Austin FC vs. Seattle Sounders – MLS, July 22, 2021

Well, Seattle isn’t invincible, after all!

Having started the 2021 MLS season with a remarkable 13-match unbeaten streak, the Sounders finally tasted defeat on Sunday – suffering a 1-0 loss to Minnesota United at Allianz Field.

Next up, the two-time MLS Cup champions visit the league’s newest club, as Austin FC welcomes Brian Schmetzer’s side to Texas this Thursday.

Sitting on a record of 3-4-6 in their debut campaign, Josh Wolff’s men find themselves tenth in the Western Conference – 16 points shy of first-place Seattle.

Austin can take confidence from their first competitive meeting with the Sounders, though, as the newcomers held the old-timers to a goalless draw back in May.

Can the Texans produce another shock this time around? Or will the Sounders flex their muscles? Below, I assess the odds before sharing my prediction and pick for Austin FC vs. Seattle Sounders.

It’s fair to say that Austin has enjoyed mixed fortunes throughout their maiden MLS campaign. Impressive wins over Colorado (3-1), Minnesota (1-0), and Portland (4-1) have kept the club afloat, yet only two sides in the West have lost more games this year.

After losing four of their opening six games, Wolff’s men notched four draws in five matches before hammering the Timbers. Still, they were totally outclassed by LAFC in their previous outing.

Defensively, Los Verdes have been excellent. They have only conceded 14 goals in 13 games, giving them the third-best defensive record in the division. At the opposite end of the field, however, they have netted just ten goals of their own.

Diego Fagundez and Cecilio Dominguez have both scored three goals this year, combining for 60% of their team’s goals. If Austin wants to start finding the back of the net more often, forwards like Rodney Redes and Kekuta Manneh will need to step up.

Regardless of their attacking woes, the Texans still managed to pick up a precious road point in Seattle.

As for the Sounders, they were probably beginning to think they could go the entire regular season without losing a game. However, their hopes of an unbeaten campaign were crushed by Minnesota on Sunday.

Despite creating plenty of goalscoring opportunities, Schmetzer’s men failed to find a way through at Allianz Field. They battle until the end, yet Robin Lod’s 81st-minute strike ultimately ended their hot streak.

The Sounders will surely be fired up for Thursday’s clash, too. Not only will they be eager to return to winning ways, but they will also be desperate to assert their authority over Austin after being held to a draw by the MLS newcomer last time around.

Believe it or not, the online sportsbooks view Austin (2.30) as the favorite to win this one, leaving Seattle (2.95) as the underdog. The price for the draw (3.40) is also very attractive.

Yes, Austin is on home soil. But there is absolutely no denying that Seattle is the stronger team here. Plus, the Sounders have already claimed 11 road points this year, conceding just five goals in the process.

We all know that Schmetzer’s men suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend, but are they really going to slip up against low-scoring Austin? I don’t think so.

Considering the giant price for the away win here, backing Seattle is a no-brainer. I expect the Sounders to get back on track with a comfortable victory in Texas.