Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United Betting Preview – MLS, September 13, 2020

Second-place Minnesota and third-place Sporting KC are locked on 17 points at the top end of the Western Conference standings. The two sides clash at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday, September 13, aiming to chase down league-leader Seattle Sounders.

Both teams have claimed 2-1 wins in the fixture recently. The Loons edged the Wizards at the MLS is Back Tournament before Sporting KC got their revenge last month. Who will come out on top this time around?

Keep reading to see my Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United prediction and betting pick.

Given that these two teams are sitting on almost identical records, I’m struggling to figure out why the price for the away win is so high here. SKC has failed to win any of their previous four games, while Minnesota comes into this clash on the back of consecutive victories.

I attempt to make sense of the odds by assessing both sides’ chances below.

Sporting KC returned to regular-season action with a win over Minnesota last month, but it’s fair to say that Peter Vermes’ side has struggled since then. A couple of defeats to Houston Dynamo, along with draws against Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas, have seen the club falter.

If it wasn’t for their strong start to the season, the Wizards would almost certainly find themselves much further down the table. However, they are still in contention to finish at the top of the Western Conference.

It looked as though SKC was going to end their three-game winless run last weekend. Erik Hurtado put the Wizards ahead against Houston, but a second-half capitulation saw them throw away their advantage. Scoring goals hasn’t been a problem for Vermes’ men, but they must learn to see out games and hold onto leads.

On the flip side, Minnesota appears to be hitting form at just the right time. The Loons struggled following their semi-final exit in Florida last month, losing their first three games after the regular season resumed. But two emphatic victories have put the club firmly back on track.

Robin Lod bagged a brace in a 4-0 thrashing of Real Salt Lake last weekend before Kevin Molino netted a double in a 3-2 win over Dallas on Thursday. Minnesota’s forward line is on at the moment, and Adrian Heath’s men are now the joint second-highest scorers in the division.

Purely for the potential profit, I’m backing Minnesota to win this game. The Loons have outscored their previous two opponents with ease, while Sporting KC can’t seem to find a victory. The bookies may think that the Wizards have the upper hand in this matchup, but when you look at the standings, there is very little to separate these two teams right now.