On Saturday evening, Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency (4W-2L-2D) begin the second half of their United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL) season with a trip to Everett, Washington, to take on North Sound SeaWolves (3W-3L-3D) in PDL Western Conference, Northwest Division action at Frank Goddard Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT.
RESIDENCY
The young ‘Caps will be in for a test this weekend, with five players missing this weekend's game because of FIFA U-17 World Cup duty with Canada. Bryce Alderson, Yassin Essa, Adam Polakiewicz, Matteo Pasquotti, and Daniel Stanese are all at Mexico 2011.
Residency head coach Richard Grootscholten will be looking for his younger players to step up and fill in for the absence of the quintet, while four members of Vancouver's Major League Soccer squad have been sent down to help inject some experience and depth to a youthful travelling squad. Wes Knight, Alexandre Morfaw, Michael Nanchoff, and Blake Wagner will be called upon to add some experience for Saturday's away match.
Knight has featured in eight matches in MLS this season, recording one assist in 625 minutes of action. The defender/midfielder set up Eric Hassli's second goal in a 4-2 home win over Canadian rivals Toronto FC at Empire Field. He will be called upon to solidify the Residency backline alongside captain Derrick Bassi, as the Blue and White look to get back to winning ways after having their six-match unbeaten streak in the PDL snapped at home by Washington Crossfire last weekend.
SEAWOLVES
North Sound SeaWolves are preparing for their fourth home match in five contests, having won three of their past four games. The Washington State outfit will have some offensive power on display, with midfielder Marshall Kosaka leading the SeaWolves with five goals this season. Fellow midfielder Brady Ballew and forward Abdulwali Aman are tied with two goals apiece in a North Sound attack that has scored 13 times in nine PDL matches. Goalkeeper Claudio Lazar, who has started in eight of the club's nine games so far this season, is expected to get the nod in goal.
CANADA DAY LONG WEEKEND
Following Saturday's match against the SeaWolves, Whitecaps FC Residency will have a busy Canada Day long weekend, as they face their British Columbia rivals in a pair of PDL matches. The action starts on Canada Day (Friday, July 1) versus Victoria Highlanders FC at Minoru Park in Richmond, BC, at 4 p.m. PT. The Residency team will then make a second visit of the season to the Fraser Valley to play Abbotsford Mariners at Bateman Park on Monday, July 4, at 6 p.m. PT.
