Sporting KC vs Houston Dynamo Predictions, MLS Picks, Betting Tips 8/25/2020

by Guy Bruhn - 8/24/2020

Game: Sporting KC vs Houston Dynamo

Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Location: Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, KS

TV: ESPN+

Odds/Point Spread: Kansas City (-167) Houston (+425)

Children's Mercy Park is the site where Tomas Martinez and the Houston Dynamo (0-4-2, 13th in the Western Conference) will take on Sporting KC (5-0-1, 1st in the Western Conference) on Tuesday. The starting goalies are Tim Melia for Sporting KC and Marko Maric for the Houston Dynamo. The Dynamo are priced at +425 while Sporting Kansas City is at -167. The total has been set at 3.

Sporting KC as a team have scored 14 goals for the season, which is currently 2nd in the league. They have attempted 80 shots at the goal with 30 on target, which is a 37.5% shots on target percentage. Kansas City has been able to control possession for 52.5% of matches while dribbling successfully 60.3% of the time (13th in Major League Soccer). They have caught 2,507 passes on 2,820 tries this year, which gives them a receiving percentage of 88.9%.

Johnny Russell is a player you are going to want to keep your eye on for Sporting KC. Russell has been given a starting assignment in 282 matchups so far in his pro soccer career and tallies 0.31 goals per 90 minutes. The forward who hails from Scotland has 85 goals (14th among active players) in 24,995 professional minutes. He has accounted for 47 assists while earning 24 yellow card warnings so far in his MLS career. Another player who could decide the outcome is Roger Espinoza, the midfielder who was born in Honduras. He has helped a teammate on a goal 28 times during his career and he has scored 11 goals. Espinoza has been on the pitch for 21,558 minutes during 243 career starts and has been handed 57 yellow cards. He scores 0.05 goals per 90 mins so far in his career (259th among active MLS players).

The man who will defend the goal for Kansas City is Tim Melia. Melia (71-45-60 mark in his career) has earned 54 clean sheets, which gives him a 30.9% shutout percentage. The goalie from the United States has seen 757 shots attempted at him in 175 career starts. His goals against per 90 minutes is 1.26 (220 goals given up) and he holds a save percentage of .723. Melia has been on the pitch for 15,713 mins and has tallied 547 saves in his MLS career.

Houston has totaled 2,459 targets on the campaign (19th in MLS) to go along with 2,098 successful received passes. They have a receiving percentage of 85.3% while controlling possession of the ball 45.3% of the time. The Dynamo have dribbled successfully 56.8% of the time on the year while totaling 6 goals. They have connected on 24.4% of their shots out of 86 shots.

Tomas Martinez should be able to be counted on for Houston. The midfielder who was born in Argentina has been on the field for 7,220 minutes while he has scored 15 goals (148th among active MLS players). He has earned 14 yellow cards during his MLS career and has assisted a teammate on a goal 13 times. He has an average of 0.19 goals per 90 and has started 93 matches in his career. Be sure to keep an eye out for Boniek Garcia, the midfielder who hails from Honduras. Garcia has been handed a total of 33 yellow card cautions in 15,562 professional minutes played (172 starting assignments). His G/90 average so far in his career is 0.08 (210th among active players). He has earned 13 goals so far in his MLS career while assisting on a goal 31 times.

Marko Maric will reside in front of the net for the Dynamo. Maric has earned 20 clean sheets while seeing 306 shots attempted against him in 8,460 mins in his career. He has earned a save % of .686 and his clean sheet rate sits at 21.3%. He has conceded 1.47 goals per 90 minutes while he holds a record of 25-33-36. In his MLS career, Maric has allowed 138 goals while he has totaled 210 saves in 94 starting assignments.

Who will win tonight's MLS game against the spread?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Kansas City (-167)

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Sporting KC vs Houston Dynamo Predictions, MLS Picks, Betting Tips 8/25/2020

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