The Vancouver Whitecaps will be looking to stave off elimination Sunday afternoon when they host LAFC in the biggest game of the year. Vancouver must defeat LAFC in order to stay alive in the MLS playoffs, as the Whitecaps lost Game 1 of the best-of-three series with a 5-2 win on Saturday.
Vancouver finished the regular season with an 8-3-6 record at BC Place and have not lost an MLS home game since August. It’s now up to the Whitecaps to even the series and send it back to BMO Stadium for a winner take all match on Thursday, November 9.
“I think the playoffs really start on Sunday,” Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini Daily Hive following training earlier this week. “It’s a do or die, like a real playoff game. We’re all pumped to do a fantastic game and then decide our fate in Los Angeles.”
Big BC Place crowd
The Whitecaps will be opening the upper bowl for the first time since Vancouver joined MLS in 2011. The club had sold over 24,000 tickets for Sunday’s match, as of yesterday.
“We have to say an enormous thanks because the fans decided to come back and support us. It’s a very special moment. It’s added responsibility,” Sartini told reporters on Wednesday. “I want [it] to be very special Sunday with a lot of people in the stadium.”
Axel Schuster was asked by @HarJournalist about tickets for Sunday. He says there are only single tickets left in the cheaper areas and there are still some left in the expensive areas. Schuster also says upper bowl tickets will be available through Ticketmaster soon. #VWFC
— Joshua Rey (@JoshuaRey00) November 1, 2023
A crowd of 25,146 was on hand at BC Place during the regular season finale and they made themselves heard by booing former Whitecaps keeper Max Crepeau every time he touched the ball. Whitecaps fans created an electric atmosphere. The ‘Caps will be hoping for another boost from the Vancouver faithful.
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“We look to get that extra push off the supporters,” Gauld said. “We always try and play our game, but sometimes when things aren’t going your way or you need that extra little push, it’s nice to have the fans on your back supporting you.”
Will Whitecaps sink or swim?
An early goal could do wonders in terms of setting the tone, as LAFC opened the scoring last week and Vancouver was stuck playing catch up.
Pedro Vite and Brian White have both had success scoring in the first two minutes of games at BC Place this season.
“Obviously we don’t want to be playing catch up,” Ryan Gauld told Daily Hive following training earlier this week. “We don’t want to be going behind and having a big uphill battle. At home we always create chances. We’re going to have to do more of the same going forward.”
Whitecaps need to improve on set pieces
An improvement on set piece defending is paramount. LAFC had 12 corner kicks in Game 1 and picked Vancouver apart with three set-piece goals. Former Whitecaps head coach Marc Dos Santos has been instrumental in designing LAFC’s set piece plays.
Vancouver is going to have to find a way to concede fewer corners, battle for positioning, and accurately mark the space that LAFC wants to exploit inside the Caps box.
“We should be a little more aggressive and not allow them to have so many set pieces,” Ranko Veselinovic exclusively told Daily Hive. “They knew what we were going to do and they exposed it. They blocked our main targets and attacked the ball. We need to be more focused and sharp on set pieces and defend really well.”
MVP vs MVP
The Whitecaps have been challenged to slow down MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga. The LAFC striker has scored six goals and added two assists across all competitions versus Vancouver in 2023. The MLS MVP finalist has scored three goals in the last two games between the two teams.
Whitecaps MVP candidate Ryan Gauld has a goal and three assists against LAFC this year and two penalty attempts that he was unable to convert on in the MLS regular season finale.
Heading into Sunday, will Gauld and the Whitecaps change anything offensively?
“I don’t think there’s too much to say we can change,” Gauld said. “We’ve been good at home all season. We’ve actually been decent against LAFC in the league.”
Vanni’s T-shirts don’t mix with MLS policy
Sartini partnered with Vancouver company Ole Originals to help design Vanni-inspired T-shirts with 25% of the proceeds going to the BC SPCA.
#VWFC’s Vanni on @SekeresandPrice on why he wasn’t wearing a Sartini inspired @OleOriginals t-shirt Saturday at #LAFC
“The league forbids (you) to wear any t-shirt with a message during the playoffs.”
“That’s the reason why I was wearing my almost boring sleeveless jacket.” pic.twitter.com/SiLNvVZsy1
— Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) November 1, 2023
Sartini has worn the shirts on the sidelines during MLS matches this season, but a new MLS policy will prevent him from wearing them during the playoffs.
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