This prediction market topic focuses on secondary betting markets for a Major League Soccer match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting Kansas City, scheduled for February 21 at 10:30 PM Eastern Time. While the primary market is the match outcome, 'more markets' refers to proposition bets on specific in-game events. These can include which team scores first, the total number of goals, whether both teams score, the exact scoreline, and individual player performance metrics like which player scores the first goal. These markets allow bettors to engage with specific narratives within the broader contest, moving beyond a simple win/lose/draw prediction. The interest stems from the opening weekend of the 2025 MLS season, where every team's form is a relative unknown following the offseason. This match features two Western Conference teams with contrasting recent histories, making the ancillary markets particularly volatile and potentially valuable for informed speculators. The late-night Eastern Time slot also makes it a featured game for national television and betting platforms, increasing visibility and market liquidity. Bettors analyze preseason performances, roster changes, and tactical setups to predict not just the result, but the flow of the game itself.

Historical Context

The rivalry between San Jose and Sporting Kansas City dates to the early years of MLS, but its modern competitive balance is defined by recent playoff clashes and regular season unpredictability. A defining moment came in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, where the 8th-seeded San Jose Earthquakes, then under interim management, upset the top-seeded Sporting Kansas City in a dramatic penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw. That result ended Kansas City's Supporters' Shield-winning season and created a narrative of a playoff bogey team. In regular season play, recent matches have been high-scoring. Their two meetings in 2024 produced a total of 11 goals, with Kansas City winning 3-2 at home in March and the teams drawing 3-3 in San Jose in July. This trend of goals directly informs the historical baseline for over/under total goals markets, which have consistently been set higher for this fixture than for league averages. The Earthquakes have not won a regular season match at Children's Mercy Park since 2015, a nine-year road drought that shapes moneyline and spread betting, though their recent playoff win there adds a complicating layer of psychology for prop bettors.

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