Philadelphia Union vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Philadelphia Union vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2018 MLS Regular Season - Week 17
Talen Energy Stadium — Chester
June 23 - 5 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/5, ESPN+

The Philadelphia Union are hoping to build off the momentum from a U.S. Open Cup triumph over the New York Red Bulls and climb above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference against a Vancouver Whitecaps FC side that brings a six-game unbeaten streak to Chester.

Vancouver is also unbeaten in their last four games against Philadelphia (2W-2D). The Whitecaps have outscored the Union 9-5 over those four games, per Opta.

Philadelphia Union

For the fourth straight year, the Union faced the Red Bulls in the USOC and thanks to second-half goals from Haris Medunjanin and Cory Burke nine minutes apart, Philadelphia (5-7-3) advanced to the Quarterfinals following a 2-1 victory.

The Union have lost back-to-back league games for a third time this season. They responded with a win the two previous times.

“Overall, a really good win against a very good team,” Jim Curtin said after the Round of 16 win. “We have a home game in our stadium and we are three wins away from a trophy, which is something to be proud of. We still need to find ways to finish all these chances we are creating as a team.”

Suspended: M - Haris Medunjanin
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Richie Marquez (sports hernia surgery), D - Josh Yaro (concussion)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Andre Blake — Keegan Rosenberry, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty, Raymon Gaddis — Alejandro Bedoya, Warren Creavalle — Ilsinho, Borek Dockal, Fafa Picault — Cory Burke

Notes: CJ Sapong has scored 4.47 goals fewer than his xG total (6.47), the third-worst xG differential of any MLS player. … Philadelphia’s 2-0 loss to Toronto on June 8 snapped a three-game winning streak at home. They had scored at least three goals in each of the wins.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The Whitecaps (6-5-5) are hoping to pick up where they left before a World Cup break after a resounding 5-2 win over 10-man Orlando City SC at BC Place on June 9. It was their second straight win and sixth game without defeat as Alphonso Davies had one goal and three assists to help power a four-goal explosion in the final 14 minutes.

Kei Kamara struck for a brace and Yordy Reyna and Nicolas Mezquida added late insurance goals.

“I know what’s ahead for him, I know the good, the bad and the ugly,” Carl Robinson said of Davies. “He’s going to have to experience it all and go through it all. There’s not a right and a wrong right way of dealing with it and I’m trying to best prepare him for what lies ahead.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Jose Aja
International duty: D - Kendall Waston
Injury Report: DOUBTFUL: GK - Stefan Marinovic (left knee sprain); PROBABLE: D - Marcel de Jong (left hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Brian Rowe — Jake Nerwinski, Jose Aja, Doneil Henry, Brek Shea — Cristian Techera, Aly Ghazal, Felipe, Alphonso Davies — Kei Kamara, Yordy Reyna

Notes: Vancouver is averaging 1.9 goals per 90 in the 1,003+ minutes that Kamara been on the field this season (averaging 0.8 goals per 90 in the 571+ minutes he has not). … The Whitecaps are unbeaten in their last five games (2W-3D). It is their longest unbeaten streak since a seven-game streak from August 19-September 23, 2017 (5W-2D). The Whitecaps are averaging 2.8 goals per game over their current unbeaten run.

All-Time Series

Overall: Philadelphia Union 2 wins, 7 goals … Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3 wins, 10 goals … 3 draws
At Philadelphia: Union 1 win, 6 goals … Whitecaps FC 1 win, 6 goals … 2 draws
Last meeting at Philadelphia: Philadelphia Union 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3 (June 25, 2016)