Sporting Kansas City can't be overly happy with its form at the moment. The team hasn't won a match since April 9, but it also has only played one home game in that stretch. SKC will be back at home on Sunday in a nationally televised game against the LA Galaxy though, and that might be the shot in the arm this club needs.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Sporting Kansas City +130
Los Angeles Galaxy +210
Draw +235
Over/Under 2.5 (over -135)
ODDS ANALYSIS
This spread really is a case of the oddsmakers finally realizing that the Galaxy aren't the end all, be all of the MLS. These veteran legs can only go so far, and generally speaking, on the road, they aren't all that great. At just 1-1-1 this year in three away matches, it shouldn't be a big surprise that LA is only +210 on the moneyline.
Sporting Kansas City isn't as big of a favorite as perhaps it should be, but it's bad form of late is really the main reason why it's just a +130 moneyline favorite.
The oddsmakers do expect to see some goals however. The total is bordering right now the rise to a flat 3. For the time being though, betting over 2.5 goals will cost you $135 to make $100.
KEY INJURIES
Nigel de Jong has been suspended this match for the Galaxy, and that could be a big blow to the team. They already don't have another one of their ringers, Robbie Keane thanks to some minor knee surgery, while Leonardo is questionable for this one after suffering a leg injury.
Sporting has some men up in the air for this one that are worth watching. Paulo Nagamura, who has had such a good start to the season, has a calf strain which has kept him out of training at the beginning of this week, while both Chance Myers and Justin Mapp are questionable as well. SKC certainly won't have Soni Mustivar and Kevin Ellis in the lineup on Sunday or for the foreseeable future.
LIVE BETTING
Kansas City got off to such a great start to this season, but these last few games have been awful. The club did manage a 1-1 draw at Vancouver in the middle of the week, but that came on the heels of a 1-0 loss at San Jose and a 2-1 loss at FC Dallas. It's going to be nice to be back at home after the three-game roadie, but that stretch, one which featured three games in three cities in just 10 days, could prove to be a big problem for this Sunday's game at home.
The Galaxy have been pouring in goals like crazy of late. Last week, they dropped five on Real Salt Lake. The week prior, four found the back of the net against Houston. That's all really rare stuff though, even for one of the more talented teams in the league. Let's keep in mind that those nine goals accounted for over half of what the Galaxy have amassed this year in seven matches. Eight goals in five fixtures for the rest of the year is probably the more likely norm.
QUICK PICK
Even with Keane out of the fold, we still find some value here in LA. The team is just in good form at the moment with three wins and two draws in its last five, and Sporting just doesn't look like a team which is winning a match any time in the near future.
The Asian Handicap is the better play here on the Galaxy. They might win this one outright, but we still think there's a good chance that punt a couple points away as well with some shoddy defense. A tactical and patient team like Sporting Kansas City could easily hit on the counter, and that's where Dom Dwyer has been oh so dangerous this year.
MLS Odds: Sporting Kansas City 2, LA 2
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