The Vancouver Whitecaps need a win B次元官网网址� badly.
Points have been tough to come by for the B次元官网网址楥aps in recent weeks and, with just two games left in their regular-season schedule, Vancouver is in danger of having to play its way into a Major League Soccer post-season series.
The club has a chance to make up ground Sunday when it hosts Los Angeles FC.
B次元官网网址淗uge importance,B次元官网网址� Whitecaps midfielder Stuart Armstrong said of the match. B次元官网网址淲e want to try and climb the table so every point is very valuable.B次元官网网址�
The two sides have been on opposite trajectories in recent weeks.
Vancouver (13-11-8) comes into SundayB次元官网网址檚 matchup winless in its last five MLS appearances (0-3-2) after falling 1-0 to Minnesota United at B.C. Place last Saturday.
LAFC (17-8-7) heads north on a four-game win streak. The squad hasnB次元官网网址檛 lost since Sept. 21 when L.A. dropped a 3-1 road decision to Dallas FC.
B次元官网网址淥ne thing IB次元官网网址檝e learned in this league is that any game is a new opportunity to win. And any game, if you come in the right mindset, you can win it,B次元官网网址� said B次元官网网址楥aps defender Ranko Veselinovic.
B次元官网网址淲e are a good team, we are good players. And if we come with the right attitude in the game, we can do good.B次元官网网址�
LAFC is an opponent the Whitecaps are all too familiar with, having faced the club twice already this year and six times last season. The most-recent rendezvous came during the Leagues Cup competition back in July, when Vancouver edged L.A. on penalties.
This time around is likely to look a little different because both sides will be missing key pieces due to international call-ups.
Vancouver will be without the creative offence of captain Ryan Gauld (Scotland), the scoring prowess of Fafa Picault (Haiti) and the defensive talents of Andres Cubas (Paraguay), as well as three other important players.
LAFC will miss sniper Denis Bouanga (Gabon), who has the second most goals in MLS (19), and leads the league in both shots (148) and shots on target.
The absences will undoubtedly change the game, said B次元官网网址楥aps head coach Vanni Sartini.
B次元官网网址淚 think we need to be very open to understand how theyB次元官网网址檙e going to come and play. Because maybe theyB次元官网网址檙e not going to play like they usually play, in terms of system, in terms of positioning of the players. But they still have a lot of quality players,B次元官网网址� he said.
With so many of his regular starters away, Sartini will be looking for other players to step up while maintaining VancouverB次元官网网址檚 identity.
B次元官网网址淭he last couple of games, especially the (3-0 loss) against Seattle, we didnB次元官网网址檛 give what we can do,B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址淚 think we need to reset and be really focused on us.
B次元官网网址淏ecause when we focus on us, we can beat any team.B次元官网网址�
While a victory Sunday could help Vancouver avoid a play-in game, the club knows L.A. is still trying to lock up first spot in the West.
B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e obviously at the top end of the table so we know theyB次元官网网址檙e going to be a good team. TheyB次元官网网址檙e fighting it out with the (L.A.) Galaxy. WeB次元官网网址檙e in a slightly different battle at the moment,B次元官网网址� Armstrong said.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be a tough challenge. But these are the type of games you want to play in. And you always enjoy the big matches.B次元官网网址�
LOS ANGELES FC (17-8-7) AT VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-11-8)
Sunday, B.C. Place
INS AND OUTS: Both sides will be missing some major players due to international call-ups. VancouverB次元官网网址檚 Ali Ahmed (Canada), Sam Adekugbe (Canada), Cubas (Paraguay), Gauld (Scotland), Picault (Haiti) and Pedro Vite (Ecuador) are all with their national teams, while L.A. will be without Bouanga (Gabon), Cristian Olivera (Uruguay) and Maxime Chanot (Luxembourg). LAFCB次元官网网址檚 Lorenzo Dellavalle and Jesus Murillo are also out with knee injuries.
HISTORY BOOKS: SundayB次元官网网址檚 game will mark the 20th all-time meeting between the two clubs. LAFC has fared better and holds a 9-5-4 edge in the matchups, but the clubs have split their two previous games in 2024.
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS: Vancouver won its third-straight Canadian Championship title in September, while L.A. is the reigning U.S. Open Cup champion.
