Nashville SC has been by far the strongest team in the MLS Eastern Conference this season and they are fully expected to demonstrate that when they take on Sporting KC in Tennessee on Wednesday.
The visitors have endured contrasting fortunes as they sit at the bottom of the Western Conference having conceded 65 goals in their 27 games.
It looks a daunting prospect for them to try to halt the Nashville freight train, especially as the home team have won their last nine match-ups at Geodis Park.
Nashville SC vs. Sporting KC betting picks and predictions
Nashville to win to nil (+137)
Nashville is showing no signs of slowing down despite a 16-point lead at the top of the MLS Eastern Conference and that looks to be bad news for strugglers Sporting KC this week.
B.J. Callaghan’s team has won 10 of their last 11 home matches, including each one of their last nine, and the fact Nashville has not conceded in its last three matches shows they are not easing up and are desperate to head into the playoffs with as much momentum as possible.
Its defense should be able to hold firm against Sporting, who have lost 11 of their 14 games on the road this season.
It is little surprise to see the home side at -450 to take three points, but with three recent shutouts behind them, the logical move is to support them to come out on top without conceding again.
Hany Mukhtar to score 2+ goals (+400)
Nashville possesses a host of players capable of finding the net in this game and it would be foolish to ignore the claims of German forward Hany Mukhtar scoring on more than one occasion.
Mukhtar has been in superb form lately and while he sits two goals behind Sam Surridge in the race to be his team’s top goalscorer this season - he has 14 to his name so far - he could make a healthy dent into that gap on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old has made his mark in each of his last five home games and that achievement includes two in the 4-1 humbling of Inter Miami in August and both goals in the 2-0 win over Toronto the last time they were in action on their own patch.
He also had four shots on target in Saturday’s game at Austin when he helped Nashville to a 4-1 victory.
The individual odds for home players to score at any time are quite short due to the uneven nature of the match-up, but Mukhtar has shown he is capable of scoring more than one goal against Sporting KC and he should be backed to do so.
Andre Luiz da Silva to have 2+ shots on target (+450)
This season has been one of struggle for Sporting KC but the team has at least had something to smile about in the last few weeks - the form of new signing Andre Luiz da Silva.
The Brazilian arrived from Greek team Olympiacos in August and has been an instant hit in Missouri despite their lowly league position.
He has proved a big attacking threat, scoring seven goals in his last five appearances including doubles against Philadelphia Union and Portland Timbers.
It may prove to be a big ask to find the net when facing MLS’s tightest defense, but he has had a total of 14 shots on target in his six starts for Sporting KC, so there is a strong chance he may be able to muster two or more when he makes the trip to Tennessee.
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Nashville SC vs. Sporting KC odds
Nashville SC | -450 |
Tie | +550 |
Sporting KC | +1000 |
Nashville SC vs. Sporting KC player props
Anytime goalscorer
Sam Surridge (Nashville SC) | -275 |
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC) | -125 |
Warren Madrigal (Nashville SC) | -125 |
Cristian Espinoza (Nashville SC) | +100 |
Elias Saad (Nashville SC) | +100 |
Andre Luiz da Silva (Sporting KC) | +400 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
