- Recent form: Seattle Sounders have won only 1 of their last 10 matches in all competitions (4 draws, 5 defeats).
- Recent form (RSL): Real Salt Lake have won only 2 of their last 10 games in all competitions (2 draws, 6 defeats).
- Home form: Seattle have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 3 of their 6 home games in all competitions in 2026.
Real Salt Lake’s away woes may continue
Away record
Real Salt Lake will be looking to avoid defeat as they go after their first away win of the 2026 Major League Soccer season on Thursday. But the Claret-and-Cobalt have struggled to even create chances on the road since Pablo Mastroeni took over the reins on 28 August 2021.
The visiting team have won only 2 of their 10 matches under the ex-Colorado Rapids midfielder (2 draws, 6 defeats) and look unlikely to break their run of 0 wins, 0 draws and 4 defeats on their travels. RSL have hit the net 8 times in 4 away matches, however, so we believe they can snatch a goal or two against the Seattle Sounders in Washington.
Tactics
Mastroeni's men have adopted an attacking mindset with a back-three and wingback-driven 3-5-2 structure in 2026, but they are still to reap the rewards. His team are a high-workrate side with a direct, vertical play that looks to stretch the field and flood forward in transition.
Seattle aren’t that solid
They will do their best to pressure the Sounders into mistakes when they travel to Lumen Field, but Brian Schmetzer's team are a possession-based side that play with purpose rather than chaos, rotating their ball players in the first two lines to create traps and re-pressing to drive the opposition into narrow channels.
Seattle are in mixed form rather than good form as they enter this game. The Rave Green have drawn their last 4 consecutive games in all competitions, which is just enough to keep them in the game, but it's not a formula to win many games.
They have drawn 2 and lost 1 of their 3 most recent home games in all competitions, so the home advantage advantage isn't a given for them in this game.
Side with the draw in tight encounter
Sounders' recent 4 draws in all competitions have been draws and Schmetzer's men could face a tough challenge against RSL's 3-5-2 structure.
- Saba Lobjanidze has been a bright spark for RSL in this run of 5 matches (0 wins, 1 draw, 4 defeats), scoring 2 of their 4 goals, but the most consistent goal threat is Sergi Solans (9 goals in 22 MLS 2026 appearances) and he is the man to keep quiet.
- Seattle are not quite as good as their odds here suggest, but the odds on Real Salt Lake are too long and the draw looks a much better play.
- Seattle are a slight favorite at 2.02 ahead of RSL at 3.52 and the tie at 3.98, so we are taking the more sensible option of Under 2.5 goals at 2.39 and both teams to score No at 2.37.
