The Vancouver Whitecaps already clinched a playoff spot. Now, the question is where will they finish the regular season? To finish top four, or not finish top four is the question?
After clinching a berth for the second straight season on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers, the other Cascadia rival comes to town. The Seattle Sounders sit in fifth with three points above the Whitecaps. Seattle clinched a playoff spot with a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.
Sounders have turned it around
The Whitecaps have picked up three points on the Sounders already with their two visits to Lumen Field.
Vancouver beat Seattle 2-0 on April 20 which saw Jackson Ragen and Alex Roldan get sent off. The Ragen red card seemed harsh but the Roldan one was justified as he decided to go after Ali Ahmed Cobra Kai mode.
The Whitecaps managed to pull off an Ocean’s Eleven heist with a 1-1 draw on May 18. It wasn’t the greatest of soccer but the end saw some handball controversy as Ryan Gauld scored a late stoppage time spot kick to get the point.
Early in the season, Seattle struggled to score goals and struggled with injuries. Since these two teams last met, the Sounders have picked up their form. They have gone 8-3-3 since that May 18 game.
The Sounders have scored 46 goals this season in MLS play, just four behind the Whitecaps. Vancouver is in a three-way tie for 12th in goals scored. Seattle is in a five-way tie for 15th. They were quietly working way their up, just like Bane.
One of Seattle’s best attributes is their defensive game. They only conceded 34 goals this season which puts them in a three-way tie for second best in MLS.
Striker Jordan Morris leads them with goals with 13 while midfielder Albert Rusnak leads the charge in assists with 13.
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has them playing in a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-4-2. Young Designated Player signing Pedro de la Vega has settled in after a tough start with injuries and things seem to be clicking for them.
As for injuries, according to last weekend’s Player Availability report, João Paulo is out with a calf injury, Raúl Ruidíaz was questionable with a knee injury and noted ‘Caps killer Léo Chú was dealing with illness.
Big test for Whitecaps
“Playoffs are clinched but to me, the real playoffs are the top seven,” said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini on Monday. “We need to avoid the play-in. So that’s the next step, we can arrive there by only winning games. Talking about positions, it’s really strange. With a win, you could potentially be second and with a loss, you could be ninth…we need to approach Wednesday’s game like it’s a playoff game.”
With the Sounders dropping points against the Whitecaps at Lumen Field, they are hungry for three points at BC Place.
“I think Seattle didn’t start really well and we took advantage of it,” said Sartini. “But then they grew a lot in the season. They did a classic Seattle thing, like in the sense of relying on a new DP like de la Vega but also guys that are coming from the academy or the draft like (Paul) Rothrock. He established himself as a very good player. They are a very good team. They have been playing the same way for the last couple of years. I’m not expecting any surprises.”
“They are a very good team, have very good players,” said Brian White on the Sounders. “There are a lot of implications in this game…it’s going to be a tough challenge, but hopefully we prepare well and put our best effort.”
“The goal is still to finish top four, and it is still the goal.”
The Cascadia Cup can be clinched.
Vancouver has eight points in the Cascadia Cup race. The Portland Timbers have seven and Seattle has just four. A win could seal the supporters-owned trophy for the Whitecaps. A draw or a loss would make the cup up for grabs. Seattle and Portland play each other on Decision Day.
While this trophy doesn’t mean much it would be nice to have for a second straight year. So there is a bonus if they get three points on Wednesday.
Vancouver and Seattle have played intense matches over the years and hopefully, this one is as well. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm Pacific.
Whitecaps Girls Elite in CONCACAF W Champions Cup
It is worth noting that the Whitecaps Girls Elite squad will face the NWSL’s San Diego Wave at BC Place on Tuesday evening. Kickoff is at 6:30 pm Pacific. Fans can also watch the game live for free on the CONCACAF Youtube channel.
It will be a tough test for the Whitecaps but the young team are up for the challenge. The Wave have a 5-7-10 record in the NWSL. That isn’t great but they also have Canadian women’s national team goaltender Kailen Sheridan.
Head coach Katie Collar and the likes of Jeneva Hernandez-Grey will look to make more history and climb their group’s table.