Vancouver Whitecaps vs. New York City FC | MLS Match Preview

MLSsoccer staff

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC vs NEW YORK CITY FC
BC PLACE, Vancouver, B.C.
September 26, 2015 (WEEK 30, MLS Game #303)
7 p.m. PT (TSN1; YES)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC and New York City FC meet for the first time ever in a key match for the playoff ambitions of both clubs on Saturday evening at BC Place. Whitecaps FC come into the game holding down first place in the Western Conference and tied for the Supporters’ Shield, despite coming off a 3-0 home loss to Seattle Sounders FC in league play last weekend. NYCFC have won two consecutive matches to remain in the hunt for a playoff berth in their first MLS season, sitting five points below the red line after their 3-2 home win vs. the San Jose Earthquakes last weekend.

Whitecaps FC had their four-game home winning streak come to a crashing halt, falling to a 3-0 defeat by archrivals Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday afternoon at BC Place. It was their second home loss to Sounders FC this season (also falling 2-0 on May 16).
NYCFC won their second consecutive match, Ned Grabavoy scored a pair of goals in a game for the second time in his 12-year MLS career in a 3-2 victory against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at Yankee Stadium.
David Villa scored his 16th goal this season – now sitting third in the MLS Golden Boot standings – netting the final game vs. the Earthquakes.
The teams are meeting for the first time ever.

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REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. AR1 (bench): Mike Kampmeinert; AR2 (opposite): Marco Arruda; 4th: Baboucarr Jallow
MLS Career: 210 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 60; pens: 70

SUSPENDED: NYC: Chris Wingert (caution accumulation; through Sept. 27)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: VAN: Sam Adekugbe, Steven Beitashour, Gershon Koffie, Pa-Modou Kah, Kendall Waston … NYC: R.J. Allen, Jason Hernandez, Andrew Jacobson, Josh Saunders, Kwame Watson-Siriboe
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: VAN: Jordan Harvey, Nicolas Mezquida, Octavio Rivero, Cristian Techera, Russell Teibert … NYC: Kwadko Poku, David Villa
DISABLED LIST: VAN: Andre Lewis
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME: First meeting.