- Sporting Kansas City vs San Jose Earthquakes, MLS Wild Card
- October 25, 2023
- 9:30 PM EST
- Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
- MLS Season Pass
In the second and final game of the MLS Wild Card Round, Sporting Kansas City take on the San Jose Earthquakes. The winner of the match will enter the Western Conference bracket as the 8th seed and will play a best-of-3 series vs Saint Louis FC. Wednesday’s late night affair will mark a fixture between two clubs with very different methods of making it to this stage.
Sporting Kansas City are now one of the hottest teams in the league, winning 6 of their last 9 regular season games. Meanwhile, San Jose have fallen flat, with four straight matches ending with a goal apiece. The Earthquakes will have to do more than that if they hope to continue their season. Read on to access betting odds, an expert prediction, and stats on the latest San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting KC matches.
MLS Wild Card Betting Odds
Sporting Kansas City are odds-on favorites in the Wild Card round of the MLS playoffs vs San Jose. The club is currently listed at (-130), for an implied winning probability of 56.5%. San Jose will hope to prove sportsbooks wrong on Wednesday night as they come into the Western Conference clash as (+351) underdogs. A draw would pay out at (+313), currently available at the highly-rated online sportsbook BetOnline.
To better understand the 3-way moneyline (1X2) market, see our soccer online betting tips.
Please note, this game marks the MLS Eastern Conference Wild Card round. In case both teams are tied after the standard 90 minutes plus stoppage time, the match will proceed directly to a penalty shootout without any extra time. It's essential for bettors to know that bets placed on the moneyline are applicable only for the regulation time. If you support a team and they advance on penalty kicks, your bet will not be considered a winning outcome.
Statistics on Sporting KC Matches in 2023
After going winless in their first 10 fixtures, Sporting Kansas City was able to earn their way back into playoff contention in the summer. The squad finally broke through with 3 wins in their last 4 matches to gain an opportunity in the MLS Wild Card round.
Unsurprisingly, the feat marks the first time in Major League Soccer history a club has come back to make the playoffs after not winning in its first 10 games. Truthfully, the club did have an advantage of an expanded playoffs format compared to years’ past. Finishing strong is not a novel characteristic for the Wizards, who currently enjoy a 15-match unbeaten streak at home in October, backed by their fervent supporters in the colder months.
San Jose Earthquakes Season Breakdown
The San Jose Earthquakes fell to more of a small tremble, as the club stumbled their way into the playoffs with four successive draws. A victory will certainly turn spirits around, not only for the current players but for long-time supporters as well. The Goonies have not won a playoff game since 2012, an 11–year drought full of disappointing seasons.
Thankfully, Luchi Gonzalez has proved to be an effective boss in his first season in command. The Quakes will look to his guidance to put an end to their 9-match winless streak at Children’s Mercy Park. In fact, the club last won a game in Kansas City in 2015.
Key Players for Sporting KC and San Jose
Cristian Espinoza will be the X-factor in this MLS Wild Card matchup. The San Jose stud has scored 13 goals domestically, good for ⅔ of the club’s offensive output this season. Without production from him, it is hard to see San Jose winning this match in regular time, especially considering the firepower Sporting has showcased recently. Kansas City has scored at least 3 goals in 10 of their last 22 home games.
I would be remiss if I did not also mention the goal-scoring abilities of Alan Pulido for Sporting Kansas City. Pulido has 14 goals to his name this season. However, his finishing touch will have to make it past the San Jose's goalkeeper Daniel. The Brazilian has 32 saves in the past 8 games and has been a critical part of San Jose’s success.
MLS Wild Card Prediction and Free Betting Pick
Recent form indicates Sporting Kansas City is trending in a much better direction than San Jose. And I can’t help but agree. Sporting’s supporter section, dubbed “The Cauldron,” is considered the loudest in the league. It shouldn't disappoint in a winner-take-all showdown Wednesday night.
San Jose looks like a club ready to take a consolation prize and go home. They have been lethargic in recent games and are, quite frankly, very fortunate to have earned a playoff spot. I think the Sporting Kansas City moneyline at (-130) has good value. To learn more about Major League Soccer and how you can bet on it, head over to our MLS betting guide.
However, don’t get greedy with this play. I advocate a smaller allocation of your funds in this playoff battle, as Major League Soccer has proven to be a volatile division with plenty of surprises. Additionally, Sporting Kansas City will have more incentive to take this game the full 90 minutes in the event of a tie than in a regular season home game, where league points come at a premium.
Odds are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change.
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