Minnesota United FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
MLS Regular Season - Week 5 - Match 5
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 - 6:11 p.m. PT
Allianz Field, St. Paul, MN
TV: TSN1/4 - RADIO: AM730
MIDWEST SWING: After three home matches in the first four weeks of the season, the surging 'Caps now have three consecutive road games on the horizon, beginning with a visit to Minnesota on Wednesday, then Kansas City on Sunday. For the first time this season, the 'Caps will be playing in front of opposing fans in the upcoming road matches. Whitecaps FC will be travelling on matchday for the Wednesday evening game.
ROTATION REQUIRED?: Head coach Marc Dos Santos has elected to go with minimal changes to his XI in the first month, with 10 players starting each outing in their 2W-1L-1D start. The second match in a nine-day stretch, the midweek game may be the first depth test of the season. Among those looking for their first start are offseason acquisition Bruno Gaspar and Ryan Raposo, who has come off the bench in all four games. Leonard Owusu made his return from injury as a second-half substitute last Saturday, and the 'Caps have their full Utah squad participating at training this week.
PIECE BY PIECE: The 'Caps once again found production off their set pieces over the weekend, cashing in on the Colombian connection of Cristian Dajome and Deiber Caicedo off a corner kick. Whitecaps FC lead MLS with three goal assists from set plays, after tallying only one in 2020.
LOON SWOON: The 'Caps face a dangerous MNUFC side that are looking to break out amidst an early-season funk. The Loons entered the season with high expectations after a deep run in the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs that saw them reach the Western Conference Final. MNUFC are stacked in the middle of the park, with Emanuel Reynoso serving as the key playmaker, and fellow Designated Player Ján Gregus providing support. Wil Trapp and old 'Caps nemesis Osvaldo Alonso give Minnesota valuable MLS experience against a 'Caps side that already has a pair of clean sheets this year, after finishing 2020 with only three. Caio Alexandre and Janio Bikel partnered up at centre mid for the 'Caps for the first time against CF Montreal.
AVAILABILITY REPORT
Injured
Michael Baldisimo: Questionable - right ankle sprain suffered on April 28 in training, return to match status is day-to-day
Erik Godoy: Questionable - right calf strain suffered vs. Real Monarchs on April 6, return to match status is day-to-day
Awaiting visa approval from US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Ali Adnan: training in Vancouver, BC
RECENT & UPCOMING MILESTONES
Russell Teibert's next appearance will be his 250th for club and country. He made his his 222nd appearance for VWFC across all competitions in Week 4, landing him in the top 10 in club history, tied with Paul Dolan.
Jake Nerwinski made his 100th appearance in all MLS competitions in Week 4, including MLS is Back Tournament Knockout Stage and Playoffs.
HEAD TO HEAD VS. MINNESOTA UNITED FC
All-time
WFC record vs. MNUFC: 2W-2L-2D
Home games:
2W-1L-0D (9 GF, 5 GA)
Road games:
0W-1L-2D (2 GF, 3 GA)
The two clubs have split their first six MLS meetings, each with two wins plus two draws. Though they played each other in the 2020 preseason in Portland, the two clubs did not face each other during the regular season. Tonight is the first of three meetings in 2021. The 'Caps host MNUFC on July 31 and October 27.
2019
March 2 at BC Place (VAN 2:3 MIN)
July 27 at Allianz Field (MIN 0:0 VAN)
After losing a high-scoring affair in the 2019 season opener to MNUFC at BC Place, the 'Caps played strong defensively in the last meeting between the two clubs. Whitecaps FC prevented the Loons from getting a shot on target until the dying seconds, securing a point in the scoreless draw at Allianz Field.
CONNECTIONS WITH MINNESOTA UNITED FC
Former teammates
Andy Rose with Osvaldo Alonso (‘12-’15) and Niko Hansen (then a U-23 player '14) at SEA.
Marc Dos Santos, then an assistant coach, with Tyler Miller at LAFC ('18)
Marc Dos Santos, then USL affiate Swope Park Rangers head coach as well as assistant to first-team coach Peter Vermes, with Ike Opara at SKC ('16). Dos Santos also coached Adrian Zendejas for Swope Park
Evan Newton with Ike Opara at SJ ('12)
Assistant coach Ricardo Clark with Niko Hansen at CLB ('18-'19 as players) and at HOU ('20 with Clark as youth coach). Wil Trapp was also a teammate at CLB.
Formerly with Whitecaps FC
Michael Boxall at VAN (’11): 20 GS, 21 GP. He was selected first overall in the ‘11 MLS Supplemental Draft by Whitecaps FC ahead of its inaugural MLS season.
MIN assistant coach Ian Fuller at VAN (’05): 2 G, 2 A in 14 GS and 20 GP
MIN technical director Mark Watson at VAN (’93-’94, ’05): 35 GS, 38 GP. The Vancouver native, who also played for the UBC Thunderbirds, has represented Canada MNT as a player and as an assistant coach. He was the 1997 Canadian Player of the Year.
MIN goalkeeper coach Stewart Kerr served in the same role at VAN ('17-'18)
Canada
Dayne St. Clair is from Ontario, Canada.
Callum Montgomery was born in Nanaimo, BC and grew up on Vancouver Island. He has played for Canada at the youth level.
Argentina
Erik Godoy, Ramón Ábila, Emanuel Reynoso
Jamaican national team
Javain Brown and Justin McMaster, both born in 1999, have both played for the Jamaican national team at the youth levels. Brown also has four caps for the senior team.
MATCHDAY MEALS
Get 15% off orders of $12+ from Matchday Meals restaurants in Vancouver. Order a meal of $12 or more from a participating merchant in Vancouver and use the promo code ‘MATCHDAY15’ to receive 15% off. Click here for details.
FRIES 4 FANS
Free fries on matchday! To redeem your free fries, simply download the A&W app, add your fries and at least one more item to your cart, and then enter the code WHITECAPS at checkout. Click here for details.
