COMMERCE CITY, CO - Coming off a massive win in Dallas, Vancouver Whitecaps FC will now travel to Colorado in search of their third straight win away from home.
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. PT | TV: TSN 1 | RADIO: TSN 1410 radio
Saturday's showdown in Colorado is the second of a three-match road swing for the ‘Caps before they head home for a Pride Night battle against Houston Dynamo. Whitecaps FC sit in the sixth, and final playoff spot in the West, while the Rapids occupy the basement of the conference.
Trap match?
Yes, the Rapids sit at the bottom of the Western Conference, which makes this a potential trap match for the 'Caps.
But Whitecaps FC midfielder Tony Tchani has been around the league a long time and knows all too well about getting caught up in the opponent's standing.
“Every team is different," he said this week. "We know in this league that teams game in and game out are different. Going into Colorado we have to make sure we attack the game like we did against FC Dallas. Even though they are last in the West that doesn’t matter because on any day they can beat any team.”
Montero finding his groove
It’s been a bit of a roller coaster season for Whitecaps FC striker Fredy Montero.
Four goals in the month of April had fans in this town buzzing, but then the Colombian only found the back of the net once in May and June. Now, Montero seems to be on the upswing again with three goals in his last four matches.
At the end of the day though, he cares more about the team's success than this personal stats.
“For me it’s a matter of scoring goals to help the team," Montero said. "I’m happy that the goals I scored and the assist I gave was enough to get three points.”
Rapids still believe in playoffs
Entering Saturday's match with the ‘Caps, the Rapids find themselves 10 points behind Vancouver for the final playoff spot in the West. A win would see them only seven points back with 13 matches to play, certainly not an impossible feat. Rapids keeper Tim Howard says his club still firmly believe they can qualify for the playoffs once again.
“Even though we’re in last place at the moment we feel like we’re one or two wins away from really pushing for a playoff spot," he said. "It might take us until the last weekend of the season, but we feel as if we have the ability to continue to push. I know that’s hard for some people to believe, but we believe.”
Video review begins
After years of planning, video review is being implemented across MLS for the first time this Saturday. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be eligible to review four match-changing situations: goals, penalty decisions, direct red cards, and cases of mistaken identity. Click here for a closer look at how it's going to work.
