VANCOUVER – Time is running out for the Vancouver Whitecaps, and they need to have their best home performance of the season on Saturday when they host the Seattle Sounders.
With just seven games left in their Major Soccer League season, the Whitecaps sit one point behind the Sounders in the Western Conference standings, and it just so happens Seattle holds down the final playoff spot in the West.
“We’re still pushing to make the playoffs, so this game is a really big one for the club,” midfielder Alphonso Davies said this week. “We’re all motivated to win that game and to protect our house.”
The house known as BC Place hasn’t exactly been a fortress this year, but it has still been a venue that has allowed Vancouver to stay in the playoff race. In fact, the Whitecaps have gone 6-1-5 across all competitions at home in their last 12 matches.
“Every game at this point is really crucial,” Davies stated. “Everyone wants to play in a rivalry match. We want to fight for every chance we get.”
Saturday’s contest could determine who gets bragging rights in the Pacific Northwest in 2018. Vancouver needs a victory to keep their Cascadia Cup hopes alive for the trophy competed annually between the two clubs, as well as the Portland Timbers. A draw or a loss sees the hardware head to the Emerald City for the first time since 2015.
“It’s the biggest game of the year,” Whitecaps midfielder Russel Teibert offered. “What more can you ask for? This is a championship game for us.”
The Whitecaps return from the international break on one of their most successful runs of the campaign, having gone undefeated in six straight MLS matches (4-0-2). Meantime the Sounders are currently riding an MLS-record eight-game winning streak, which began with a 2-0 win over Vancouver July 21.
“Whenever you play Seattle or Portland, there will be energy, mistakes, and wrong decisions,” coach Carl Robinson said. “The Cascadia games are always important for the fans. It will be down to the players who decides to win the game.”
He later added: “We’ve got a seven-game season. That’s the way we’re breaking it down. We need to try and finish in the top half of the mini-game season to try and get in the playoffs.”
NOTES
Saturday marks the 21st MLS regular season meeting between Vancouver and Seattle. The Whitecaps have a 7-8-5 record in those meetings, which includes a home record of 3-4-4.
Vancouver will have to play without one of their most dangerous weapons this weekend, as midfielder Yordy Reyna is suspended due to yellow card accumulation. Reyna had a pair of assists in Vancouver’s 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on September 1. In his last four MLS starts, the Peruvian international scored two goals and tallied six assists.
Among the many threats, facing the Whitecaps at BC Place Saturday night will be Sounders captain Nicolas Lodeiro. The 29-year-old Designated Player from Uruguay enters the weekend leading Seattle in goals (7), assists (9), and shots (45). He is also a perfect 4-for-4 on penalty kicks this year.
Despite sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference, the Sounders have allowed a league-low 27 goals this season. Goalkeeper Stefan Frei enters the weekend with a MLS-best 0.96 goals against average.
More seats are being made available at BC Place this weekend as a crowd in excess of 25,000 is expected. The last time the Whitecaps expanded seating came in the season opener when 27,837 turned out for a 2-1 win over the Montreal Impact.
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