Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. New England Revolution | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. New England Revolution
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 13
BC Place — Vancouver
May 26 - 5:30 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/3/4/5, ESPN+

Looking for MLS LIVE? It's now on ESPN+. Sign up for a free trial!

After three consecutive 2-2 draws, Vancouver Whitecaps FC look to get back in the win column Saturday afternoon, but it won’t be easy because the New England Revolution will come to BC Place attempting to bounce back from a 1-0 home loss to Columbus Crew SC.

Vancouver have only beaten New England twice in eight regular season games (4L-2D) and haven’t beaten the Revolution since the 2015 season, per Opta.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Carl Robinson made five changes to a side that drew the San Jose Earthquakes, 2-2, last Wednesday, bringing Brett Levis and Jakob Nerwinski back in at outside backs and Brek Shea and Bernie Ibini-Isei wide in the midfield in his preferred 4-4-2.

After falling behind 2-0 with 12 minutes left, Vancouver (4-5-4) rallied to score twice in the final eight minutes to forge a 2-2 draw with FC Dallas as Kei Kamara scored from the penalty spot in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time following a Maynor Figueroa own goal.

“I think Brad’s come in and implemented his own philosophy and style,” Robinson said of Revs coach Brad Friedel. “They’re a high pressing team, they’re very aggressive, very physical, we know that. They’ve got a lot of personnel from last year that we know, but they’re a good team.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Kendall Waston
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: GK - Stefan Marinovic (left knee sprain), M - Jordon Mutch (right hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Brian Rowe — Jakob Nerwinski, Kendall Waston, Jose Aja, Marcel de Jong — Cristian Techera, Felipe, Efrain Juarez, Alphonso Davies — Yordy Reyna, Kei Kamara

Notes: Kamara scored last weekend to snap a four-game scoreless streak and to get his fourth in nine games for the Whitecaps. Kamara scored 19 goals in 52 regular season appearances for New England between 2016 and 2017, and the Revolution were 19W-23L-6D in the 48 games Kamara started. … Vancouver have won just once in their last seven league matches (4L-2D), conceding multiple goals in five of those seven games.

New England Revolution

Friedel made two changes to a side that defeated Toronto FC, 3-2, the previous week, with Brandon Bye playing wide right in a five-man midfield and Cristian Penilla partnering with Teal Bunbury up top in a new-look 3-5-2 formation as the Revs (5-4-2) were without Diego Fagundez, suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

In a game with little separating the two teams, Lalas Abubakar provided the difference five minutes from full time with a headed goal following a Federico Higuain corner kick.

“I think what we’ve been doing all season long is following a difficult result, sticking together as a team and going out there and outworking the opponent,” Bunbury said at training this week. “I think those are going to be big keys for us. We know Vancouver’s a good team. We know we’re playing on the road, but we have a talented group of guys. As long as we stick together, we’re going to be able to get three points.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Luis Caicedo, D - Claude Dielna
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Isaac Angking (illness); QUESTIONABLE: F - Juan Agudelo (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-1-1, right to left)
GK: Matt Turner — Andrew Farrell, Antonio Delamea, Jalil Anibaba, Chris Tierney — Cristian Penilla, Luis Caicedo, Scott Caldwell, Kelyn Rowe — Diego Fagundez — Teal Bunbury

Notes: The Revs have conceded two own goals this year, the only team in the league with more than one own goal. Only four teams conceded more in 2017. … The Revolution have only won twice in their last 23 MLS road matches (17L-4D), dating back to September 25, 2016. They allowed multiple goals in all but four of those games.

All-Time Series

Overall: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 wins, 9 goals … New England Revolution 4 wins, 13 goals … 2 ties
At Vancouver: Whitecaps FC 1 win, 6 goals … Revolution 1 win, 6 goals … 1 tie
Last meeting at Vancouver: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1, New England Revolution 2 (June 18, 2016)