Sunday’s Major League Soccer schedule is highlighted by a fascinating Western Conference matchup between Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids.
Sounders for Western Conference Supremacy
Sunday’s Major League Soccer schedule is highlighted by a fascinating Western Conference matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids.
The match brings together two of the top three teams in the Western Conference and could have big ramifications when it comes to deciding who earns the top seed in the playoffs and who earns a spot in CONCACAF Champions League.
Of course, this is just the first of two games between these teams in October after they played to a 1-1 draw in July.
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Betting Odds & Betting Lines
According to BetUS, Seattle is favored at home with a 1×2 odds of +105. Meanwhile, Colorado’s win is set at +280 with +240 for a draw. If we take a look at the betting odds over at Bovada, they have Seattle at +110, Colorado at +270, and the draw at +230.
As for those interested in totals betting, there is also an over/under of 2.5 total goals being scored in the game.
Top of the Mountain
The Sounders currently hold the top spot in the Western Conference. Brian Schmetzer’s team has earned 51 points through 26 matches and also has the best goal differential in the Western Conference. However, the race is tight with Sporting Kansas City two points back and the Rapids three points back, so they could easily find themselves out of first place or in a tie if they lose on Sunday.
As mentioned, Colorado is currently occupying third place in the Western Conference standings with 48 points. The Rapids have won 13 of their 26 matches this season while losing just four times, which is the fewest number of losses in the Western Conference.
With a win on Sunday, they will pull even with Seattle in the standings, although Kansas City could stay ahead of Colorado with a win on Sunday as well.
Riding the Rapids
Not surprisingly, the Rapids enter Sunday’s important match in good form. Colorado is coming off an impressive 3-0 win over Austin on Wednesday and is unbeaten in 12 straight matches, although four of their last five matches have ended in a draw. A strong defense has been key all season for the Rapids, who have kept back-to-back clean sheets and have conceded the second-fewest goals in MLS.
However, the Rapids may not be able to bank on a clean sheet against Seattle, which means they’ll need to score at least a couple of goals to come away with all three points. Leading scorer Michael Barrios didn’t play on Wednesday but has scored twice in his last four matches. But the key to Colorado’s attack is diminutive midfielder Jack Price, who has four assists in his last four appearances, giving him 11 on the season.
The Sound of Concern
The Sounders enter Sunday’s game off back-to-back wins, although they’ve also been a little lately with matches in the Leagues Cup taking up some of their attention. Leading scorer Raul Ruidiaz is also questionable to play after coming off at halftime on Wednesday as a precaution after scoring his 15th and 16th goals of the season in the first half. Seattle will also be without wing-back Brad Smith, who has tested positive for COVID.
Of course, the Sounders should still be able to rely on their defense, which has conceded the fewest goals in MLS this year despite four matches in a row across all competitions without a clean sheet. But the Seattle attack will look a lot different if Ruidiaz isn’t able to play. Freddy Montero, the team’s second-leading scorer, has hit a goal-scoring slump while Smith is second on the team in assists and a key playmaker for the Seattle attack.
Duel or Dud
With the Sounders potentially missing two key players, they could have a hard time unlocking Colorado’s backline. The same can also be said of the Rapids creating chances against Seattle’s strong defense.
Look for this game to end in an unsatisfying 1-1 draw.
