Seattle Sounders vs NYCFC Betting Analysis Leg 1

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The way the CONCACAF Champions League bracket played out this year assures that MLS will have a team in the finals, now to decide which one between Seattle Sounders and NYCFC. These teams haven’t faced each other in nearly three years as NYCFC won 3-0 on July 3, 2019. Leg one of the semifinal is set for 10 pm ET on Wednesday at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, airing on FS2

The return leg will be at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey next week and the winner of the two-legged tie advances to the final. The finals are also a two-legged tie set for the last week of April and the first week of May and the other semifinal features Mexican teams Cruz Azul and UNAM. An MLS team has never won the Champions League, though LAFC lost in last year’s final, and a CCL title brings with it a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup. Let’s take a closer look at the upcoming match so you can bet against their CONCACAF Champions League odds.

CONCACAF CL Semifinals Betting Odds for Seattle Sounders versus NYCFC

Sounders Getting Healthy

The Sounders are 2-2-1 so far in the MLS season with six goals scored and six goals allowed. They are 1-1 at home and 1-1-1 on the road but have pulled off a win or tie in three straight after starting the season with back-to-back 1-0 losses.

They got to the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League with two convincing victories. In the round of 16 they beat Honduran side Motagua 5-0 in the home leg with goals from five different players. In the quarterfinals they beat Mexico’s Leon 3-0 in the first leg at home and drew 1-1 in the road leg, conceding in the 91st minute.

Fredy Montero scored three of the four goals against Leon and Jordan Morris had the other. Morris, Nicolas Lodeiro, Cristian Roldan, Kelyn Rowe, and Leo Chu all scored against Motagua.

In the MLS games, the Sounders have five goals from five different players. Raul Ruidiaz returned to action last week with 45 minutes of play after injuring his hamstring in the round of 16. Lodeiro also came back on Saturday for his first action since February 27.

The return of both players allows the Sounders to open things up offensively and build both confidence and momentum. So far in league play, Albert Rusnak, Xavier Arreaga, Alex Roldan, and Joao Paulo have played all five games. The Sounders get next weekend off in MLS play so they don’t need to rotate the squad.

NYCFC Slumping

NYCFC has suffered a bit of a championship hangover to start the 2022 MLS season. While they cruised in the Champions League games, they are 1-3-1 in MLS play with just five goals scored in five games. They have yet to win on the road with 1-0 and 2-1 losses plus a 0-0 draw.

Because the field at Yankee Stadium isn’t wide enough to pass FIFA standards, NYCFC has had to play the home log of the Champions League in different venues.NYCFC blasted Santos de Guapiles 6-0 in the round of 16, winning 2-0 in Costa Rica and 4-0 in the home game, played in Los Angeles. Valentin Castellanos scored both goals on the road while Talles Magno, Alfredo Morales, and Maxime Chanot scored in the second leg.

In the quarterfinals, they beat Guatemalan side Comunicaciones 3-1 in East Hartford, Connecticut with goals from Castellanos, Maxi Moralez, and Santiago Rodriguez. The away leg was a 4-2 win in which NYCFC blew a 2-1 lead in the last 20 minutes and held on for dear life, advancing on away goals. Castellanos and Magno scored in the second leg and Castellnos has four Champions League goals.

Brazilian winger Gabriel Pereira made his MLS debut on Saturday in the loss at Toronto, coming off the bench, and could be in line for more action against Seattle. Heber came off the bench in that game and scored the lone NYCFC goal, in stoppage time.

Seattle Sounders Vs NYCFC Betting Analysis

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With the away games rule in effect, it is crucial for NYCFC to push forward and play aggressively to get on the board. They have struggled on the road in MLS but played well in both road games in the Champions League thus far. This game should have goals in it with firepower on both sides and players like Castellanos, Magno, Heber, Ruidiaz, Lodeiro, and Morris known to step up on big occasions.

FREE PICK: Sounders 2, NYCFC 1