Whitecaps travel to league leaders
Western Conference table toppers Seattle Sounders play host to play-off chasers in Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday in MLS. Sounders are strong favourites for the match unsurprisingly but both are overperforming their expected goals (xG) process this term. The hosts have won their last three on the bounce and the Whitecaps have picked up eight points from their last four games. It should be an interesting matchup between two sides full of confidence, there is more at stake for the visitors who are just one point outside of the play-offs and will desperate to break in there before time starts to run out.
Process
The Sounders have scored 44 goals from chances equating to 36.6 xG, a significant overperformance with their process ranking them in seventh place. At the back is where the hosts’ strengths lie, conceding just 1.05 xGA per game on average and ranking top of the tree, conceded just 22 from 27 games.
Vancouver are not so strong and actually rank second bottom in the xG standings. 13th for xGF with 34 goals from 33.6 and eighth for xGA conceding 34 from 41.3, they will need to tighten up at the back if they are going to put together a run towards the MLS Cup. Sounders are a decent price at just under even money and therefore taking them outright is the preferred selection.
Goals?
Vancouver come into this one off the back of three successive clean sheets so they are improving defensively, but the league leaders command some respect.
- Sounders have scored in eight of ten.
- Sounders have conceded in six of ten.
- Sounders have seen both teams score in four of ten.
- Sounders have seen over 2.5 goals in five of ten.
- Whitecaps have scored in eight of ten.
- Whitecaps have conceded in seven of ten.
- Whitecaps have seen both teams score in six of ten.
- Whitecaps have seen over 2.5 goals in six of ten.
The Sounders’ performances do not back up their position at the top of the Western Conference but with three successive victories they will be brimming with confidence on home soil and the pressure is on the visitors fighting for a play-off spot.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
4-1 Sounders, a profitable break.