The Vancouver Whitecaps have been here before B次元官网网址� literally and figuratively.
With the season hanging in the balance, the B次元官网网址楥aps were dealt a blow last week when the club learned it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be able to play a post-season wild-card game in its home stadium, B.C. Place, due to a scheduling conflict.
The Whitecaps ceded home field advantage to their regional rival, the Portland Timbers. The two clubs will battle for the final playoff spot in Major League SoccerB次元官网网址檚 Western Conference in Oregon on Wednesday.
The winner will face No. 1-seed Los Angeles FC in a best-of-three first-round series, starting Sunday.
An unforeseen hurdle like a change of venues is nothing new for the B次元官网网址楥aps, said defender Ranko Veselinovic, who was part of the team that was forced to relocate first to Portland, then Utah during the COVID-19 pandemic.
B次元官网网址淚t feels that always something happens for us, but it is what it is. So far, weB次元官网网址檝e managed to always find solutions for those situations,B次元官网网址� said the Serbian centre back. B次元官网网址淏ut I hope this team can find it one more time, because we need it this time. And it will be a really nice feeling in those circumstances to go in, win and go face L.A. in the next round.B次元官网网址�
Vancouver (13-13-8) heads into the post-season winless in its last seven MLS games and with losses in four straight after dropping a 2-1 road decision to Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
The skid followed a run that saw the club go 4-1-3 across all competitions between late August and late September.
ThereB次元官网网址檚 just one way to return to that level, said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini.
B次元官网网址淭he work is the only way to do it. Try to put the work in and try to put the team in a way that theyB次元官网网址檙e going to regain the form and the way that they were in the past,B次元官网网址� he said.
Despite the final score, Sartini has seen positives in the way his team played in its two most recent losses.
B次元官网网址淚 think already we turned the corner,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd we start from there to build and build and build.B次元官网网址�
Facing challenges together can help a team build, whether itB次元官网网址檚 a winless skid or an unexpected hurdle, said VancouverB次元官网网址檚 captain Ryan Gauld.
B次元官网网址淲hen youB次元官网网址檙e going through adversity, thatB次元官网网址檚 when people start to raise their voice a little bit. You get good when the problems arise, you get a lot of people coming together to make sure we get out of it,B次元官网网址� said the Scottish attacking midfielder.
B次元官网网址淎nd weB次元官网网址檝e had a tough time the last few games, but everyoneB次元官网网址檚 aware of the fact that weB次元官网网址檙e a much better team than weB次元官网网址檝e shown, and we need to find a way to get back to doing what weB次元官网网址檙e good at.B次元官网网址�
The B次元官网网址楥aps face a familiar foe in the Timbers (12-11-11).
The two sides have already met three times this season, with each coming out of the series with a win, a loss and a draw.
Portland has also struggled in recent weeks and are winless in their last five MLS outings (0-1-4).
The Timbers boast one of the leagueB次元官网网址檚 top offensive units, though, with threats such as Evander. The Brazilian midfielder notched 15 goals and 19 assists during the regular season.
To earn a win on Wednesday, the Whitecaps must be solid defensively, Gauld said.
B次元官网网址淭hey must be one of the best attacks in the league. They have a lot of good players, and they can hurt you if you switch off,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪o just being concentrated from the first whistle, and just being hard to beat, being stuffy. Just being on it for the full 90 minutes.B次元官网网址�
A victory in the wild-card match would guarantee Vancouver at least one home playoff game, a factor that Sartini said would be a big reward for his group.
The entire team relished the experience of playing post-season soccer in front of more than 30,000 fans last year, the coach said, and the desire to repeat the feat is high as the club heads to Portland.
B次元官网网址淓veryone is happy to be in the playoffs. So we donB次元官网网址檛 have to be moody to be in the playoff. And we go in there, weB次元官网网址檙e play one of our rivals. So itB次元官网网址檚 gonna be a nice game to show up and to play our best game possible.B次元官网网址�
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-13-8) AT PORTLAND TIMBERS (12-11-11)
Wednesday, Providence Park
HISTORY BOOKS: This will mark the seventh all-time post-season meeting between the Timbers and B次元官网网址楥aps, dating back to 1975. The last time the two clubs squared off in a playoff game was during the Western Conference semifinal in 2015. Portland won the two-game aggregate series and went on to hoist the MLS Cup.
ROAD WARRIORS: The B次元官网网址楥aps boasted a 7-6-4 record on the road during regular-season play B次元官网网址� better than the 6-7-4 showing they posted at B.C. Place.
POST-SEASON PARTY: Wednesday will mark the first time the Timbers have hosted a post-season game since 2021.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
