COMMERCE CITY, COLORADO – Vancouver Whitecaps FC return to Colorado on Saturday night for a rematch with the Rapids
KICKOFF: 6 p.m. PT TV: TSN RADIO: TSN 1410 MOBILE:bell.ca/mobiletvONLINE: TSN GO
Here are three storylines to get you set for the match.
MAN OF THE MOMENT
What a month it’s been for David Ousted.
We’ve all but run out of superlatives for the Danish shot-stopper after he’s put in a string of impressive displays over recent weeks. It’s perhaps no surprise then to see the Great Dane named MLS Player of the Month for June, an accolade he fully deserves according to his teammates.
“He’s the top goalkeeper in MLS,” left back Jordan Harvey told reporters at training this week. “He’s gotten us wins. I think throughout the season, if you look back on the games, he’s probably gotten us nine points here and there. For me, he’s the all-star and MVP of our team this season.”
The boss agrees.
“He was excellent for us last year and he’s come in this year and he wants to take it to the next level,” Carl Robinson said of his shot-stopper. “He comes up with big saves at the right times and you need your goalkeeper to do that.”
The question is, can the Great Dane continue his fine form with another eye-catching performance against Colorado this weekend?
OUT FOR REVENGE
The ‘Caps will be out for revenge when they return to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park this Saturday. The July 4 match will be the second time that Robinson's team have visited the Rapids this season and the coach will be looking to set the record straight after a rain-delayed 1-0 defeat back in May.
“We didn’t beat them earlier on in the season,” the coach said on Tuesday. “They deserved to beat us, even though we played well. We’ve got to find a way to get a result out of that game because it’s a very difficult game for us.”
He’s not wrong. The Rapids have won the last four meetings between the two teams at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. In fact, the ‘Caps haven’t won in Commerce City since all the way back in 2012.
But while history isn't on the Blue and White’s side, the formbook certainly is. Colorado’s 2-0 defeat to Sporting Kansas City last weekend extended their winless streak to six matches. Contrast that with the 'Caps, who are riding a three-match road win streak and there may not be a better time for the team to break their Rapids hoodoo.
ENDING ON A HIGH
Speaking of roadtrips, this Saturday will mark the final stop on the team's epic five-match stint. At the start of the season many people predicted that the six-week stretch would be a turning point for the squad’s season, a make or break stretch that could come to define their 2015 campaign.
If that’s the case, then with three wins in four matches – including streak-busting wins against LA Galaxy and New England - the ‘Caps have certainly made a statement, one they could add an exclamation point to with another three points against the Rapids this Saturday.
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