Los Angeles FC Vs Sporting Kansas Betting Tip: Away or Draw – 5 August 2021

Leaky LAFC too short for strong SKC?

Diego Palacios / Los Angeles ©IMAGO / ZUMA Wire 07/28/2021

United States Los Angeles FC Vs Sporting Kansas City United States

Thursday 5 August, 2021 – 03:30
US Major League Soccer
Pick: Sporting Kansas City or Draw
Odds: 13/10
Bookmaker: PaddyPower
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 3 July 2021)

Preview: With each of the previous four encounters producing a healthy portion of goals, we should be in for another entertaining duel at the Banc of California Stadium as Los Angeles FC and Sporting Kansas City face off for a sixth time.

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Los Angeles FC – Vela magic going to waste?

LAFC begun the month of July like a team on a mission, recording three wins on the spin in an effort to rein in the leading duo of Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City in the Western standings. They would end it on a real dampener, though, with two points accrued through their last three encounters, losing to Portland Timbers before back to back draws with Vancouver Whitecaps and Minnesota United.

Arguably the only encouragement Bob Bradley will have garnered from those last three outings was the consistency of superstar forward Carlos Vela. The Mexican scored for the fourth game in a row last time – the second successive 2-2 scoreline here at Banc of California stadium, where their record is generally very positive (W4 D4 L1) – but could only watch on as his team conceded with seconds remaining.

That is now three straight matches conceding twice, costing them seven points in the process. Four of their six wins this season were to nil, emphasising the importance a fit and confident defence has on this team. Unfortunately for Bradley, another frenetic encounter seems likely to ensue: all of the past four meetings with SKC saw neither side preserve their clean sheets, with goals a regular occurrence.

 

Carlos Vela First Goalscorer
5/2

Betfair

 

Sporting Kansas City – Wounded Wizards can strike back?

Whatever goes up, must come back down. And so it proved as Sporting Kansas, fresh from their memorable 3-1 victory over a Seattle Sounders outfit that still leads the way in the West, lost for the first time in front of their own fans in 2021 last time out. That it came against an FC Dallas side which hadn’t managed a single point in seven prior away outings this season, made it all the more remarkable.

Peter Vermes seemed in disbelief on the sidelines, and who could blame him. That loss, their first since another 2-1 scoreline at Portland Timbers on June 20, brought an end to their five-game unbeaten spell (W4 D1). Yet it all boiled down to familiar failings, namely a ninth game in the last ten without the defence registering a shutout. Across the season as a whole, this team has conceded in 14 of 16 fixtures.

Those defensive frailties could be exploited once again in California. SKC have only ever recorded one clean sheet versus LAFC, that in their very first encounter back in 2018, though did sneak a 2-1 win as hosts earlier in the campaign. The fact they are on the road on this occasion isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. The Wizards are aiming for a third straight away win, having been all or nothing so far (W4 L3).

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Los Angeles FC Vs Sporting Kansas Betting Advice

Although the standings shows these are the second and fifth best teams in the Western Conference, they are probably a lot closer than that on actual ability. LAFC are certainly better than fifth, that is for sure, as their Expected Goals (xG) figure for the season shows with no team boasting a more polished process than that of Bob Bradley’s men. Sporting Kansas City aren’t far back though, in third.

 

Los Angeles FC Vs Sporting Kansas City – Key Facts:

  • None of the five encounters between LAFC and Sporting Kansas resulted in a draw. All of the past four, however, saw at least three goals and both teams among the goals.
  • Since a run of three straight wins to begin July, Los Angeles FC have failed to win in three (D2 L1), drawing the last two times at home 2-2.
  • Last time out saw Sporting Kansas City relinquish their season-long unbeaten home record, with FC Dallas inflicting their first defeat in six (W4 D1).

 

So this should be a competitive renewal of a fixture that is never dull. None of the five all-time MLS meetings between the clubs produced fewer than two goals, with each of the last four seeing a minimum of three. Interestingly, though, there has never been a draw. Even so, I am happy to side with the visitors and the draw. This LAFC back line is simply too porous right now to trust while SKC have only lost once in their last six.

Best Betting Odds – Los Angeles FC Vs Sporting Kansas City

Los Angeles FC – 8/13 (Betway)
Draw – 16/5 (Betfair)
Sporting Kansas City – 4/1 (PaddyPower)