VANCOUVER, BC – After their weekend Cascadia Cup heartbreak, Vancouver Whitecaps FC have a chance to set the record straight when they visit Seattle for Wednesday night’s CONCACAF Champions League clash.
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. PT TV: Sportsnet ONE / World RADIO: TSN 1410
Here are three storylines to get you set for the match.
REVENGE
Have no doubts that Saturday’s result at BC Place hurt the squad every bit as much as it hurt the fans. The players and coaching staff know exactly what this rivalry means to the ‘Caps faithful and will be looking to set the record straight on Wednesday when they head to CenturyLink Field.
“We didn’t play particularly bad, but we didn’t take advantage of our opportunities and they took advantage of theirs,” Tim Parker told reporters on Monday. “That happens from time to time, but we’re definitely ready for revenge.”
Parker, of course, impressed during the corresponding fixture back in August, and will be looking to repeat his performance on Wednesday.
“Playing crosstown rivals like Seattle, I personally want to make my mark on the game,” the rookie said. “I don’t want to go outside of my boundaries but I want to make an impact and give a strong presence.”
WIN AND WE’RE IN
The ‘Caps go into Wednesday night’s encounter knowing that a win will guarantee them top spot in Group F and safe passage to the CCL quarter-finals, while a loss would eliminate them from contention. On the other hand, a draw would mean that the Blue and White would have to avoid defeat to C.D. Olimpia when they visit Honduras on October 22 in order to progress.
“It won’t change our dynamic, it won’t change our mentality,” Robinson told reporters after being asked if the Group F situation would affect his approach. “We’ll go and we’ll try and win the game.”
WHO PLAYS?
And the fixtures keep on coming. Yes, the matches are coming thick and fast as we approach the business end of the season, and with five league matches still to play you can expect to see a few changes in Wednesday’s starting XI.
“You won’t see the same team that you saw on Saturday,” Robinson confirmed at training this week. “So there will be a number of changes. There might be a couple of players who play again who might not play on Saturday as well.”
The boss also talked about the importance that experienced players can add to his team as he continues to give young players a chance in these Champions League matches.
“I know [Robert Earnshaw] is itching to go and [Kendall Waston and Matias Laba] helped significantly last week for us against Olimpia,” Robinson said. “So there might be a couple more faces on Wednesday in a game that we want to win.”
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