Sporting Kansas City vs Austin FC Predictions

• Sporting Kansas City have won won 12 of their 16 points from losing positions this season.
• Austin FC have scored only one second half goal this season in seven games.
• In four of the last five games, Sporting Kansas City have outscored their opponents in the second halves.

Sporting can kick on when Austin’s powers wane 

Sporting Kansas City host Austin FC on Saturday in a repeat of their early May fixture which the home side won 2-1.

The fortunes of the two teams have diverged since then with Sporting having taken nine points from their next four games and El Tree mustering only one.

One of the reasons for Sporting’s hot streak has been leading scorer Alan Pulido, who has scored four goals in the last three games – all wins.

But the Mexican will miss the second visit of MLS new-boys Austin FC to Children’s Mercy Park because of international commitments.

Sporting aren’t completely reliant on Pulido to get their goals, but his absence will upset the balance of a team that has scored a league-high 15 in their first eight games.

It’s also worth noting that Peter Vermes’ side have shown a worrying trait that dogged Manchester United for long spells last season – they don’t seem to start playing until they’ve gone a goal down.

Sporting have won 12 of their 16 points from losing positions this season and been down at half-time in two of the five games they went on to win.

They tend to come on strong in the second halves, winning that period in five of their eight matches to date, and could do again when Austin FC show up on Saturday.

Los Verdes have found it tough being a road team for the first seven games of their inaugural MLS season and have often faded late in games.

They have lost the second half in three of those contests and not scored a goal after half-time in six of them.

So we advise Sporting to win either half as the way to go and also like the look of another 2-1 home win in the correct score betting.

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