A big part of the reason why New York City FC finds itself atop the table in the Eastern Conference this year is because it has gotten over its road woes which plagued it over the course of its inaugural season. The team already has four victories away from the Bronx this year, and a triumph at Sporting Kansas City on Sunday would be massive to keep it in front of Philadelphia and other contenders in the East.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Sporting Kansas City -114
New York City FC +325
Draw +240
Over/Under 2.5 (under -130)
ODDS ANALYSIS
NYCFC is still one of these teams which many don't believe in. Sure, it could be fools' gold at this point, but new boss Patrick Vieira is making himself a prime candidate to end up with an international job at some point in the not-too-distant future. City is still +325 on the moneyline in this duel, and it's still going against an odds-on favorite in SKC, but the margins are starting to get a bit thinner as this team removes itself from the disaster which was the 2015 campaign.
Most MLS totals are teetering on the flat 3, but here with NYCFC and Sporting Kansas City, the number to beat is just 2.5 with -130 vig on the under.
KEY INJURIES
The biggest problem in this match has nothing to do with injuries and everything to do with a suspension. Dom Dwyer, the best offensive weapon Kansas City brings to the table, is going to have to sit this match out thanks to yellow card accumulation.
Sporting also has to worry about Paulo Nagamura, who is still battling a thigh strain which has limited him in recent weeks. Chance Myers remains out with a hamstring problem.
City should be getting back Federico Bravo at some point in the near future, perhaps for this match. He missed the entire month of June and the first part of July with a strained quad but is back in training and could be eligible for selection.
LIVE BETTING
Sporting has had no problems finding the back of the net of late, scoring at least once in five straight matches, averaging exactly 2.0 goals per game in that span. The results have been a little mixed thanks to some shoddy defending which has seen the club concede at least twice in three straight fixtures, but we've seen SKC play a lot better than this, particularly in the midfield. With Graham Zusi back from Copa America, things should improve in time.
NYCFC is just flat out rolling right now. The team has a short week of prep after beating New England at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night 1-0, but it's hot for sure. Vieira's side has won four straight matches overall, and it hasn't conceded a goal since June 18.
QUICK PICK
The value here on NYCFC is absolutely insane even though it's on the road. It's amazing to think that there's some real worth to a team which is sitting on top of the standings and has been playing so well.
Even though David Villa, Frank Lampard and the rest of the "names" on this New York City squad are the ones who get the attention, it's the men at the back who have been doing the grunt work of late with great tactics and a strong last line of defense. With Dwyer sidelined, we're just not sure where the goals and the scoring opportunities are going to continue to come from for KC.
Sure, this match is on the road, but we still are willing to give a shot to NYCFC on the moneyline. The safer bet might be on the Asian Handicap at +0.5, but we're going for the gusto for sure.
MLS Odds: New York City FC 1, Sporting Kansas City 0
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