“Exciting games. These are rivalry games for us, these are championship games for us.”
The words of Whitecaps FC midfielder Russell Teibert, when asked about the upcoming fixtures against Toronto FC and Montreal Impact.
The MLS announced the fixtures would continue in the Canadian home market, and Whitecaps FC, Toronto FC, and Montreal Impact will face each other in the first phase of the reworked 2020 MLS regular season schedule.
The stakes? A spot in the 2020 Canadian Championship Final against the Canadian Premier League winners for the right to hoist the Voyageurs Cup and a qualification for the next edition of the Concacaf Champions League.
“They’re going to be a battle regardless of the day and the occasion. There’s no better way to kick things back off than this,” says Teibert.
Teibert who returns home to Ontario after some time is looking forward to the challenge, and is excited at getting back on the pitch and playing soccer again.
Bringing points home
Marc Dos Santos believes these games are crucial, and how important it is to bring points back from their away fixtures.
“This first game against Toronto is really important. The more points we bring home, it gives us belief, an advantage.”
The Whitecaps FC head coach stresses that the three home fixtures will mean more to the team if they can get points while on the road as well.
“We’re playing for points in the Canadian Championships, but we’re also playing for points that will affect our MLS standing,” says Dos Santos. “The club wants to be in the Champions League, and hopefully we can put ourselves in that position.”
Back at it
Whitecaps FC forward Tosaint Ricketts, who was forced to stay home during the MLS is Back Tournament due to a health condition, is looking forward to returning to the soccer pitch.
“There were a lot of positives from the MLS is Back tournament, and the boys who stayed back in Vancouver are excited to get going, and get back involved.”
Ricketts says that despite not being in Orlando for the tournament, the players who stayed back made sure they kept up their fitness levels.
“We were working hard, we were on the field everyday, we were at the gym everyday pushing our fitness levels. We were preparing ourselves for when the boys came back home. I feel fit, I feel strong and healthy and that’s all I can ask for.”
Personal motivation
Ricketts faces his former side for the first time since he left in 2018, and is excited at the prospect of playing them again.
“This is a matchup I’ve been looking forward to ever since my return to MLS. Any chance you get to play against Canadian teams, you have to relish it it, they are our rivals,” Rickets says.
These games clearly have a lot of meaning to every team involved, but Ricketts says it’s the 'Caps goal to qualify for the Champions League.
“This is a great opportunity for us to take steps towards that goal,” says Ricketts.
