Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 13/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Sporting Kansas City and FC Dallas are set to face each other for the second time this week at the same venue, the Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas. Having met on Monday in the MLS in a clash with Sporting KC won by 3-2, this game will be a part of the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup.
On Monday, the home side were two goals to the good withing a quarter of the game, courtesy of a brace from William Agada. However, their lead was halved with 15 minutes of the first half still left on the clock as Tim Melia put the ball in his own net, and when Petar Musa scored for Dallas in the 65th minute, the visitors probably believed they would walk away with a point. However, Sporting’s Memo Rodriguez had other ideas and swung the contest Sporting’s way in the 82nd, before his teammate Zorhan Bassong received a red card in the dying seconds.
Sporting Kansas City
Despite the thrilling victory over Dallas at the start of the week, the 200th in the managerial career of Peter Vermes, Sporting KC have been far from any positive consistency in their results lately. It was their only third triumph in the last 10 matches, and they lost all of the remaining seven; two of those at home.
With that in mind, it’s comes as no surprise that they’re currently second from the wrong end of the table in the Western Conference of the MLS. Having played a game more than all of the teams within their reach, they’ll have to raise the level of their performances greatly if they want to cling on to the feeble hope of making the final series play-offs. For that, they need to bridge a 10-point gap to ninth-placed Austin, with Dallas, together with Minnesota United and St. Louis City, sitting in between.
Team News
Sporting Kansas City will be missing Robert Castellanos due to an ankle injury, Remi Walter with a knee problem, and Logan Ndenbe, who is recovering from a torn ACL.
Midfielder Felipe Hernandez is indefinitely sidelined due to an investigation into illegal wagering.
Key players include Johnny Russell, who recently scored against the Rapids, and Daniel Salloi, who is one goal or assist away from reaching 100 goal contributions for the club.
FC Dallas
Dallas are obviously in a slightly better position in terms of their chances of reaching the Final Series play-offs, though not by much.
They have three points more than Sporting KC and sit two spots higher in the Conference table, but it’s still a significant leap they need to make to get where they want to be.
Peter Luccin’s team also won just three of their last 10 matches, but they at least managed to avoid defeat in two more, losing the other five.
Team News
FC Dallas will be missing Liam Fraser, Tsiki Ntsabeleng, Carl Sainte, and Patrickson Delgado due to injuries. Jesus Ferreira missed the previous clash and remains doubtful with a hamstring strain, and Paxton Pomykal is out for the season.
Alan Velasco and Geovane Jesus are both recovering from ACL injuries.
Conclusion
This will surely be another interesting contest between two rather inconsistent sides, and Dallas might just get away with a draw this time.
Verdict: Draw
Best odds: 13/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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