Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Seattle Sounders
2017 MLS Regular Season
BC Place - Vancouver, British Columbia
Wednesday, Aug. 23 - 10 pm ET
WATCH: TSN1/3/4/5 in Canada, MLS LIVE in US
The Rave Green invade Rain City for a midweek Cascadia Cup clash rich with implications not only for regional pride, but also for the race to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Sounders travel north across the border as co-leaders of the Western Conference, having drawn level with Sporting KC via Sunday's dramatic home win over Minnesota United, a result that extends their current hot streak to 6-0-3 in their last nine games. Meanwhile the Whitecaps presently occupy sixth place, the conference's final playoff slot, as Saturday's home defeat of Houston has run their own recent record to 4-2-1.
In terms of the Cascadia Cup, Seattle and Vancouver both trail Portland in the 2017 standings for the Pac-Northwest rivalry trophy, but have played one fewer game than the Timbers, who visit the Sounders on Sunday. A good week for Seattle could well see them take sole control of the top spot in both the West and Cascadia races by Monday.
Vancouver Whitecaps
- Suspended: None
- Int’l Duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT: D - David Edgar (PCL, MCL tear), M Matias Laba (torn ACL)
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK: David Ousted — Jake Nerwinski, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey — Andrew Jacobson, Tony Tchani — Cristian Techera, Yordy Reyna, Christian Bolaños — Fredy Montero
Notes: The Whitecaps have won six of their last nine MLS home matches (2L-1D) and have averaged two goals per game along the way, and have also won three of their last six MLS home games (2L-1D), conceding at least one goal in all six of those games ... Since Portland and Vancouver joined the league prior to the 2011 season, Whitecaps striker (and former Sounder) Fredy Montero has scored 31.4 percent of his regular-season goals in Cascadia Cup action (11/35).
Seattle Sounders
- Suspended: None
- International duty: None
- Injury Report: OUT — M Brad Evans (lower back pain)
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Stefan Frei — Kelvin Leerdam, Roman Torres, Chad Marshall, Nouhou — Osvaldo Alonso, Cristian Roldan — Nicolas Lodeiro, Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris — Will Bruin
Notes: Seattle are unbeaten in their last four road league games (2W-2D) and have outscored their opponents 9-3 along that run. They have kept clean sheets in their last two road league games, and have not kept clean sheets in three consecutive away games in the regular season since June 5-July 5, 2011 ... Chad Marshall has won 322 aerial duels since joining the Sounders, the second-most of any MLS player in regular-season action since the start of the 2014 season. … Joevin Jones will not be available for the Sounders after he left early for international duty with the Trinidad & Tobago national team for personal reasons.
All-Time Series
With Vancouver's 2-1 victory in their first meeting of 2017, the all-time MLS regular-season series between these clubs is now deadlocked, with both sides holding a 7-7-4 record.
- Overall: Vancouver 7 wins (25 goals)… Seattle 7 wins (25 goals)… 4 draws
- At Vancouver: Vancouver 3 wins (11 goals)… Seattle 4 wins (15 goals)… 3 draws
Officials
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official: Alex Chilowicz
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
