As was the case last season, Sporting Kansas City is currently one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference in MLS 2021. After eleven match days, the Wizards are second in the table with 20 points, just four points behind the league leaders and last year’s runners-up from Seattle.
This weekend, Kansas City will play their twelfth MLS match of the season. The Wizards will host the visitors from Los Angeles at Children’s Mercy Park. In contrast to SKC, LAFC got off to a bad start and are languishing in the bottom half of the table after nine match days.
As the odds comparison of our site shows, the guests from Los Angeles are not clear outsiders against the second-placed team in the Western Conference. The assessment is surprising because LAFC has hardly been convincing away from home in the recent past. In the last eight away games, the black and gold team has not won a single match.
Prediction & Live Odds for Kansas City vs. Los Angeles FC
Compared to the visitors from Los Angeles, Sporting Kansas City have made a better start to the season so far and are deservedly in second place in the Western Conference. The Wizards have won 14 of their 20 points at home so far this season, and SKC have not lost a single game in their six home matches.
Sporting Kansas City will therefore approach the home match against the visitors from Los Angeles with a broad chest. The last time the two teams met at Children’s Mercy Park, LAFC scored five goals against Kansas City. The hosts may well return the favour this season.
The guests have not been in the best of shape lately. Especially away from home, LAFC remained largely harmless. Since 2019, there have only been two wins on foreign soil. An away win at home to Sporting Kansas City would therefore be all the more surprising.
That’s why we decided to have a bet on Kansas City vs Los Angeles FC with good odds of over 2.5 goals in the match. ✅
Kansas City – Statistics & Current Form
Last season, Sporting Kansas City finished top of their group in the MLS 2020 Western Conference and qualified for the play-offs. In the first round, the Wizards beat the San Jose Earthquakes on penalties before a surprising defeat to Minnesota United sent SKC packing.
This year, the two-time MLS champions from Kansas are on the road to redemption and have had a great start to the season so far. With a record of 6-2-3, Sporting Kansas City are in second place in the Western Conference after eleven days of play. Only the Seattle Sounders have scored more points than SKC so far.
As was the case last season, home advantage has been a decisive factor for the hosts from Kansas. They have not lost in their first six home games this season, and head coach Vermes’ team has four wins and two draws at Children’s Mercy Park.
Kansas with the strongest offence in the Western Conference
Sporting Kansas City have already scored 20 goals in their first eleven matches this season – an average of almost two goals per league match. The second-placed team in the Western Conference is the strongest attacking unit in MLS 2021, and with Daniel Salloi, the Wizards currently have the third-best goalscorer in MLS in their ranks.
Surprisingly, the Magyar top scorer was not called up to the Hungarian national squad for the 2021 European Championship. However, the 24-year-old made a splash at club level, netting two more goals during the week for SKC as they secured their fourth home win of the season.
On Saturday night, the Magyar will once again be set on the wings. Major changes are not expected anyway after the strong performance against the Colorado Rapids. Only 19-year-old youngster Brooks Thompson will have to rest on Saturday night due to injury.
Predicted Kansas City line-up:
Melia – Lindsey, Dia, Fontas, Martins – Duke, Busio, Hernandez – Pulido, Shelton, Salloi
Los Angeles FC – Statistics & Current Form
As in the previous season, Los Angeles FC have so far lagged behind the great expectations in Major League Soccer. In nine games, head coach Bob Bradley’s team has only managed to record twelve points. During the week, LAFC beat bottom side Dallas 2-0 at home for their third win of the season.
Prior to that, LAFC’s only wins came at home against the Colorado Rapids and Austin FC. Against Sporting Kansas City, the top club from Los Angeles now has to play away from home and, as expected, is the slight underdog at the best betting sites. Los Angeles FC have not won an away game since October 2020.
Season and competition-wide, the Black and Gold have won just two away from home since 2019. In that period, they have suffered a total of eleven away defeats, while two matches have ended in a draw. It would therefore be all the more surprising if a prediction on Kansas City vs Los Angeles FC pays off for the visitors.
Can LAFC overcome their away weakness?
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Although the visitors from Los Angeles have a promising attack, the goal output after nine match days has been rather manageable so far. In total, LAFC has scored only eleven goals in nine games. Diego Rossi, the most valuable player in the ranks of the black and gold team, played a major role in this.
The 23-year-old Uruguayan winger is now being linked with Spurs in London. It is quite possible that the LAFC star player will take the next step this summer and move to Europe. On Saturday evening, Rossi will be just as much a fixture in the attack as the veteran Vela. Up front, however, it is not yet clear who will be in the starting eleven.
Expected line-up of Los Angeles FC:
Sisniega – Kim, Murillo, Segura, Blackmon – Blessing, Atuesta, Cifuentes – Vela, Baird, Rossi