The MLS weekend opens up on Friday night this time around and it does so with a cracker of a contest between two of the biggest and best in the Western Conference as Los Angeles FC play host to Seattle Sounders.
Los Angeles are blazing a trail at the top of the Western Conference but the Sounders already have the Champions League in their pocket this season and will be out to show what they can do at the home of the current best team in MLS.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live and in full on the Sky Football channel. The brief build-up begins at 4.10am with kick off coming a few minutes after.
Los Angeles FC
After a quiet season last term, Los Angeles FC look to be back to the team that dominated the regular season under Bob Bradley a few years ago. They were a squad who were going very well prior to the opening of the transfer window but there is no doubt that the arrivals of Giorgio Chiellini and Gareth Bale have supplied an extra spark and they are going to be a tough team to stop over the second part of the campaign.
Los Angeles go into this match in fine form having won seven of their last nine matches which includes four straight wins at home. They weren’t struggling for squad depth before the two marquee arrivals and they certainly don’t lack it now. That is always important in MLS and you sense with this match getting a primetime slot their big players such as Bale and Carlos Vela will be out to put on a bit of a show.
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Seattle Sounders
I have been a little disappointed with the Seattle Sounders this season. I was always prepared to give them a dodgy opening couple of months while all of their attention seemingly went into winning the Champions League, but I expected a lot more than what they have delivered in MLS since then. They are doing enough to maintain hopes of competing in the play-offs at the end of the campaign but I really expected them to kick on in style, which hasn’t really happened.
Seattle did end a run of three successive defeats last time out when they overcame the Colorado Rapids but the Rapids are a team who don’t necessarily travel well so it will need more than that to convince me we are about to see a burst of form from them. There is no shortage of talent in Seattle even allowing for the injury to Raul Ruidiaz but consistency is seriously lacking. The big and best teams perform on the biggest and best stages though so they’ll hope to do that here.
Betting
I think it is hard to go against Los Angeles FC in this match. I say that not only because they are flying but also because Seattle Sounders are missing a key attacking talent in Raul Ruidiaz and when you consider that in 10 away matches this season, the Sounders have only scored nine goals, they probably need all the attacking mite they can muster. Seattle have three wins on their travels this season but the last two were at Houston and Toronto which aren’t huge form guides.
The big thing for Los Angeles FC in this match is they are scoring loads of goals. They are averaging two goals a game over their last eight appearances and to the naked eye look to be getting better in attacking areas. Seattle are just struggling defensively at the minute and with LAFC likely to be able to control possession in the centre of the pitch and have players who can create out of nothing over the course of the 90 minutes I expect the home side to be too strong here.
Tips
Back Los Angeles FC (-1AH) to beat Seattle Sounders for a 3/10 stake at 1.95 with Bet365
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