VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC visit league newcomers Orlando City SC on Saturday afternoon in a hotly anticipated matchup at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.
KICKOFF: 4:30 p.m. PT TV: TSN1 RADIO: TSN 1410 MOBILE: bell.ca/mobiletvONLINE: TSN GO
Here are three storylines to get you set for Saturday’s match.
REPLACING ROSALES
While everyone was understandably upbeat after the ‘Caps secured their first win of the 2015 season last weekend, the three points came at a price with veteran winger Mauro Rosales limping off before the half. The Argentine had been in the thick of the action during the early exchanges but had to be withdrawn after a physical challenge from Chicago’s Lovel Palmer.
"It was a tough tackle,” coach Carl Robinson told reporters during training this week. “[Rosales] has gone for a scan but he definitely won’t be back in the near future. It’s no break. I think it’s a sprain, but he’s very fortunate if it is a sprain because the followthrough could have been very serious."
Any team would miss a player of Rosales’ calibre. After all, there are few men that can call on 120 MLS matches worth of experience. But the good news is that the ‘Caps have plenty of options ready to replace him, including Nicolas Mezquida.
The Uruguayan midfielder looked bright when he came on for Rosales last weekend, linking up well with his countryman Octavio Rivero and even carving out a couple of chances of his own. That chemistry could hold Mezquida in good stead come Saturday as he battles with Kianz Froese, Erik Hurtado and Darren Mattocks to replace Rosales in the starting lineup.
CONTAINING KAKÁ
How do you solve a problem like Kaká?
That’s the question that will be on coach Robinson’s mind as his team gets ready to face the 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year on Saturday. The talismanic midfielder has been a key figure in Orlando’s bright start to their inaugural MLS season, scoring their last minute equalizer against NYCFC in week 1 and pulling the strings against Houston in week 2.
“He’s definitely a great player – not a good player, a great player,” Whitecaps FC fullback Steven Beitashour said of Kaká this week. “He drives that team.”
Of course, the ‘Caps have a playmaker of their own in the form of Chilean skipper Pedro Morales, but the responsibility for shackling the former AC Milan, Real Madrid and Sao Paulo star will fall to another South American, Matias Laba.
Laba was one of the team’s standout performers last season and has shown no sign of slowing down in 2015. But the energetic Argentine faces one of the biggest challenges of his career at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday, one which the ‘Caps number 15 isn’t likely to forget in a hurry!
THREE IN A ROW FOR RIVERO?
We told you he was good.
Striker Octavio Rivero has wasted no time in endearing himself to the Whitecaps FC faithful. After scoring the only goal in the ‘team’s opening day defeat against Toronto FC, the Uruguayan made it two after scoring the winner in the ‘Caps road win in the Windy City.
It wasn’t just Rivero’s ability in front of net that had fans and pundits purring, however. His all-around game attracted plenty of attention too.
"I thought his performance all around was absolutely fantastic," Robinson told the media after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Chicago. "His hold up play was good and it was a good, typical centre forward performance which suits our team down to the ground and he got his reward in the end."
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