Philadelphia Union vs Sporting KC Odds & Preview: MLS is Back Quarterfinals July 30
- Sporting KC are the +114 favorites to defeat the Philadelphia Union (+205) in their MLS Is Back quarter-final match on Thursday
- The two sides are 6-6-5 against each other all-time. Is Philly worth an upset play?
- Examination of the odds and predictions on the outcome follow in the story below
Sporting KC and the Philadelphia Union are well familiar with the term razor-thin margin.
By the skin of their teeth and doing just enough to win are other analogies that come to mind.
In the Round of 16 at the MLS Is Back tournament, both sides survived more than they thrived. Philly edged the New England Revolution 1-0 in a match that saw both sides take turns dominating the flow of play.
Sporting KC threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Vancouver Whitecaps but couldn’t solve Vancouver goalkeeper Thomas Hasal. Eventually, Sporting KC advanced to the quarter-finals via a penalty shootout, also posting a 1-0 verdict on the scoreboard.
Oddsmakers have pegged Sporting KC, 4-1 and atop the MLS Western Conference standings, as the +114 chalk to win their quarter-final over the Union. Philadelphia are the +205 underdogs.
Philadelphia vs SKC July 30 Odds
| Team | Moneyline Odds at DraftKings |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia Union | +205 |
| Sporting KC | +114 |
| Draw | +270 |
Odds taken July 29. For more betting options visit DraftKings.
The Union are 2-1-2 through five matches this season, good for fourth overall in the Eastern Conference.
Sporting Chances
Sporting KC were all over Vancouver all night long in their Round of 16 match. They finished with a 36-8 edge in shots, albeit just a narrow 8-5 advantage in shots on goal, though.
But on the majority of those eight chances, they forced fine saves from the 21-year-old Canadian Hasal in the Whitecaps goal. Vancouver’s third-string goalkeeper, Hasal was making his second career start.
This kid is special.#VWFC #SKCvVAN pic.twitter.com/Olo8w6GbOt
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) July 27, 2020
The 36 shots were a club record and the fourth-most ever taken in an MLS match. Still, it ended in a penalty shootout. KC goalkeeper Melia, 5-0 in penalty shootouts, stopped Vancouver’s Derek Cornelius and Yordy Reyna. Another Whitecaps penalty hit the post and a fourth missed the net.
When substitute Gianluca Busio, Sporting KC’s fourth shooter, slotted his shot home, they were off to the quarter-finals.
Philadelphia Story
For half a game in the Round of 16 against the Revolution, the Union wrote a story that paralleled Sporting KC’s excellent yet frustrating performance. Philly absolutely dominated the first half against New England. The Union controlled possession and created many chances but failed to finish them off in a scoreless half.
⬆️ ✖ (💨 ➕ 💥) = 🕺🏾#DOOP pic.twitter.com/CeuTEMGU67
— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) July 27, 2020
The pendulum swung the other way in the second half. It was the Revolution who rose up and dominated the first 20 minutes, tilting the pitch in the opposite direction. Against the pace of play, Philadelphia counter attacked. Jamiro Monteiro hit a perfect touch pass to a streaking Sergio Santos. The Philly player slammed home the game’s only goal in the 63rd minute.
Union goalkeeper Andre Blake made five saves in posting his first shutout of the season. He leads the MLS with 27 saves.
Even Steven
This series couldn’t get much closer, or more balanced. Philadelphia and Sporting KC have clashed on the pitch 17 times. Each side shows six wins, with five draws.
In those 17 matches, Philadelphia has scored 22 goals, two more goals than Sporting KC. Interestingly, neither team has ever won two games in a row in this series. If that trend continues it’s advantage Philly. Last season’s match was won 2-0 by Sporting KC.
Sporting KC vs Philadelphia Union Head-to-Head Stats
| 4-1-0 | Record | 2-1-2 |
| 13 | Goals For | 7 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 7 |
| +8 | Goal Differential | 0 |
| 6-6-5 | Head To Head | 6-6-5 |
Another factor to keep in mind – you have to go all the way back to 2015 to find a Philadelphia-Sporting KC match where more than two goals were scored. There’s been exactly two goals netted in each of the past four meetings.
Kind of makes that under 2.5 goals total wager at +128 somewhat appealing, don’t you think?
The Outcome
Alan Pulido is second in the MLS in assists (four) and fifth in goals (three). Last game was his first with Sporting KC in which he didn’t register a point.
3 goals, 4 assists in 5 MLS games for @alanpulido. 👀
@MattDoyle76 takes a look at the biggest signing in @SportingKC history. pic.twitter.com/h32rQCXxUc— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 23, 2020
With 13 goals in five matches, Sporting KC won’t go two straight games without finding the back of the net for an entire 90 minutes.
When these two sides met in the 2015 US Open Cup final, Sporting KC beat Philly on penalties.
Pick: Sporting KC (+114)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
