Whitecaps FC have officially reached the midpoint of their 2017 MLS season.
And before the team gears up to resume the second half of their seventh season in MLS and head south of the border to face one of their direct playoff competitors, LA Galaxy this Wednesday, it’s time to look back at where this edition of the 'Caps ranks in comparison to previous iterations of the club at the halfway mark of seasons' past.
Similar record, working toward different outcome
Strictly by the numbers, it might be difficult for an outsider to predict what the future holds for the 'Caps in the second half of this season.
That’s because at the midway point of last year’s MLS season, the team held an identical record of 7W-7L-3D after 17 games played. At that time, the team was holding onto fourth place in the Western Conference after a thrilling 3-2 win against Philadelphia Union.
Fast-forward one year later and Carl Robinson’s men face a similar situation.
A 7W-7L-3D record after 17 games this season was capped off by a magisterial performance by Peruvian Yordy Reyna in his home debut, which helped lift the team to a 3-2 win over star-studded New York City FC. The win pushed the ‘Caps into sixth place in the Western Conference, just above the red line.
Contribution across the pitch
The team’s attack currently counts 12 goalscorers among their ranks, with striker Fredy Montero leading the charge with six goals and winger Cristian Techera a close second at five. Last year's ‘Caps had 10 goalscorers on the scoresheet after 17 games and 2015’s roster (the team that ended with the best Whitecaps FC season to date, finishing second in the West and winning the Canadian Championship) had only nine.
With Canada and Costa Rica going through to the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and potentially further, Robinson will be without many of his key players, including Alphonso Davies, Russell Teibert, Marcel de Jong and defensive linchpin Kendall Waston. But with the likes of Reyna now at full health and Australian Bernie Ibini eager to make his mark, the 'Caps have squad depth that may very well prove vital in keeping them in this year’s playoff picture.
The ‘Caps have also received a significant offensive boost off the bench this season.
Five times in 2017, a Whitecaps FC player has come off the bench and contributed key points for the team,. Two of those occasions served as game-winning goals - scored by Brek Shea against Tim Howard and the Colorado Rapids on the road back in May, and most recently by Yordy Reyna’s diving header against NYCFC at BC Place.
Montero has also made sure to contribute as a super-sub when called upon as he entered the match against the LA Galaxy back in April as a halftime substitute for Erik Hurtado. With Vancouver trailing 2-1, Montero would go on to score in the 66th minute to spark the ‘Caps comeback, and set up the assist on Matias Laba’s game-winning goal in the eventual 4-2 come-from-behind win against the Galaxy.
Defenders have chipped in on offence as well. Waston, Jordan Harvey, and Tim Parker have combined for four goals so far. Add in output from defensive midfielders Laba and Andrew Jacobson, and you have seven of the 'Caps 24 total goals coming from unlikely sources.
Reaching a critical juncture
With the first half of the MLS season already in the books and the second half soon to begin, the next few weeks will be crucial in determining which clubs improve or consolidate their playoff positions, and which clubs will be left behind at the end of the regular season.
For Whitecaps FC, that mission continues this week in California as they look to sweep LA Galaxy in their second and final meeting this season on Wednesday night.
Tune in at 7:30 p.m. PT on TSN1/3 and TSN Radio 1040 to catch the action.
