Saturday night entertainment in Seattle
Seattle Sounders take on Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference on Saturday evening, hoping to kickstart their slow-burning 2022 MLS campaign.
The CONCACAF Champions League winners are narrowly inside the play-off places, in seventh but on the same points as Vancouver Whitecaps in eighth.
SKC have not made the best start but are not miles away in a very evenly matched Western Conference this season.
SKC trail the hosts by four points, despite having played three more matches so far, and for that reason need to avoid defeat to ensure a sizeable chasm does not open up between them and the play-offs.
Process
The Sounders are unsustainably overperforming at the back and a regression to the mean seems likely if their process does not improve.
The hosts have conceded just 17 from 24.1 expected goals (xG) against in 14 matches this season, suggesting that they are due to ship some goals at some stage.
SKC have been far from convincing going forward but they should be able to stay in the game despite going in as big outsiders.
SKC have scored just 16 from 17 games in MLS so far and are averaging just 0.91 xGF per game.
There are more solid defensively than the hosts, but no matter how good their rearguard is, with that attacking process they are not making the play-offs at this rate.
Goals?
The Sounders will be desperate for the win on their home patch, and taking on 12th placed SKC presents a good opportunity for them to begin cementing their place in the top seven.
Sounders have scored in eight of ten.
Sounders have conceded in seven of ten.
Sounders have seen both teams score in five of ten.
Sounders have seen over 2.5 goals in six of ten.
SKC have scored in eight of ten.
SKC have conceded in eight of ten.
SKC have seen both teams score in seven of ten.
SKC have seen over 2.5 goals in seven of ten.
The Champions League winners can lead the charge in the Saturday night spotlight and begin ruffling some feathers towards the top of the conference, but they will struggle to keep the backdoor closed.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
3-0 Sounders.