|
|
Continuing on with the MLS Rivalry Week theme from this past weekend, one interesting question presents itself for those of us on the West Coast. Who are the Whitecaps' biggest rivals in the MLS?
The Caps did not get the opportunity to take part in Rivalry Week this year and it was rather disappointing seeing them excluded from the action, especially in light of the fantastic coverage and atmospheres that surrounded the matches in Seattle and Montreal.
Based on proximity, some may argue that the Seattle Sounders or Portland Timbers are the Whitecaps biggest rivals, especially taking into account all of the excitement that surrounds the Cascadia Cup. Others may debate that Toronto FC, Montreal Impact or perhaps even FC Edmonton are the biggest rivals to the Caps, mainly because the four clubs reside in the same country. Furthermore, there is also the possibility that another club in MLS could present themselves as the Whitecaps biggest rivals.
Cascadia Rivalry
Let's begin with the Cascadia rivalry and the Seattle Sounders. The Whitecaps and Sounders have met four times since 2011, with Seattle defeating the Caps twice and the two sides drawing the other two matches. Yes, you read that correctly, the Whitecaps are yet to defeat the Sounders in MLS play. Thus, there is a very strong argument that the biggest rivalry is with the Sounders. After all, it is easy for both a club and their supporters to dislike a fairly local team they can’t beat. Think Toronto and Columbus Crew for a reference point.
A little further down the I5, we have the Portland Timbers, who joined the MLS in the same year as the Caps, making the playing grounds even for both sides. Since their inaugural seasons, the Caps and Timbers have also met four times, with the Timbers tallying three wins and the remaining game ending in a draw. Realistically, this record against the Timbers is even more disappointing than the one against the Sounders
This will be good fuel for the Whitecaps this season. When one side goes in determined to win, often the other will do the same. This is creating intense, heated matches and rivalries between the Whitecaps, Sounders and Timbers. For many, the Pacific Northwest is the envy of the league in terms of the rivalries and the impressive supporter culture that has quickly sprung up out west.
Could the Caps greatest rivals lie in Cascadia? Or do they reside elsewhere?
Canadian Rivalries
The Whitecaps participate in another Cup known as the Canadian Championship, which also includes TFC, the Impact and FC Edmonton. That said, while I hate to say it, Edmonton can be ruled out straight away, as there is not enough of a level of competition between the two as of right now.
There is definitely a rivalry between the Whitecaps and the Montreal Impact though. In the Whitecaps inaugural MLS season, the Impact were yet to join the league, despite the two clubs meeting twice in the Canadian Championship. The Whitecaps won the first leg of this tie 1-0, but only ended up defeating the Impact in extra time in the second leg back in Vancouver. Let's not forget the Caps defeating the Impact on MLS opening day in 2012 as well.
Furthermore, there is a lot of history between these two teams from their time together in the North American second division. Who can forget Montreal fielding a weak team against Toronto back in 2009 in the so called “Miracle in Montreal” in which the Impact basically gifted TFC the Canadian Championship at the expense of Vancouver?
All of the above add up to strong fuel for a rivalry between the Impact and Vancouver. Furthermore, I predict these two will meet again in the Canadian Championship this year to determine which Canadian team will represent our country in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Finally, we reach Toronto FC, the team that many would say are the biggest rivals of the Whitecaps in the MLS. Out of any team the MLS, the Whitecaps have played TFC the most, whether it be in regular season play or in Cup play. Since 2011, TFC and the Caps have met seven times, with the Reds stealing four wins and the Whitecaps only mustering one. Looking at how many times these two sides have met so far, as well as the intensity of the games, TFC must be strongly considered as contenders for the title of the Caps' biggest rivals.
Anyone Else?
Could there be anyone else in the MLS that are rivals to the Whitecaps? If this were to be the situation, it would not be a geographical rivalry. Meaning this team in question would not be rivals to the Caps because of where they are from. A rivalry with a different club would have to have been created from matches in the past that were heated and that maybe even got out-of-hand in some fashion.
Sporting Kansas City, San Jose and Los Angeles are all teams that could end up as rivals to the Whitecaps in my opinion. Many Vancouver supporters will recall the match when the Caps recovered from a 3-0 deficit to tie it up against SKC. This goes without saying, but Sporting were not happy about that result. Thus, I choose San Jose because the few times the Caps have played them, the matches were extremely intense. The 2-2 draw away to the Quakes in 2011 and the Caps' last minute 2-1 victory over San Jose in 2012 were both exceptional matches.
Lastly, the LA Galaxy present another strong case as to why they could be the Whitecaps biggest rivals. Despite the Caps extremely poor results against the Galaxy, with Vancouver never having beaten the league’s de facto glamour club, there is a reason these two west coast clubs could be rivals. These two sides met in the MLS Cup playoffs in 2012 and the match was very close and really could have gone either way in the end. So maybe a rivalry could develop there with further big game encounters.
So Who Is It?
In the end, the current biggest rivals to the Whitecaps have to be Toronto FC. With the amount of times they have met and with some of the crazy games they have played, TFC, in my opinion, takes the cake. Although, I predict there might be an equally heated rivalry between the Caps and the Impact this season. Montreal has come out to a flying start to 2013 and, if they keep that form up, they will likely meet the Whitecaps in the Canadian Championship final and will contest Vancouver for the title of the best team in Canada.
That rivalry will still be hard to amount to what currently exists between the Whitecaps and TFC though.
The Whitecaps have already taken round one of the fight with TFC in 2013. Let's see what happens in round two.
|