Vancouver Whitecaps welcomes Seattle Sounders to BC Place for an MLS Western Conference clash. The Whitecaps are usually formidable at home and should do enough to avoid defeat on Monday.
The Whitecaps come into this fixture off the back of a 5-0 defeat to Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. That was their first defeat since mid-March, a run stretching back to nine matches.
Things are much smoother on the domestic front for Vancouver, who have only lost one league game all season and sit two points clear at the top of the Western Conference. Their campaign has been built on a formidable home form as Jesper Sorensen's men are unbeaten in their last seven MLS fixtures, picking up four wins and three draws in that run.
Seattle Sounders were beaten in their previous MLS fixture, falling to a 3-2 defeat to Minnesota United. That result highlights their recent erratic form which has seen them pick up two wins and suffer as many defeats in their last five matches.
It is a worse situation on the road as Seattle earned just two wins from their last 10 away matches across all competitions. They have been beaten five times in that run, with some heavy defeats among the results like the 4-0 thrashing at Los Angeles FC.
How the bookies view it: Bookies backing Seattle
Seattle Sounders have been installed as favourites, with a win priced at evens by BoyleSports. Despite their solid home form, Vancouver Whitecaps are considered outsiders at 12/5, with a draw set at odds of 9/4.
Head to head: Seattle Sounders on top
Seattle Sounders have a 22-14 advantage with 14 draws from 50 previous matches against Vancouver Whitecaps. The Sounders picked up a 3-0 away victory in the last meeting between both teams back in October.
Players to watch: Rios to step up
With top scorer Brian White on national team duty, Daniel Rios is expected to lead the line for Vancouver Whitecaps. The forward, who has played second fiddle to White this season, will be relishing his chance in the limelight and is priced at 5/2 by BoyleSports to get on the score sheet.
Albert Rusnak is the leading scorer for Seattle Sounders with seven goals and could be worth keeping an eye on. He was on target in the last meeting with Vancouver and could be tipped to find the net once again (anytime goalscorer at 5/2).
Probable lineups:
White and Pedro Vite are both unavailable for Vancouver Whitecaps, with both men on international duty with USA and Ecuador respectively. Ryan Gauld is out injured but Rios, Ali Ahmed and Jayden Nelson are all in line to start.
Seattle Sounders will be without Jordan Morris, Kee-Hee Kim, Paul Arriola, and Yeimar Gomez due to several injuries. However, Danny Musovski, Obed Vargas and Rusnak are expected to be in the lineup.
Vancouver Whitecaps: Takaoka, Ocampo, Vaselinovic, Blackmon, Adekugbe, Priso-Mbongue, Cubas, Ngando, Ahmed, Nelson, Rios
Seattle Sounders: Frei, Nouhou, Ragen, Bell, Kossa-Rienzi, Roldan, Vargas, Rothrock, Rusnak, de La Vega, Musovski
Anything else catch the eye?
Seven of Vancouver Whitecaps’ last nine matches have produced over 2.5 goals, which is priced at 4/5 by BoyleSports. Both teams have also scored in six of those matches and a repeat is valued at 8/13.
Vancouver Whitecaps lost the last clash with Seattle Sounders but will be feeling confident heading into this one, having gone unbeaten in their last seven home matches. They could be backed to earn a win or draw – available at 3/4.
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