Surging Caps look to keep the ball rolling

It's been a year of firsts and precedents, opposites and opportunities lost.

Would anyone in 2019 have predicted the Vancouver Whitecaps hosting the Seattle Sounders ... in a home game at Providence Park in Portland?

The Caps will host one Cascadia rival in another Cascadia rival's home park at the end of October, one of 11 remaining regular-season games according to a schedule released on Tuesday.

First up, though, is tonight's date with LAFC at the Banc of California in SoCal.

The Whitecaps (5-7-0) have five wins and currently occupy a playoff spot, having won three of their last four games.

On the other side of the centre line, the defending Supporters' Shield champs (4-5-3) have just four wins, are below the playoff line, and have won just two of their last eight games.

Vancouver has scored 10 of its 17 goals in its last four fixtures.

In contrast, L.A. has scored four goals in the same span — all coming in a 4-2 victory over Portland. They were blanked in the other three outings.

Tonight's game will mark the third time Caps coach Marc Dos Santos has faced his former club and his mentor in LAFC's Bob Bradley. They have split their previous results, the Caps winning 1-0 at home to halt L.A.'s record start in 2019, with FC winning 6-1 at home later that season.

“I know exactly the team we're going to face,” said Dos Santos. “Their soccer doesn't change. A lot of play inside, a lot of possession, a lot of creativity, a huge reaction to the loss of possession. That's all going to be there.”

L.A.'s issues don't stem from a lack of scoring; their 25 goals trail only the Seattle Sounders.

LAFC has a negative goal differential for the first time in its three-year existence. The absence of centre back Walker Zimmerman (sold to Nashville FC) and injuries to defenders Triston Blackmon, Mohamed Traore and Andy Najar, as well as midfielder Edward Atuesta have all played a huge role.

Najar and Atuesta returned to the lineup last week against Seattle and saw limited minutes in a 3-0 loss. Star forward Carlos Vela has also been out long term with a knee injury.

“Facing adversity and having a real way as a group to play through it, that's the challenge for us,” Bradley said this week.

“When you go through a tough stretch, it just seems like no matter what, things go against you.”

Adversity is also what awaits the Whitecaps, as they will relocate to Portland for the rest of the season.

Dos Santos described it thusly: “In a normal situation, Portland is one of the nicest cities, with the most energy, in the U.S. Right now, it looks like Gotham City. It looks grey, it looks abandoned, it looks sad. Hopefully things change.”

Players and staff have the option of returning to Vancouver for a few days following the Sept. 27 game against the Timbers, but must remain in strict quarantine, including a training ban.

The Caps play four road games and seven “home” games — including four straight to conclude the regular season — at Providence Park.