting Kansas City last month, the Loons have far more to play for than Sporting Kansas City. Minnesota is battling for a spot in the postseason while Sporting KC would love to finish first in the Western Conference but is locked into a very good position in the postseason. Minnesota will be at home where the Loons are unbeaten in 5 of the last 6, which includes a 0-0 draw with Sporting KC on August 21. Sporting Kansas City could possibly keep leading goal scorer and co-leader in assists Daniel Salloi on the sideline as the Hungarian national team member is nursing a bad ankle

Total: Under

Both Minnesota United and Sporting Kansas City will be playing a tighter, more conservative match up on Saturday. Minnesota will look to score early at home and drop back and protect its goal with its midfielders and attackers in an attempt to take all three points. The last time these two met in Minnesota on August 21 no goals were scored in a nil-nil draw.