The Vancouver Whitecaps are back in action on Saturday as they take on the Colorado Rapids, with another crowd of over 20,000 expected at BC Place. Vancouver’s six-game MLS winless streak is over thanks to a big midweek road victory over Sporting Kansas City.
It’s been a bizarre start to the season for the Whitecaps, who are winning more on the road than at home so far. They’re sixth in the West with six wins and four draws through 15 matches, but just two of those wins have been secured at BC Place.
This unusual stat comes despite a massive jump in home attendance this season.Â
As first reported by Daily Hive in March, the Whitecaps’ season ticket base has grown to 16,000. This season, the Whitecaps are averaging 29,957 for MLS home matches, with attendance above 24,000 for all but one game.
The spike in attendance hasn’t brought consistent results at BC Place though, and the club wasn’t able to win their marquee matches. That includes their MLS home opener (attendance: 29,624), the 50th anniversary match (32,465), and Messi-less Inter Miami (51,035).
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Disrespect from Inter Miami?
Inter Miami celebrated with a team photo minus Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Sergio Busquets following a 2-1 win over Vancouver last week.Â
A closer look at the post-game photo revealed that the foot of Matias Rojas was standing on a Whitecaps jersey.Â
Important win on the road! 💫 Vamossss! 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/HbjRcL3fUV
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) May 26, 2024
The photo got some attention from supporters, but Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini said he wasn’t offended by it. Â
“Knowing players and knowing everyone, I think I would say it’s something unintentional by chance. What I can say, probably the social media manager of Miami should have been a little bit more focused on the thing and not published that picture.”
Whitecaps relying on Gauld and White
Through 15 MLS games, the Whitecaps have scored 22 goals, with Ryan Gauld and Brian White accounting for 12 of them. The Whitecaps’ offence has shown how dangerous it can be when both players are firing on all cylinders.
Gauld will look to extend his three-match goal-scoring streak on Saturday.Â
🫡 @RyanGauld pic.twitter.com/QOef8TyECP
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) May 30, 2024
But scoring has been challenging when both players aren’t creating offence. Vancouver went five games without a goal from open play.
Ranko Veselinovic was the last Caps player not named Gauld or White to score a goal in an MLS match when he scored in a 4-0 win against Toronto FC on April 6.
“I’m okay if they score 54% of the goals if the number of the goals is bigger,” Sartini said. “It’s not a matter of percentage. It’s clear that they score the majority of the goals of the team because they are the offensive players. If it wasn’t like this, it would be a problem. Every team in the league, their two best scorers probably score at least 40% of the goals. The thing that we need to do is to convert more chances where other players can score.”
Tiring Whitecaps schedule
This week will mark the fourth consecutive week where the Whitecaps have had to play a mid-week match. The constant travel, time zone change, and fatigue can take a toll.Â
Vancouver played eight matches in May. They will play four in the month of June.Â
The Whitecaps returned from Kansas City in the early hours of Thursday morning. With one full day of training before returning to the pitch, it’s all about who is fit, recovered, and in the best position to start against Colorado before the international break next week.Â
“We are all tired,” Sartini admitted. “From the players, coaches, supporting staff, everyone. Going five, six weeks in a row with basically three days off something like this, it’s going to be hard. At the same time, they see the end of it. Next week they’re going to have a week off. It’s an incentive to go and win at home to close this period with a win.”
Before the Whitecaps head off to California, Mexico, Whistler, and other exotic places, Sartini has set a target of 25 points. Currently, the Whitecaps are 6th in the conference with 22.Â
Super Yohei Takaoka
The Whitecaps No.1 goalkeeper is looking forward to relaxing in a sauna during the Whitecaps’ time off. Before Yohei Takaoka can beat the heat, he’ll look to beat Colorado.Â
Vancouver’s hectic schedule has done nothing to slow down Takaoka, who has missed just one MLS match since signing with the Whitecaps last off-season.Â
“I don’t need rest,” Takaoka told Daily Hive earlier this week. “I can rest after I retire.”
“Nothing changes. My job is never going to change. Just stop the ball, keep a clean sheet.”