The Vancouver Whitecaps are hoping a midweek CONCACAF Champions League result will help improve their Major League Soccer fortunes.
The Whitecaps (0-2-0, 0 points), who are scheduled to play host to FC Dallas on Saturday afternoon, have blown halftime leads in each of their MLS fixtures this season.
But a 5-0 victory against Honduras’ Real Espana on Wednesday might have put them back on track. Ryan Raposo had a goal and an assist and Ryan Gauld had two helpers.
“We were coming from two performances … one very good, one OK, but we didn’t harvest anything,” Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini said. “So it gives confidence again, it gives a little smile again to everyone.”
That was needed after the Whitecaps lost 2-1 at home to Real Salt Lake in their opener and by the same margin last weekend in San Jose after leading both 1-0 at halftime.
FC Dallas (1-1-0, 3 points) lost its opener 1-0 to visiting Minnesota, but rebounded with a 3-1 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy last week at home as U.S. international Jesus Ferreira tallied twice. It was his seventh multi-goal game, tied with Jeff Cunningham for second in franchise history — behind only Jason Kreis’ 10.
Alan Velasco added a goal in first-half stoppage time and assisted on Ferreira’s go-ahead goal as Dallas overcame a 1-0 deficit.
“The first game was a great learning experience for us to remind ourselves who we are and what we need to do well on the field in order to get wins,” Dallas coach Nico Estevez said. “How much consistency you can have throughout the year is key. We showed up (against L.A.), were consistent and we showed the identity of this team, the mentality is that we want to win. Once we start clicking and finding our mentality, you will see some of the good things you saw.”
The Whitecaps have taken three in a row against Dallas, including a sweep of last year’s two-game series by winning 2-1 at home May 18 and 2-0 on the road June 18.
Dallas leads the all-time series 11-9-7.
–Field Level Media
