Houston Dynamo FC (14-9-11) vs. Sporting Kansas City (12-8-14)
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Sporting Kansas City 11/26/23 – The Houston Dynamo FC (14-9-11) take on Sporting Kansas City (12-8-14) in the MLS Western Conference Playoffs Semifinals on Sunday night. According to MLS expert picks, this matchup features two teams trending in opposite directions leading up to the postseason.
Houston’s offense has been clicking on all cylinders recently, led by top scorers Amine Bassi, Corey Baird and Héctor Herrera. Bassi is a dangerous attacking midfielder with 10 goals on the season, using his speed and dribbling ability to break down defenses. Baird and Herrera add secondary scoring from the wings, with the latter especially adept at setting up teammates with 17 assists. Sporting KC has struggled defensively down the stretch though, so Houston’s multidimensional offense could have their way.
On the flip side, Kansas City boasts their own potent attack spearheaded by forwards Alan Pulido and Dániel Sallói. Pulido is a pure goal scorer with 14 on the year, constantly getting behind back lines with his blend of size, strength and quickness. Sallói has been more of a playmaker atop the formation, racking up 10 assists to complement 7 goals. The Dynamo have been steady defensively with 13 clean sheets, but the center back pairing of Teenage Hadebe and Daniel Steres could have issues dealing with KC’s mobile strikers.
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Sporting Kansas City 11/26/23 Game Info
| When: | Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET |
| Where: | Shell Energy Stadium |
| TV: | FS1 |
| Stream: |
Steve Clark GK vs. Kendall McIntosh GK
Veteran Dynamo goalkeeper Steve Clark comes into this playoff clash locked in between the sticks. Despite allowing 37 goals, he’s made 85 saves and kept a clean sheet 13 times. His experience and shot stopping will be vital facing Kansas City’s dangerous scorers. On the other side, young Kendall McIntosh has struggled when called upon with just 1 clean sheet and a goals against average over 2.00. If Houston can test him early, it could shake the rookie’s confidence.
Soccer Odds/Point Spread: Houston Dynamo FC -130, Total Odds: 3.5
The Dynamo come into this home playoff game as -130 favorites on the moneyline, an implied win probability of 56.5%. The total is set at 3.5 goals, with the over moderately favored at -121 odds compared to even money on the under. Based on these odds, the bookmakers are expecting Houston to advance but Kansas City to still notch a couple goals. Some value can be found taking the Dynamo spread at -0.75 goals.
Houston Dynamo FC Betting Trends
The Houston Dynamo have been an extremely profitable bet at home this season, covering the spread in 8 of their 17 games in Houston. HOU is scoring nearly 2 more goals per contest in front of their home fans compared to road games. Backing Houston at Shell Energy Stadium would have netted a +4.3 units profit for the year. The Dynamo also tend to play more open, higher-scoring matches with the home crowd behind them, going over the total in 9 of 17 home fixtures.
Sporting Kansas City Betting Trends
While Sporting KC have struggled down the stretch, they’ve been a strong play against the spread away from home in 2023. Despite their 12-14 overall record, KC is an impressive 9-8 ATS in their 16 away matches this campaign. The totals have also heavily skewed to the over in Kansas City’s road games, going over the number in 12 of 16 games. Even when they’ve lost on the road this season, Sporting KC has put up goals. Their last 5 away contests have all gone over 2.5 total goals as well. With defensive issues plaguing KC, expect more of the same high-scoring games playing in Houston’s offensive-friendly stadium tonight.
Houston Dynamo FC vs. Sporting Kansas City 11/26/23 Betting Picks
The Dynamo seem to hold advantages across the board according to my analysis. Their multifaceted attack should be able to break down Sporting Kansas City’s questionable defense. Houston also has the benefit of hosting this playoff contest at home, where they’ve gone over the total in over half their games in 2023. For these reasons, back the Dynamo -0.75 spread for some valuable insurance. Houston’s moneyline odds are also tempting if you expect them to straight-up win this game. Given both teams’ penchant for high-scoring affairs, take the over 3.5 as well.
As for a final prediction, expect the Houston Dynamo FC to come away with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City. Bettors would be wise to follow this elite top advice and roll with the home side.
Free Pick and Prediction: Houston Dynamo FC 4, Sporting Kansas City 2