The opening part of the 2016 MLS season has been a big disappointment for Sporting Kansas City. No one really figured SKC was going to challenge for the MLS Cup this year, but getting into the playoffs felt like it should've been easy in the top-heavy Western Conference. Instead, Sporting sits three points back already with more matches played than any other team in the conference, and that makes this game at home against Orlando City all the more important.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Sporting Kansas City -144
Orlando City +350
Draw +300
Over/Under 2.5 (over -130)
ODDS ANALYSIS
Sporting has historically been strong at home as is the case with most of the teams in the MLS, so it's not surprising that it's an odds-on favorite in this fixture at -144 on the moneyline. Still, the team has just two wins from its first five matches here at Children's Mercy Park, and that's a big concern for a team which is just 4-6-2 overall on the campaign.
The total is rather par for the course by MLS standards at 2.5 and -130 vig on the over.
KEY INJURIES
Orlando City's problems right now aren't really on the injury front. Kaka is back from a groin injury, and neither Conor Donovan nor Pedro Riberio are going to be back any time soon.
The real issue for the Lions comes with suspensions. Cristian Higuita has been suspended for this match for a red card he picked up against the Red Bulls last week. Maybe more important though, is the fact that coach Adrian Heath has been suspended this week as well for coming onto the pitch to complain to an official during the draw at home against the Red Bulls.
Sporting only has one injury concern at the moment of note, that being the groin which will keep defender Kevin Ellis on the sidelines for this match.
LIVE BETTING
Orlando City had a hot start to the year, but things are starting to fall apart of late. The club drew against New York and New England in consecutive weeks in fixtures which better was entirely possible, and a 3-2 loss before that to the Red Bulls on the road was a disappointing result, too. For a team which has such high expectations for this season, these are results which have to turn around soon, and we're not so sure the path is clear to do so.
Sporting has had a real problem scoring goals of late. The team hasn't tallied in consecutive matches, a 1-0 loss to Colorado and a 2-0 loss at Houston, and it has now gone seven matches in a row without a victory.
QUICK PICK
The Lions have been in terrible form of late, and they just can't figure out how to kill games off when they get a chance to do so. That's the type of problem which gets teams buried at this level, and they're learning that in the top flight of American soccer after years of dominating the significantly lesser USL Pro.
That said, it's not like Sporting Kansas City is in much better form right now either. Goals have been very hard to come by, and even going against this Orlando City defense probably won't help all that much. Maybe Dom Dwyer will find the back of the net again after a slow last month and a half with the sight of his former team, but we're not banking on it.
Instead, we'll take a stab on the Lions to close this match out. Kevin Molino is in fine form right now with goals in consecutive matches, and Cyle Larin is still one of the most dangerous players on the pitch. The natives could get restless in KC. There's just no way that it deserves to be an odds-on favorite, though.
MLS Odds: Orlando City 2, Sporting Kansas City 1
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