Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy Prediction, Preview and Odds - 5/2/21
The second-place Seattle Sounders will host the first-place LA Galaxy in an MLS Western Conference fixture on Sunday. Seattle is 1-1-0 on 4 Points with a +4 goal difference. Seattle opened its MLS regular season with a convincing 4-0 victory at home over last year's MLS Cup finalists Minnesota United and followed that with a 1-1 draw on the road with LAFC. Seattle is playing well at both ends of the pitch as the Sounders are scoring an average of 2.5 goals per match and allowing an average of just 0.50 goals per match.
LA Galaxy sits at the top of the Western Conference at 2-0-0 on six points with a +2 goal difference. The Galaxy are off to a flying start offensively with 6 goals in their first two matches played resulting in matching 3-2 victories over Inter Miami to open the season and the New York Red Bulls in the Galaxy’s home opener. Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez has scored five of the Galaxy’s 6 goals this season. The only glaring weakness the Galaxy has to start the season is the back line has allowed two goals in each of the first two matches.
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Sounders have solid start on defense
After the first two matches of the regular season Seattle has allowed just one goal. The Sounders opened with a shutout victory over Minnesota and followed that with a 1-1 draw against LAFC. Seattle gave up a 2nd minute goal to LAFC last Saturday but held LAFC scoreless the remaining 88 minutes while Brad Smith scored an equalizer in the 54th minute. Seattle has played the first two matches of the regular season without Nicolas Lodeiro who has been sidelined with a strained quadriceps.
Steven Frei was beaten by Eduard Atuesta on a penalty shot in the first 85 seconds of the match on Saturday but held LAFC scoreless the rest of the way by turning each of the four shots on goal he faced. Seattle took nine shots with just 3 on target. After two matches of the regular season, Raul Ruidiaz has scored two goals for Seattle and Alex Roldan, Cristian Roldan and Will Bruin each have one assist for the Sounders.
LA Galaxy Dangerous in Goal Area
The LA Galaxy are off to an excellent start winning each of their first two matches of the MLS regular season with matching 3-2 score lines. The biggest contributor in the LA Galaxy attack has been Chicharito as the Mexican international has scored five goals. The only other goal scorer for LA Galaxy is Sacha Kljesan with one. The Galaxy are first in the MLS power listing.
It appears that the presence of new manager Greg Vanney has given a new lease on life to Chicharito evidenced by the brace scored in the first match against Inter Miami followed by a hat-trick last Sunday against the New York Red Bulls. Ethan Zubak, Victor Vazquez and Sebastian Lletget each have one assist for the Galaxy. The back line for LA has been a bit leaky to start the campaign as the Galaxy have allowed two goals in each of their first two matches played.
Side: LA Galaxy +400
The LA Galaxy will be on the road against Seattle on Sunday and up against the strong defense of the Sounders, but Chicharito has a brace and a hat trick to his credit after just two matches and will be hard to stop on Sunday regardless of where the Galaxy are playing. After scoring four goals in their win against Minnesota to open the season, Seattle needed a second-half equalizer just to share spoils with LAFC, which was playing without its top two scorers Diego Rossi and Carlos Vega. Therefore, against an LA club with its high-scorer averaging 2.5 goals per match, Seattle will have its hands full.
Total: Over 3
Five goals have been scored in each of LA Galaxy's first two matches this season, while Seattle scored four goals by itself in its opening match of the season versus Minnesota. Odds are high that when the two clash on Sunday plenty of goals will be scored and the total will finish over. The LA Galaxy back line and goalkeepers are allowing an average of 2.00 goals per game.