There is no rest for the weary as the Vancouver Whitecaps face a quick jaunt home for a couple of days of training before heading back out on the road to take on the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field.
The Whitecaps, fresh off two road losses earlier this week—one to LAFC and the other to the Colorado Rapids—must refocus.
They also need to find the back of the net again, something they have not been able to do for 345 minutes. Their last goal was the Brian White record-breaker away versus the New York Red Bulls.
But they can take solace in the fact they have already played the Sounders earlier this season at Lumen Field. And they came away with a 2-0 win.
Shauyan, owner and host of Rave Green TV, called that previous match “trash” but also unsurprising “cause the Whitecaps are building something special.”
It was also a night to forget for the Sounders as they came unglued, losing two players, Jackson Ragen and Alex Roldan, to red cards.
However, Shauyan was quick to note the match was not decided by the red cards.
“Both the goals [the Sounders] conceded were to our own mistakes, so it’s a lame excuse to blame the ref,” he said.
A clean slate, albeit with a few pieces missing
For this match this weekend, the Whitecaps will be without three key pieces that contributed significantly to the first meeting of these two clubs.
Sam Adekugbe is out with a calf injury. He was instrumental in the first Whitecaps goal, cutting the ball from his favoured left position to Ryan Gauld to give the visitors the lead.
Damir Kreilach has an ankle injury suffered in training. He helped put the pressure on Xavier Arreaga alongside Brian White, which led to the second goal. He is questionable for this weekend.
And finally, Bjørn Inge Utvik, the quiet Norwegian defender who had the start in that match. His red card in the game against the Rapids will keep him out of this one.
It is also interesting to note that Arreaga is no longer with the Sounders. He was a deadline-day transfer to the New England Revolution in exchange for a 2025 international roster spot and a potential maximum of $75K in GAM based on performance metrics.
Shauyan said there has not been any tactical change since the last meeting. The Sounders still struggle with possession and in the buildup.
One note Rave Green TV did point out is a desire to see Georgi Minoungou get a start ahead of Jordan Morris.
“Georgi is hungrier and takes on players with ease,” Shauyan said. “[He] brings something different, creating half-chances with ease. With him, it’s only going to get better, while with [Morris], he’s past his best.”
Cascadia is alive
The Whitecaps sit atop the Cascadia Cup standings with all clubs having played two matches. A win on the weekend would give the Whitecaps a significant cushion.
The Cascadia Cup was founded in 2004 before any of the participating teams were in MLS.
“It’s the fans’ trophy, and they are what makes this club so successful,” Shauyan said. “So, this trophy is as important as any other trophy.”
The Whitecaps are the current holder of the Cascadia Cup.
Kickoff this weekend is on Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m.