Friday night brings us another single fixture in the MLS ahead of the weekend’s schedule, and it’s a clash between 7th placed Toronto in the Eastern Conference and visitors, 10th placed Sporting Kansas of the Western Conference, at BMO Field in Toronto.
Toronto gained a vital point in a 1-1 draw away at Vancouver Whitecaps last weekend which maintained their position in the play-off pack in 7th place, but only just - Toronto now have the likes of Orlando City, Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew all breathing down their necks, so the hosts will be keen to make home advantage count in this encounter.
However, Toronto have now endured six matches without a win in the MLS, a run that includes four defeats to Atlanta United, Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake and San Jose Earthquakes along with draws against DC United and Vancouver Whitecaps.
The straight win for the hosts therefore doesn’t appeal, but their results at BMO Field have seen 6 of their 8 matches to date result with both teams scoring. Midfielder Pozuelo and former Sunderland forward Altidore (5 goals apiece) look the most likely to notch for Toronto.
Onto Sporting Kansas and the visitors sit third from bottom in the Western Conference and four points adrift of the play-off pack and the top seven of the Conference ahead of their trip to Toronto on Friday night.
With just 1 win from their last 10 matches overall in the MLS, Sporting Kansas haven’t fared much better than their hosts, with their one success during this lean period being a 3-2 home win over Seattle Sounders at their Children's Mercy Park.
Switch to results away from home and you’ll find that Sporting Kansas have yet to register an away win so far this season, drawing 3 and losing 3 to date, so Sporting Kansas aren’t exactly well placed to take all three points here either on Friday night.
However, all is not lost as the goals markets look favourable for this clash with 5 of Sporting Kansas’s 6 away matches resulting in both teams scoring which includes the visitors failing to score just once out of their six away matches to date this term.
Forwards Russell and Nemeth (7 goals apiece) look the most likely for Sporting Kansas.
Both teams look set to score and concede in this clash.