Pick the Draw at Lumen Field

Seattle Sounders v LAFC
Saturday March 18, 15:00 EST
Lumen Field

Seattle faces the MLS Cup holders on Saturday but has a good chance of matching the visitors and the draw looks the best pick at Lumen Field.

Who do Bettors Favor?

Checking out the odds at the top-rated sportsbooks it’s clear that bettors favor the Sounders, although only by a small margin. Seattle is priced at around +124 with the draw available around +260. If you think LAFC can pick up another win, you can back the visitors at odds of +216.

Seattle v LAFC
Seattle	+124	+123	+125
Draw	+267	+250	+260
LAFC	+215	+216	+200

Seattle Starting Strong

Seattle has won two of its opening three games and has started in strong form as it aims to reassert itself at the top of the MLS Western Conference.

The opinion of preseason analysts was that Seattle was still a strong team and would profit from not being forced to play any CONCACAF games early in the season. The opening two games, where the Sounders defeated Colorado and Real Salt Lake 4-0 and 2-0, seemed to confirm this, but the loss in Cincinnati was a setback, especially since the home team was reduced to ten men at the end.

Still, a record of one goal conceded in three matches is a fairly clear indication of this team's solidity and defensive dependability, and at home, it will present LAFC with a formidable challenge.

LAFC Face Testing Schedule

The challenge for teams that reach the MLS Cup final is to repeat the process the following season with the added difficulty of a CONCACAF Champions League campaign.

The spring schedule will put Steve Cherundolo's team to the test although the early signs are that the players are handling it well. LAFC fired in seven goals in its opening two wins, over Portland and New England, and in between those fixtures, scored three without reply in Costa Rica to take a big lead over Alajuelense in the Champions League Round of 16, and although it lost the second leg on Wednesday night, had already done enough to qualify for the quarter-finals.

The problem for Steve Cherundolo’s team is that there is very little time to prepare for the game in Seattle and the head coach will have to use all his ingenuity to find a way to keep his players fit and fresh for this game, against one of the West’s top teams.

MLS Betting Head-to-Head

Since LAFC joined MLS in 2018 as an expansion team, the head-to-head record between these teams is relatively short, despite the fact that both have been regular playoff rivals.

The Los Angeles team won both contests in the 2018 season and when the two teams met in 2019, but Seattle has since fought back. There have been a total of 14 games played between the two teams, with LAFC winning six, Seattle winning five, and three games ending in a draw.

Seattle won both of their playoff meetings in 2019 and 2020, but LAFC had the upper hand last season. The score in Seattle was 1-1, whereas LAFC won 2-1 at home en route to winning the MLS Cup.

MLS Team News

Seattle’s team news ahead of this game is relatively positive. There are only two players on the absentee list: Heber, who sustained a muscle injury earlier this month, and central midfielder Obed Vargas, who has been out since last summer with a back injury and whose return date is still unknown.

Maxime Crepeau fractured his tibia in the November Cup Final for LAFC, and it is unknown when he will return, although the rest of the squad is in remarkable condition given its recent exertions. Wednesday’s exertions in the Champions League may have taken their toll, however. Cherundolo played a strong team against Alajuelense, and it needed a goal from Carlos Vela on 83 minutes to settle the tie, so he may have little room for maneuver when it comes to squad rotation here.

MLS Match Betting Pick

LAFC appears to be in excellent form, having won all three games in both leagues so far this season. Nevertheless, as we have seen in previous seasons, Champions League exertions at the start of an MLS season can take a toll, and a trip to Lumen Field will expose any weaknesses.

Seattle has gotten off to a good start, and while there are still questions about the team's creativity, there is no question about its resilience and organization. I'm not confident enough in the home team's offensive prowess to wager on a win, but LAFC had a tough game on Wednesday in its second leg against the Costa Ricans, and fatigue may be a factor here, so I’m going for the draw in the match betting market.

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