We're only four games into the season, but it's hard to classify the first few weeks of the MLS campaign as anything but a bitter disappointment for the Seattle Sounders. They're just 1-0-3 in their first three tussles, and they've already played three matches at home. They're out on the road on Sunday in what could be a big match against the Houston Dynamo.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston Dynamo +120
Seattle Sounders +200
Draw +230
Over/Under 2.5 (over -130)
ODDS ANALYSIS
These two teams really shouldn't be on level pegging with one another, but for the time being, the oddsmakers are seeing it that way. Houston is the slight favorite at home at +120, and that insinuates that it's only the slightly lesser of the two clubs. The Sounders are only 2 to 1 on the road to get what would be three vital points.
The total is somewhat high at 2.5 and -130 vig on the over.
KEY INJURIES
The Dynamo are certainly playing without Collen Warner in this match in the midfield due to a hamstring strain, but there are some bigger concerns than that. Abdoulie Mansally has a concussion he has yet to be cleared from, and Giles Barnes has a hamstring injury as well. Joe Willis will also likely be forced to start again in this match due to the fact that Tyler Deric is likely still out with an abdominal strain.
Injuries aren't killing the Sounders, but they sure aren't helping either. Roman Torres is out for the long haul thanks to an ACL injury, while Erik Friberg and Michael Farfarn are both question marks due to leg injuries.
RECENT FORM
Houston is running cold at the moment. The team has dropped consecutive matches to Vancouver and New York, but those duels were both played on the road. In the two matches played here at BBVA Compass Stadium, the Dynamo have put up a total of eight goals, three against New England in a draw and a whopping five against FC Dallas.
Seattle has started this season completely on the wrong foot. The club was knocked out of the CONCACAF Champions League by Club America, and it has started the MLS campaign with three losses in four matches. The one win did come last week at home against Montreal to get the Sounders off to mark, but there's still a lot to be worried about with this team.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Seattle's offense has been nowhere to be found this term thus far. Obafemi Martins has yet to find the back of the net, and Clint Dempsey only has one strike off of a stunning free kick. This is a team which routinely used to make good on chance after chance, and it ran up and down the pitch, but now, the Sounders just look a bit drab to us.
Houston's offense has been fantastic, led by Will Bruin with his three goals in four matches, but we're wondering where the defense is. Willis has had to face the most shots in the MLS, and though he leads the league in total saves, he also has one of the worst GAAs in the league to boot. That's a bad sign against what could be a rejuvenated Seattle side.
The Sounders should take some momentum from their escape from Montreal last weekend, and we think they'll come on the road and snare three vital points to help right the ship in the Western Conference.
MLS Odds: Seattle 2, Houston 1
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