A lot is on the line for the Western Conference-leading Vancouver Whitecaps in their Saturday showdown with hard-charging Sporting Kansas City (9 pm ET; TSN2 in Canada, MLS LIVE in US) – and in their next two matches, really.
The ‘Caps are unbeaten in six matches, in all competitions, and could jump back into the Supporters’ Shield lead if they can come away with all three points vs. SKC, who trail Vancouver by five points in the West after going unbeaten in five of their last six matches and have three games in hand on the ‘Caps.
It’s the first of two back-to-back games for Vancouver that could go a long way to determining their playoff placing come the end of the season. Next weekend sees FC Dallas come to BC Place, for the first of three meetings between the sides in the season run-in.
Head coach Carl Robinson is relishing the challenge.
“The next two games are massive for this club,” Robinson told reporters on a conference call on Friday. “We’re a big club. We do things a certain way, and we want it to be meaningful matches week in and week out. We don’t want it to be that there’s not too much on this game and the two teams are fighting for a playoff spot, for sixth or seventh place.
“We’re talking about jockeying for positions higher up the table, which is always a good thing,” Robinson added. “You want to play in big games, so it might give us a little overview of how good we are this year in the next two games.”
How Vancouver fare in these next two matches may give some insight as to how strongly the Whitecaps match up against their top conference rivals, but Robinson feels his side have nothing to fear after being at the top of the standings for the majority of the year.
“At the moment, what we’re doing is very special because we’re trying to build something, and we’re doing it in different ways from other teams,” Robinson said. “We’re building youth, we’re integrating youth, and we’re giving youth an opportunity. While you’re picking results up along the way, it always helps.
“We are where we are because we probably deserve to be, but we’re not getting carried away. I won’t get carried away with sitting at the top at the moment. It’s exciting, that’s what I will say.”
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Vancouver have long targeted a home playoff game this season, but their current lofty position is likely to see them aiming even higher than that.
The 'Caps have 10 games remaining in the regular season. With nine of those against teams fighting to put themselves in the playoff picture in the West, Robinson feels that even if they can take crucial points in these next two matches, his Whitecaps side will have to fight right down to the wire to secure the postseason positioning they desire.
“It will be this tight all the way to last game or two at the end of the season,” Robinson said. “Even then, with one or two games to go, positions will still be up for grabs. Everyone beats everyone, as we know. Games in this league are very competitive, especially in the West.
“It’s a lot harder in the West than the East, which is good for everyone to watch. It makes managers go grey in the West, but it’s part and parcel of a lot of teams being very, very close together.”
