VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs. COLORADO RAPIDS
BC PLACE • Vancouver, British Columbia
July 9, 2016 • Week 18 • MLS Game #180
10pm ET (TSN, MLS LIVE, Altitude)
A vital match in the Western Conference is ahead when Vancouver Whitecaps FC meet the Colorado Rapids for the first time this season on Saturday evening at BC Place. Whitecaps FC return home following a 2-0 loss at the LA Galaxy last weekend that left them right on the red line, tied for sixth place in the conference. The Rapids sit in second place, just a point out of first and top spot in the MLS overall table, their undefeated streak now at 11 games overall following a second consecutive scoreless draw in a result with the Portland Timbers on Monday evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
- Whitecaps FC weren’t able to build upon a first win in their last four matches, falling 2-0 to the LA Galaxy on Monday evening at StubHub Center.
- Tim Howard recorded the shutout, making two saves in his first MLS start in nearly 13 years, as the Rapids reached a scoreless draw with the Portland Timbers on the Fourth of July at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. It was Howard’s first shutout in an MLS game since May 17, 2003, when he did it for the MetroStars – at Colorado.
- The teams met three times a season ago, and the home team won each. The Rapids won twice at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, a 1-0 win on May 23, and a a 2-1 win July 4. Whitecaps FC took a 2-0 win Sept. 9 in the lone matchup at BC Place.
- The Rapids have won the last five meetings between the teams at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Whitecaps FC won there in 2012 for their lone triumph on the Rapids’ home ground. The Rapids win April 5, 2014 in Vancouver was their second victory ever at BC Place, now in seven visits all-time.
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REFEREE: Allen Chapman. AR1 (bench): Mike Rottersman; AR2 (opposite): Brian Dunn; 4th: Alex Chilowicz
MLS Career: 78 games; FC/gm: 23.6; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 18; pens: 31
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: VAN: Blas Perez … COL: Axel Sjoberg
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: VAN: Pa-Modou Kah, Pedro Morales, Matias Laba … COL: Mekeil Williams, Jermaine Jones, Shkelzen Gashi, Eric Miller
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Whitecaps FC 5 wins, 16 goals … Rapids 8 wins, 18 goals … Ties 1
AT VANCOUVER (7 meetings): Whitecaps FC 4 wins, 11 goals … Rapids 2 wins, 6 goals … Ties 1
RETURN MATCHES: 8/6: Colorado Rapids vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 7 p.m. MT; 9/24: Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Colorado Rapids, 4 p.m. PT
