The Vancouver Whitecaps are coming off the biggest playoff win in their MLS era.
It was a thrilling Conference semi-final match against LAFC last Saturday, featuring goals, cards, defense, and a penalty shootout. However, Vancouver’s work isn’t done; they are two wins from their first MLS Cup.
The Western Conference final will feature the Whitecaps and San Diego FC. They, of course, are the newest MLS club and are having a historic season. Both San Diego and Vancouver were heavily underestimated by pundits heading into the season. However, San Diego finished first in the Western Conference, and the Whitecaps finished second.
Much like the match against LAFC, this is a heavyweight matchup and could be another thriller.
San Diego’s historic expansion season
Expansion teams usually have poor first seasons. But there are some exceptions. The Vegas Golden Knights surprised many and reached the Stanley Cup final in the 2017-18 NHL season. In 2023, St. Louis City SC finished first in the Western Conference but was knocked out in the first round by Sporting Kansas City.
San Diego FC finished the regular season with a 19-6-9 record and 63 points. That was the same number of points as the Whitecaps, but San Diego had one more win.
These two teams first met at BC Place on June 25, and San Diego won 5-3 thanks to four goals from Milan Iloski. Iloski’s loan from FC Nordsjælland was terminated less than a month later due to no agreement on a permanent deal, and he subsequently signed permanently for the Philadelphia Union.
The Whitecaps visited San Diego for the first time on July 19, and that match ended in a tight 1-1 draw. Mathias Laborda forced a Manu Duah own goal, and Ian Pilcher tied the game.
In the MLS Cup Playoffs, San Diego defeated the Portland Timbers in three games in round one and won a cagey 1-0 affair over Minnesota United in round two.
Head coach Mikey Varas has made SDFC one of the most exciting teams in MLS this season. They play a game that relies heavily on the build-up, pressing, and possession, much like Jesper Sørensen’s Whitecaps. Like Vancouver, they like to build out from the back and use the wingers and full-backs to exploit. While the Whitecaps tend to be more patient with their offensive build-up, San Diego seems to me more direct. Defensively, SDFC are very compact and like to press high to force turnovers and go on the counter-attack.
The big name on San Diego is Andres Dreyer. The Danish winger has been one of the most dangerous players in MLS all season. He was rightfully named MLS Newcomer of the Year. Dreyer had 19 goals and 19 assists (38 goal contributions) in the regular season, and that was 59% of SDFC’s goals.
Dreyer has chemistry with striker Corey Baird and winger Amahl Pellegrino. In the midfield, Jeppe Tverskov is the engine, while Pilcher and Duah are among the defenders. Backup goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega has stepped up in a big way after starter CJ Dos Santos got injured in Game 2 of the first round.
San Diego is looking to become the first expansion side to win MLS Cup since the Chicago Fire in 1998. That was back when MLS had just 12 teams.
Whitecaps embracing new challenge
The Whitecaps, of course, are going through a historic season of their own, and they want it to continue. The club is ready for the challenge San Diego will bring.
“Games like this are special,” said Sørensen to the media on Thursday. “I think we’ve shown that we have the mentality to go through a lot.”
Vancouver has gone through a lot of adversity this year with a ton of injuries, illness, and international call-ups. Yet they showed their perseverance, had an excellent regular season, won their fourth straight Canadian Championship, and reached the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
That determination showed in extra time against LAFC when they went down to nine men. Sørensen spoke about how that has helped the team get this far.
“The team has just always kept focused and tried to pull back…Many times we have succeeded late in games,” said the Whitecaps head coach. “I think that’s because people really have a strong belief in what we’re doing and the way we play…We have done it before, so we have the belief that we can always do it again.”
For midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, it is business as usual.
“We’re playing a soccer game alongside a bunch of best friends, just going out there and having a good time,” said Berhalter. “It’s a big moment, but I think we’ve done really well at being ourselves, not being more than we are.”
Big games always come with some pressure, and both San Diego and Vancouver will feel it. But for Whitecaps star midfielder Thomas Müller, that is a good thing.
“They should feel the pressure, but they should feel it in the right way,” said Müller. “It’s not about not getting distracted by these kinds of emotions. It’s more about how you can use it.”
Müller and his teammates are relishing the fact that they are playing a good San Diego side.
“Normally, when you get closer to finals, you get to play better teams,” said the two-time UEFA Champions League winner. “You play the best teams…it’s always nice to beat the better teams. You beat teams that people think are the best. So, expectations are a little bit different than a normal league game…More spectators, more people watching you get the job done or not, that fires me up.”
What to expect and how the Whitecaps can win.
This is a battle between two attack-minded and exciting teams.
Both teams will make use of their wide areas, especially on the transitions. Finding space is also something both teams do really well. It has the makings of another intense match.
For the Whitecaps, limiting Dreyer will be key. The Danish winger’s creativity and scoring prowess have hurt many teams this season. Vancouver will have to be composed and smart defensively to contain Dreyer and the other San Diego attackers.
In the attack, they must keep it simple. Sørensen spoke about how he didn’t like his team making too many long passes in the second half against LAFC. Short and quick passes have been a key part of the Whitecaps success, and they should use that more.
Vancouver is also undefeated when scoring first. Getting the first goal and silencing the Snapdragon Stadium crowd would also be a big boost. San Diego also has an excellent scoring record when scoring first at 16-1-1.
Saturday’s match could be another historical one.
