Sporting Kansas City vs Austin FC Prediction, Preview and Odds - 6/12/21

Sporting Kansas City and Austin FC meet for another round of MLS this weekend. We expect the in-form Kansas City to display a top performance against Austin who is desperately looking to win some points and end their sluggish performances as of late. The game starts at 19:00 UTC at Children's Mercy Park stadium in Kansas City, USA.

Kansas City looks to get a fourth win

Kansas City is in perfect form and has won three consecutive matches with the expectation of making it fourth. Over the course, they have defeated Houston Dynamo (3-2), San Jose Earthquakes (3-1), and Vancouver Whitecaps (3-0). In their match against Houston Dynamo, Kansas City had possession of 68% with goals from Gianluca Busio, Alan Pulido, and Gadi Kinda enabling them to bag all 3 points. The Wizards also won away at San Jose Earthquakes, managing a possession of 57%. This shows that they are in perfect form and aiming for the summit of the Western Conference table.

Sporting Kansas City boss Peter Vermes will not be able to count on Nicolas Isimat-Mirin who has a hamstring injury, while Gadi Kinda, and Alan Pulido are still absent on international duty. Nevertheless, Dániel Sallói, and Ilie Sánchez who have shown exceptional performance during their last three matches, will look to provide solid minutes and try to help Kansas City extend their winning streak.

Austin FC hopes to bounce back and get a good result on the road

Austin FC enters this match after three consecutive losses and a draw. They lost to Sporting Kansas City (2-1), LA Galaxy (2-0), and lost on the road to Nashville SC (1-0). Most recently, they were able to bag 1 point in a matchup against the league-leading Seattle Sounders (0-0). Their loss to Sporting Kansas City was contributed by Alexander Ring who was sent off at the 67th minute, compromising their team formation and tactics. They managed a 45% possession and 6 shots on target in this match. The Los Verdes have won two matches since the season started, claiming victories against Minnesota United FC (1-0) and Colorado Rapids (3-1).

The poor performance by Austin FC has been contributed by a number of injuries that have significantly affected their squad lineup. In this upcoming match, they will miss Daniel Pereira (Knee injury), Hector Jimenez (MCL injury), Ben Sweat (ACL injury), Ulises Segura (Knee injury), and Aaron Schoenfeld (Knee injury).

The Winner Prediction

Kansas City and Austin will meet for only their 2nd time in the clubs history, with KC claiming the win in their first encounter (2-1). Austin is debuting in the MLS this season and is still finding their ground in the league, while on the other side, Sporting Kansas City has the experience and power to attack the very top and go for the title. In their last encounter, they both scored but Austin FC’s player was sent off in the 67th minute, which helped Kansas City find some momentum and score 2 goals in the final ten minutes of the match. Considering the fact that Kansas City has won their last match against Austin FC and has an impressive run of 3 consecutive wins, it is not a surprise that the bookies see them as heavy favorites to win this clash. However, it must be noted that they will miss Pulido and Kinda in this game, and the fact that their defense has only one clean sheet this season and had to come back from behind to secure the win in four games.

On the other side, Austin FC has been dealing with a scoring drought, failing to score in their last three games. The defense will play the key role for Austin in this matchup. Although it is allowing lots of shots, most of these shots do not convert to goals; thanks to the goalkeeper (Stuver) who will be ready for Saturday’s match. Matt Besler is a steady force in the LCB position and has been flanked by Jhohan Romaña in their recent games; including their recent draw against league leaders.

We expect a tough match dominated by a revenge-motivated Austin FC defense orchestrated by Stuver. The revenge factor should be enough for Austin FC to secure a draw.

The Pick: Draw

Total: Under 2.5

The visitors have failed to go over 2.5 goals in their last three games, while the home team has recorded over 2.5 goals in their last three games. In their lone encounter this season the over was achieved in the final 10 minutes of the match. Considering the fact that Austin will be highly motivated to win some points, and that Kansas City will miss some of their key players, the under 2.5 goals looks like a perfect pick.

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Viktor Allenson

Viktor "The Viking" Allenson has been slaying the books for many years now. He has hammered the lines in all sports including basketball, football, soccer, MMA and baseball. The Viking's strength is his versatility and research in all sports. He also has the ability to find soft lines that the public loves and goes the other way.