BRIDGEVIEW, ILLINOIS – Vancouver Whitecaps FC are set to take on Chicago Fire Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park in their first road match of the 2015 season.
KICKOFF: 3 p.m. PT TV: TSN1/3/4 RADIO: TSN 1410 MOBILE:bell.ca/mobiletv, ONLINE:TSN GO.
Here are three storylines to get you set for the match.
BOUNCING BACK
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<b>Robinson sets up Saturday's match vs. Chicago</b> |
Last weekend’s defeat to Toronto FC marked the first time Whitecaps FC have lost a season opener in MLS. They had a perfect 4W-0L-0D record coming into it.
So how will they respond?
We’ll find out on Saturday, but the ‘Caps made it clear this week that they’re not dwelling on the season-opening defeat. There were some positives (mainly in the first half) and some areas for improvement (mainly in the second half), but it’s time to move on.
“We lost a game,” Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson told reporters this week. “It’s one game. And we move on. We would have liked to have won the game, unfortunately we didn’t. But you don’t turn into a good team overnight and you don’t turn into a bad team overnight. We just need to find our rhythm and groove. And hopefully that will come on Saturday.”
SNAPPING THE STREAK
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Toyota Park hasn’t been kind to Whitecaps FC since they joined MLS in 2011.
The ‘Caps are still searching for their first goal at Chicago’s home grounds – they’ve been held off the scoresheet in three previous matches. That includes a scoreless draw last season.
Can they snap the scoreless streak on Saturday?
NEW VS. OLD
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No team made more changes than Chicago Fire in the offseason. Fire head coach Frank Yallop brought in 13 new players, including Designated Players David Accam, Kennedy Igboananike, and Shaun Maloney, and parted ways with 16.
In contrast, only one team made fewer changes than Whitecaps FC and that was the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy. Robinson brought in six new players, including Young Designated Player Octavio Rivero who scored in his debut last weekend, and parted ways with eight.
Yallop and Robinson, who both took over their respective teams at the beginning of the 2014 season, opted for very different strategies.
It will be interesting to see which one pays off this weekend.
Be a part of the best sporting atmosphere in Vancouver! Whitecaps FC Season Tickets are now on sale. In addition to Season Tickets, Whitecaps FC offer a flexible range of ticket products, including Half-Season Packs, 5-Packs, a Youth Soccer Half-Season Ticket, and single match tickets. For more information, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
