Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. LAFC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Los Angeles Football Club
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 7
BC Place - Vancouver
10:00 pm ET – April 13, 2018
WATCH: TSN 1/3/4/5, ESPN+

Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s bid to capture a league-high third win away from home came up short in Sandy following a 2-1 defeat to Real Salt Lake in Week 6, while LAFC, which came roaring out of the gate to start their first season, stumbled for a second consecutive game in a stunning 5-0 loss to Atlanta United.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Carl Robinson continued his trend of rotating the roster, making three changes to the side that defeated Columbus Crew SC, 2-1, in Week 5 with Efrain Juarez, Alphonso Davies and Nicolas Mezquida entering the starting XI.

For a second straight game, Brek Shea scored on his only shot attempt, coming off the bench to pull his team back a goal, but his third goal of the season — a stoppage-time strike — was largely cosmetic after Jefferson Savarino scored two minutes from full time to double RSL’s lead.

While Vancouver (3-2-1) has done well away from home, claiming six points from four matches, Robinson said he’s excited to return to BC Place to take on LAFC for the first time.

“It’s nice to be back in front of our own supporters, we know they’ll get behind us and the big boys come to town Friday, we know that,” Robinson said. “It will be a good test for us. We’ll be ready. We look forward to it.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Sean Franklin (quad strain); QUESTIONABLE: M - Yordy Reyna (undisclosed), F - Erik Hurtado (undisclosed)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3–3, right to left)
GK: Stefan Marinovic — Jakob Nerwinski, Kendall Waston, Jose Aja, Marcel de Jong — Jordon Mutch, Felipe, Russell Teibert — Bernie Ibini-Isei, Kei Kamara, Brek Shea

Notes: Davies leads MLS with 30 successful take-ons this season, seven more than any other player. … Vancouver is unbeaten in their last nine home games (5W-4D). The Whitecaps are averaging 1.8 goals per game over that span.

LAFC

If there’s one thing that’s certain about LAFC (2-2-0) after their first four matches, they make headlines win or lose. They opened eyes with back-to-back wins over Seattle Sounders FC and Real Salt Lake and then crashed in dramatic fashion in losses to LA Galaxy and Atlanta United.

Just as there was no MLS Cup parade route planned after the wins, there’s no panic for Bob Bradley’s side after consecutive losses.

"In four games, I think we’ve seen enough good things to know we’re going in an excellent direction,” Bradley said following training Tuesday. “Think we’ve seen enough things that still need work. Four games, all away, six points. Not totally satisfied by any means. But as a start, enough there that reinforces what we do every day.”

A positive for LAFC is the return to full training for Omar Gaber, who was out with a knee injury.

Suspended: D - Joao Moutinho
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: GK - Luis Lopez (right tibial stress fracture); QUESTIONABLE: D/M - Omar Gaber (right knee LCL sprain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Tyler Miller — Steven Beitashour, Walker Zimmerman, Laurent Ciman, Jordan Harvey — Benny Feilhaber, Mark-Anthony Kaye — Latif Blessing, Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi — Marcos Urena

Notes: Diego Rossi has scored three goals on just 14 touches inside the box. He is tied for the sixth-fewest touches in the box of any player with at least three goals. … LAFC allowed just one goal in their first two games. However, they have conceded nine goals in their last two goals.