After defeating Alianza in the CONCACAF Champions League, the Philadelphia Union hasn’t been able to win in Major League Soccer. A third defeat in a row could make them fall to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
As for Sporting KC, the Wizards haven’t been magical. They aren’t last in the Western Conference thanks to having conceded fewer goals than the Colorado Rapids. As expected, the Union come in as the betting online favorites, but they also will be more pressured.
Philadelphia Union: Better than Eighth Place
Yes, the Philadelphia Union are failing to meet expectations, but they remain a title contender. Here’s why: despite sitting in eighth place, we’re talking about the third top-scoring team in the Eastern Conference. Only Atlanta United and the Columbus Crew have scored more.
Most recently, they lost 2-1 to Orlando City despite finishing with 26 shots in total, 14 more than the Lions. The problem was they started the match asleep as the visitors scored twice in the first nine minutes. Later, Andres Perea scored for the home side but clearly wasn’t enough.
The good news is that several players that couldn’t play against Orlando due to the international break will be back, including Daniel Gazdag, who scored 22 goals in the previous season and already scored two in the current campaign. Julian Carranza will also be back after missing their last match due to suspension.
That’s basically why the Union are offering a -175 price in the MLS odds to win straight up, because when the full team is available, they’re a tough nut to crack. As if that wasn’t enough, they’ve only lost one of their last 20 home matches.
Sporting KC: Not Inspired
Last season, Sporting KC finished 12th in the Western Conference. They’re 13th now thanks to an 0-2-3 record, two goals for and seven against. Summing up, the coaching staff is failing to inspire the roster, which includes extremely talented players such as Daniel Salloi, Graham Suzi and Andreu Fontas.
Most recently, they were crushed by the Seattle Sounders. William Agada scored the opener for the Wizards only five minutes into the game, but then Jordan Morris went beast mode and scored a poker. As if losing wasn’t enough, the Wizards finished the game with 10 players since Ben Sweat was sent off, meaning he won’t be available to face Philadelphia.
Curiously enough, they’ve been a bit better when playing on the road. They lost to the Portland Timber but only by one goal. Later, they snatched a point from the Colorado Rapids thanks to a goalless draw.
Individually, Erik Thommy is the main reason for you to consider including the visitors in your MLS picks, especially at +445, Since making his debut, he has been directly involved in 93 shots, fifth most in the league.
Rusnàk ➡️ Chú ➡️ Morris @JmoSmooth13‘s fourth goal of the night is the @EQCasino Play of the Match from #SKCvSEA! 💥 pic.twitter.com/fJfOvqcphI
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) March 29, 2023
Philadelphia Union vs Sporting KC Head-to-Head
- Previous Matches: 19
- Philadelphia Union Victories: 7 (26 goals)
- Sporting KC Victories: 6 (22 goals)
- Draws: 6
These two met for the last time in 2020 with the Philadelphia Union getting a 3-1 victory in the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back tournament. That match was on neutral ground, explaining why Sporting KC’s last visit to Philadelphia was in 2018. By the way, they also lost that one 2-0.
If there’s something you can expect from these two, it’s goals. Both scored in six of their last 10 meetings, with the total going over 2½ goals in four of those matches. Precisely, the total for Saturday’s clash is set at 2½ goals with the over offering a -130 price in the sportsbook.
Philadelphia Union vs Sporting KC Match Information
- Match: Union vs Sporting
- Date/Time: Saturday, April 1st, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Subaru Park, Chester
- Union vs Sporting Live Stream: fubo.tv
Philadelphia Union vs Sporting KC Betting Lines
Philadelphia Union vs Sporting KC Picks and Prediction
Don’t defy the soccer lines, the Philadelphia Union will get the three points. In fact, I think they’ll crush Sporting KC, enough for me to recommend you include the home side handicap in your online gambling ticket. Besides the fact that Gazdag is back, they’ve won seven of their last 10 home matches by at least two goals.
The Philadelphia Union are listed at -170 in our Vegas MLS lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Philadelphia,you have a chance to win $59. The Sporting KC are +425, offering a chance to win $425 on a $100 wager. The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Union a 62.96% chance to win, with KC at 19.05%.
