Whitecaps aim to halt skid against Real Salt Lake

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps want to stop the bleeding before they hit the road.

The Major League Soccer club heads into today’s home game against Real Salt Lake with just two victories over its last eight following a blistering 4-1-0 start to the season. It wants to leave B.C. Place Stadium on a winning note before the FIFA Women’s World Cup takes over the venue for the next six weeks.

“It’s down to mentality,” said Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted, whose team has lost two straight for the first time in 2015. “It is a long season and there will be ups and downs, but we need to nip it in the bud.”

Despite the recent downturn, Vancouver (6-5-2) remains entrenched in the top half of the ultra-tight Western Conference. The Whitecaps have picked up just four points since beating Salt Lake (4-4-5) in Utah on April 18, but enter the weekend still in a relatively good position because no other team has been able to pull away.

“I try to focus on what we need to do ... and not look at the standings,” said Ousted. “I don’t see any teams that will not challenge for a playoff spot. It’s going to be a grind.”

Winning at home is vitally important in MLS because of what can be at times be a gruelling travel schedule, however the Whitecaps actually have a slightly better road record this season (3-2-1) compared to their mark at B.C. Place (3-3-1).

Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson wants to play an attractive brand of soccer, especially at home, but his players have been caught out of position at times, with a recent 2-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders a prime example.

“Our mindset at home is we want to play well, we want to get off on the front foot and we want to be proactive,” said Robinson.