Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo Prediction, Preview and Odds -10/3/21
Sporting Kansas City versus Houston Dynamo
Sporting Kansas City was a 3-1 winner on the road over FC Dallas on Wednesday. Daniel Salloi scored a brace for Sporting KC, while Johnny Russell scored one goal. Sporting KC has won three of its last four matches in MLS play and is second in the Western Conference standings. On Sunday, Sporting Kansas City will play without Felipe Hernandez, Jaylin Lindsey and John Pulskamp oh, wow Alan Pulido is questionable.
Houston Dynamo battled to a scoreless draw at home on Wednesday against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Houston has won just one of its last 18 matches, which was a 3-2 victory over FC Dallas at home. The Dynamo are well down the standings in 12th place and out of postseason contention. On Sunday, Houston will play without Nico Lemoine and Adam Lundkvist, while Adalberto Carrasquilla, Marko Maric and Tyler Pasher are all questionable.
Sporting KC keeping Pace with first-place Seattle
Sporting Kansas City is second in the MLS Western Conference standings with a record of 14-7-6, 49 points and a +18 goal difference. Sporting KC is two points adrift of first place Seattle and holds a one-point advantage over third-place Colorado. Sporting Kansas City has scored 47 goals and has one of the stronger backlines allowing only 29 goals through 27 matches.
Over Sporting Kansas City's most recent five matches in the MLS, the club has won three and lost two and has outscored its opponents 10-7. The Sporting Kansas City back line has two clean sheets in the last four matches. Daniel Salloi has 15 goals to lead Sporting Kansas City, while Alan Pulido and Johnny Russell have each scored eight goals. Russell has seven assists to lead Sporting Kansas City and Salloi has five. Goalkeeper Tim Melia has appeared in 22 of 27 matches and has allowed 22 goals.
Houston struggling to Score
The Houston Dynamo are 12 in the MLS Western Conference standings with a record of 5-12-11, 27 points and a -10 goals difference. Houston has scored only 31 goals this season for an average of 1.11 goals per match. The Dynamo have been held scoreless in each of their last two matches and have scored one goal or less in five of the last seven matches, while winning just one of the last 18 fixtures.
Over the last five matches played in the MLS, Houston has won twice, lost once and drawn twice. Houston has scored eight goals and allowed five over that span. Fabrice Picault is the leading goal scorer for Houston with 10 and Maximiliano Urruti has scored 6. Picault is also the leader in assists with 3 and Tyler Pasher, who is questionable for Sunday, has two. Goalkeeper Marco Maric, who is questionable for Sunday, has appeared in 21 matches and allowed 31 goals.
Pick: Sporting Kansas City -173
Sporting Kansas City is second from the top of the Western Conference standings and the Houston Dynamo are second from the bottom. In the most recent two meetings between these two both played in May of this year Sporting Kansas City won 3-2 at home and Houston 1-0 at home. This matchup will be played on Sporting KC’s home pitch and the club is fighting off a surging Colorado Rapids squad and will pressure the Houston backline from start to finish. Houston has allowed an average of 1.46 goals per match. Houston has little to play for being well off the pace in playoff qualification
Total: Over
Houston is allowing an average of 1.46 goals per match and will be up against a Sporting Kansas City Club that has had goal totals finish over the 2.5 goals per match threshold in each of the last three matches and four of the last 5. In addition, the last time these two clubs played on Sporting Kansas City's home pitch a total of 5 goals were scored in a 3-2 Sporting KC victory.