This is the third time the Caps have advanced into the postseason in five years, and they’ll be hoping that this time around they can improve on the first round exits they had the previous two outings. With a mixture of speedy young wingers, creative centres, and an experienced back line, it looks like this might finally be their year.
Heading into the playoffs, the Vancouver Whitecaps are in a bit of a lull, with only one win in the past two months. However, the season on the whole can definitely be considered a success, considering what the expectations were at the beginning of the year. The Whitecaps were able to win their first major trophy, the Amway Canadian Championship, against the Montreal Impact. This not only gave BC Place an extra piece of silverware for its trophy cabinet, but also the guarantee of hosting matches in next year’s CONCACAF Champions League.
However, all the highs and lows of the previous 34 matches are thrown out the window when the playoffs begin. The teams are only given 90 minutes to serve up a spectacular performance, or else face the prospect of a dark, cold winter filled with ‘what-ifs.’ The Whitecaps will be looking to a core set of players to help them deliver in these tense matches.
Starting from the back, the Caps will be happy to have one of the best goalkeepers in the league, David Ousted, protecting their net. Ever since coming over from Danish side Randers FC, Ousted has helped Vancouver reach new heights with a mixture of superb saves and quick distribution, which plays right into the Caps counter-attacking style. Helping him protect the net is a powerful defense anchored by Kendall Waston. This towering Costa Rican, together with Steven Beitashour, Pa-Modou Kah, and Jordan Harvey, has helped the Whitecaps achieve many a shutout.
The architect steering Vancouver’s midfield is Pedro Morales. For the past couple of seasons, he has done a stellar job of distributing the ball to the many speedsters on the squad, such as Kekuta Manneh and Darren Mattocks. Potentially joining him in the midfield are two Canadians, Russell Teibert and Marco Bustos. Both are hardworking, creative players who can definitely influence the game in the Caps’ favour.
Up top, the Whitecaps will be looking at Designated Player Octavio Rivero to add some goals. Though he has been rather inconsistent throughout the season, he’ll only need one moment of brilliance to become a hero in Vancouver.
At this time, the exact playoff matchups have yet to be finalized. However, if the Whitecaps wish to win their first MLS Cup, they’ll have to go through some tough opposition. The best team in the West is FC Dallas, a team that Vancouver has a 1–1–1 record against, so they know that any game against Dallas is bound to be close. They also lost last year in the playoffs to them, a game which featured a more-than-questionable penalty call.
Two potential matches the fans would love to see would be against either the Portland Timbers or the Seattle Sounders, the Whitecaps’ Cascadia rivals. Out east, both Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact made the playoffs, which gives the Whitecaps a chance to play in an all Canadian final, something all fans north of the 49th would love.
Regardless of who Vancouver play in the postseason, they know that the whole squad needs to play the games of their lives. But with a solid backline, creative midfield, and quick forwards, the sky’s the limit for the Whitecaps.
