Seattle Sounders and Sporting KC are Major League Soccer’s best teams in the early going of the regular season. Seattle Sounders lead the Western Conference with 32 points from 45 possible. Sporting KC are five points behind their rival with 27 from 42 available.
Sporting KC have a game in hand and along with a victory on Sunday, could move ahead of the Sounders in the standings. Seattle Sounders are one of the Western Conference’s in-form teams. They have taken 11 points from the last 18 available.
67' YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS! @RaulRuidiazM just did that!!! 😳😳😳SEA 1 | ATX 0 #ATXvSEA pic.twitter.com/9QWsMdJnj0— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) July 23, 2021
67' YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS! @RaulRuidiazM just did that!!! 😳😳😳SEA 1 | ATX 0 #ATXvSEA pic.twitter.com/9QWsMdJnj0
Sunday’s opponents, Sporting KC, have equalled that points total, however. Sporting KC are also on a great run of form with 11 points taken from the last 18 on offer. Their last four games each ended without defeat.
Seattle Sounders recently suffered their first and only loss of the MLS season. They fell 1-0 away to Minnesota United but rebounded versus Austin FC with a 1-0 victory.
The Sounders posted a +3-goal difference over the course of their last six games with eight goals for and five against.
Sporting KC, on the other hand, recorded a goal difference of +4 in the last six games. They scored 10 times and allowed six goals to opponents.
Seattle Sounders have MLS Western Conference’s best home points total with 18 from 24 available. Sporting KC have the same home points total.
Their away points total has not been as good, however. Sporting KC have recorded nine points from 18 on the road this term.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these teams didn’t play in 2020. Their last meetings came in 2019 with Sporting KC claiming home and away wins against the Sounders.
The biggest issue for Seattle Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer is injuries and international duty. Up to 10 players could miss the game on Sunday as Shane O’Neill, Will Bruin, Jordy Delem, and Jordan Morris are all ruled out with injuries. Xavier Arreaga is ruled out due to a red card suspension.
Meanwhile, a host of players are doubts for the game due to their injury problems. Nicolas Lodeiro, Stefan Frei, and Nouhou Tolo are all three doubts to suit up.
Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes is without two players. Midfielder Gianluca Busio and forward Alan Pulido are ruled out until August as both are on international duty.
Seattle Sounders and Sporting KC are MLS’s two best teams. With absences of key players, Sunday’s match could finish in a score draw with neither side getting the upper hand.