Aug 27, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Whitecaps FC ahead Fafa Picault (11) dribbles the ball through the second half in opposition to Pacific FC at BC Place. Necessary Credit score: Simon Fearn-USA TODAY Sports activities One thing has to present when the Vancouver Whitecaps, certainly one of MLS’s finest street groups, travels south and east to battle Austin FC, one of many hardest sides at residence, on Saturday in a Western Convention match.
The Whitecaps (11-8-5, 38 factors) head to the capital of the Lone Star State on the heels of a 1-0 win over Pacific FC within the Canadian Championship semifinal on Tuesday, with the successful objective approaching a second-half tally by Ryan Gauld.
Saturday’s match is Vancouver’s first in MLS play since a 4-3 residence loss to Houston on July 20 that ended a five-match unbeaten stretch for the Whitecaps. 4 of these video games had been wins.
Vancouver begins the weekend in sixth place within the West, three factors and two spots under the road for a first-round residence playoff sequence with 10 matches to play. The Whitecaps have cast a 6-4-3 report on the street, the very best within the West.
Vancouver coach Vanni Sartini defined that possession will likely be a key for his workforce in opposition to the quick-strike Austin assault.
“We must be at all times very, very, very current,” Sartini mentioned. “Even when we will have some spell of possession, we must be very current, as a result of in transition, Austin is deadly. So the group, each offensively and defensively, will likely be crucial.”
Austin is in ninth place within the convention, one level forward of Dallas for the wild-card match for the postseason with eight contests left on its regular-season schedule. The Verde (9-10-7, 34 factors) are taking part in their first residence match in additional than a month and head residence after a 2-0 win at Nashville on Aug. 24, their first in MLS play since July 6.
Austin is 6-3-4 at residence.
Jon Gallagher and Osman Bukari discovered the web for the Verde in that victory, with the latter scoring the primary objective of his MLS profession. Alex Ring set the desk for Gallagher’s objective with a dead-on cross that moved him to the highest on the workforce’s all-time help desk with 24 throughout all competitions.
Austin has secured 10 factors in its previous seven league matches after incomes simply two factors (on two attracts) in its earlier 5 MLS contests. The Verde are as wholesome as they have been all season and it confirmed within the win at Nashville.
“Now we have competitors (amongst the gamers) for the primary time in a very long time,” Austin coach Josh Wolff mentioned. “Now we have the flexibility to maneuver based mostly on what we predict provides the workforce the very best likelihood to win.”
The edges have performed seven occasions, with the Whitecaps successful 4 of these matches and Austin capturing one. There have been two attracts within the sequence, together with a scoreless tie between the groups on Might 4 in Vancouver.
–Area Degree Media