VANCOUVER, BC – Looking to continue their home unbeaten streak, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (7W-5L-5D) host Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders FC (7W-5L-3D) this coming Saturday, July 6 at BC Place.
Saturday's match between Whitecaps FC and Sounders FC kicks off at 8 p.m. PT and is live on TSN and Bell mobile devices. 'Caps fans can also listen to Saturday night’s match live on TEAM 1410 radio andteamradio.ca, starting with the pre-game show at 6 p.m. PT. TEAM 1410 will also have a two-hour post-game show, which will begin following the match.
This will be the second match of the season between the two sides. The 'Caps looked in good steed to earn a victory when they had a 2-1 lead at CenturyLink Field on June 8, but an injury to Andy O'Brien - with fellow centre backs Jay DeMerit, Brad Rusin, and Carlyle Mitchell also already out - turned the tide as the Sounders came back for a 3-2 win.
The ‘Caps are undefeated at home since the start of the 2013 season with a record of 6W-0L-4D in all competitions. Also of great importance is the 'Caps standing in the race for the Cascadia Cup. Whitecaps FC are currently third with one point, while Portland are second with two points, and Seattle first with four points. A win by the 'Caps would take them tops.
WHITECAPS FC
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<b>Last match: Sporting Kansas City 1-1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC</b> |
The Blue and White are coming off of a two-match road swing in which they earned a 1-0 victory over D.C. United and a 1-1 draw against Sporting Kansas City. Camilo scored both goals for the 'Caps on the trip, taking him to 10 goals on the MLS season - just a single tally behind league-leader Marco Di Vaio of Montreal Impact.
Due to their recent run of great form, the ‘Caps continue to move up the table, currently sitting in fifth spot in MLS’s Western Conference with games in hand on three of the four teams above them. However, Seattle are only two points behind them with two games in hand. A win would give Vancouver increased seperation in the ever-tight race for playoff spots in the Western Conference.
Rennie’s side will miss Simon Thomas, Russell Teibert, and Carlyle Mitchell all due to international duty, as all three players have been called up by their respective national teams for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The home side will also continue to miss captain Jay DeMerit (ruptured Achilles tendon) and winger Omar Salgado (foot fracture) indefinitely. Centre back Andy O’Brien (hamstring strain) is questionnable, but will be hoping to be in good enough health to draw back into the lineup for the Blue and White.
SOUNDERS FC
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<b>Last match: Seattle Sounders FC 2-0 D.C. United</b> |
Seattle are coming off of a 2-0 win at home against D.C. United this past Wednesday. Obafemi Martins scored a brace to give the Sounders the win and allow them to gain three points in the ever-tight Western Conference standings.
Martins, Eddie Johnson, and Lamar Neagle all have four goals on the year and have contributed to the Rave Green’s success as of late.
Head coach Sigi Schmid’s side will be without Osvaldo Alonso (left adductor strain), Steve Zakuani (abdominal strain), and Josh Ford (right patella fracture) all due to injury. Their only international call-up is Mario Martinez, who has joined Honduras for the duration of the Gold Cup.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
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<b>June 8, 2013: Sounders FC 3-2 Whitecaps FC</b> |
This will be the seventh MLS meeting between Vancouver and Seattle, and the 118th time the two clubs have met in all competitions.
Despite several strong efforts, the ‘Caps have yet to beat the Sounders in MLS. Since joining MLS, Whitecaps FC have a 0W-3L-3D record versus their arch-rivals from Seattle.
There is a rich history between these two clubs that dates back long before MLS. In the old North American Soccer League (NASL) between 1974 and 1983, the 'Caps recorded 17 wins and 11 defeats versus Sounders FC. Between 1994 and 2008, when both sides competed in the United Soccer Leagues First Division, Whitecaps FC held a record of 25W-43L-15D versus their Cascadia rivals. All-time, Sounders FC have a slightly better record between the two sides with a record of 57W-42L-18D.
There are several connections between the two rivals. One connection is between Seattle midfielder Mauro Rosales and Whitecaps FC defender Young-Pyo Lee who previouslyplayed against each other in the Dutch Eredivisie. Rosales played for AFC Ajax, while Lee played for PSV Eindhoven. Additionally, Sounders FC striker Obafemi Martins played against Lee and Andy O’Brien, as well as midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker in the English Premier League while they played for Tottenham Hotspur, Bolton Wanderers, and Aston Villa respectively. Both O'Brien and Martins played at Newcastle United, but a year apart. O'Brien left in 2005 and Martins joined in 2006.
CASCADIA CUP
This match also counts toward Cascadia Cup standings, with Vancouver, Portland, and Seattle competing in the annual tournament. With a win against their Emerald City rivals, the ‘Caps will be tied with the Sounders atop the Cascadia Cup table.
NEXT UP
Following this clash of archrivals, the ‘Caps will host Eastern Conference side Chicago Fire on Sunday, July 14 at BC Place. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT and will be live on Sportsnet Pacific and TEAM 1410.
