VANCOUVER, BC – Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) are off to the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs for the second consecutive season. After a seventh-place finish in the Western Conference, the young 'Caps were selected by Colorado Rapids for the Conference Quarterfinals in the league’s Pick-Your-Opponent format on Monday.
As the seventh seed in the West, WFC2 will be the visitors on Sunday, October 19 at 1 p.m. PT at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. The match will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Now in his third season at the helm, head coach Ricardo Clark led the side to a 11W-12L-5D record with a club-record 42 points, all while developing key young talent throughout the year. As many as seven WFC2 products have made their first team debuts this season and four have gone on to sign first team contracts, including Nelson Pierre, Rayan Elloumi, Mark O'Neil, and Liam Mackenzie. Pierre has led the way with 13 goals for the second team, while Elloumi leads the team in goal contributions with 18 (11 goals, seven assists) in 18 appearances. Defender O'Neill has also joined in on the scoring, sitting tied for third on the team in goals with seven. Other standouts include midfielder and University of Creighton product Jackson Castro, Canadian winger Antoine Coupland, and Tanzanian international forward Cyprian Kachwele.
Colorado Rapids 2 finished third in the West this season thanks to a 15W-8L-5D record and 51 points. They are led by head coach Erik Bushey and feature a pair of Canadians in former 'Caps academy product Sydney Wathuta as well as North Vancouver, BC native James Cameron.
The two sides played to a scoreless draw in their lone meeting of the regular season on July 13, with Rapids 2 winning the ensuing shootout.
