The Province

Caps intend to keep foot on gas

Vancouver determined to capture first place and continue winning ways into playoffs

- Ed Willes ewilles@ postmedia.com Twitter.com/ willesonsp­orts provincesp­orts. com

Kendall Waston has spent the prime years of his profession­al career with the Vancouver Whitecaps and this is what he has to show for the last four seasons: some good friends, some nice memories, an All-Star berth, but not one win in an MLS playoff game.

Waston, like all the Whitecaps, knows this year could be different, knows they have the team, the players and the opportunit­y to change their history. For a franchise which has lacked a defining moment, he knows what this year means and, as the Whitecaps prepared for today’s showdown in Portland, he spoke about this game.

“I think sometimes in life you only have one or two chances like this and you have to take it,” said the defender. “This is one of those chances. We’ve worked hard all season to stay in first place. Now that we have it, we want to keep it.”

Funny, English isn’t the big man’s first language but, on this matter, there was no confusing his message.

The Whitecaps flew to the Rose City on Saturday and the table stakes for the biggest regular-season match in club history are as clear as Waston’s word. A win or a tie against the Timbers gives the Whitecaps first place in the Western Conference and a bye into the second round of the playoffs.

That, at least, is the bottom line and its import speaks for itself. But, more importantl­y, a result against the Timbers would go a long ways towards legitimizi­ng Carl Robinson’s program, to announcing the Whitecaps as an elite MLS team and not the little brother in the Portland-Seattle-Vancouver relationsh­ip. This is the best team in the Whitecaps’ MLS history. It is the deepest, most talented collection of players and all are in form. The Whitecaps have never had an attacking partnershi­p like they have in Fredy Montero and Yordy Reyna. They’ve never had the depth at midfield they have now. With Waston and Tim Parker, they have the best central defence in club history.

For almost four months they’ve also been the best team in West. Now they have to finish the job and they were saying all the right things before flying to Portland.

“We won’t (play for a draw against the Timbers) and the reason why is if you do, you lose,” said Robinson, the team’s architect, its brains and its beating heart. “We’re going there to try to win the game. I want a performanc­e. I want the guys to show me how important it is to play on this club with first place on the line.”

“Listen,” said goalie David Ousted. “If you would have told us at the start of the season we can win the Western Conference on the last day of the season, I think everyone would have been happy with the scenario.”

Ousted, as it happens, is front and centre in the main drama around the team. An All-Star keeper and one of the Whitecaps’ foundation­al players, the Dane has been pushed for playing time by New Zealander Stefan Marinovic.

Marinovic is younger and cheaper than Ousted. He also got the start in last weekend’s crucial match with San Jose, a 1-1 draw when a win would have clinched the West.

Reading the tea leaves, it appears Marinovic will get the net in Portland. You can guess how Ousted would feel about this developmen­t but, like all the Whitecaps, he’s been a pro about his place on the team.

“I think I’ve performed and prepared myself the same way all year,” Ousted said. “Obviously I would love to win something here. In the four and a half years I’ve been here we’ve never been in this position. I’d love to be in there to make a difference.”

Said Robinson: “I don’t look at it as different from any other position. You’re trying to get better in each area. Stefan has come in and been brilliant. David’s been good for us as well and brilliant at times. I play the players I think are in form.”

The team will be trying to reverse a bitter history for the Whitecaps at Providence Park. In their seven MLS seasons, the Whitecaps are a dismal 1-5-4 in Portland in the regular season. In 2015, they did earn a 0-0 draw in their one playoff game at Providence. But in the second leg of their second-round playoff series they were bounced by the Timbers 2-0.

It’s the only time in the club’s MLS history they’ve been beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Did we mention there’s a fair bit riding on today’s game?

“It’s the best squad I’ve had,” Robinson said, adding: “In a game like this, it’s down to the big players. They have a couple of key players. We have a couple of key players. I’m hoping my guys step up.”

And don’t trip over this opportunit­y.

 ?? — CP FILES ?? Vancouver defender Kendall Waston hopes to keep his team in first place with a win against the Portland Timbers in the last regular season game on Sunday.
— CP FILES Vancouver defender Kendall Waston hopes to keep his team in first place with a win against the Portland Timbers in the last regular season game on Sunday.
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 ?? — CP FILES ?? “We’re going there to try to win the game,” Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson says of Sunday’s matchup against the Portland Timbers. “I want a performanc­e. I want the guys to show me how important it is to play on this club with first place on the...
— CP FILES “We’re going there to try to win the game,” Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson says of Sunday’s matchup against the Portland Timbers. “I want a performanc­e. I want the guys to show me how important it is to play on this club with first place on the...

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