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First thoughts
After a massive win over MLS Cup superpower Sporting Kansas City, the Vancouver Whitecaps will look to extend their current five match unbeaten run away to Chivas USA on Saturday. The Goats currently sit in last place in the Western Conference and present a good opportunity for Carl Robinson’s squad to pick up three points away from BC Place.
While Chivas played Vancouver tough in a 1-1 away draw against Vancouver back in March, anything less than a win for the Whitecaps in this one would be a letdown, especially coming on the heels of such an inspired victory last week. After a positive start to their 2014 MLS campaign, the Goats will enter this fixture in a funk, as the club is on a four-game winless streak in which they have been shut out in their last three games.
Keep Thinking
Even though Chivas USA will have home pitch advantage for this one, Vancouver will ultimately be going up against something of a wounded opponent in this one. A big part of the Goats early season success this year was the result of the solid defensive presence that Carlos Bocanegra and Bobby Burling have brought to the squad. Both Bocanegra and Burling have been out of action due to injury in recent matches and their absence or lack of match fitness in this game should contribute to an overall weakened defense that Vancouver’s thriving offensive players should be able to take advantage of.
The Whitecaps attack was once again headlined by midfielder Pedro Morales and striker Darren Mattocks last weekend, with both players in resplendent form heading into Saturday’s match against the Goats. With some people now talking about Morales as the possible league MVP, it is clear that the Whitecaps go as their Chilean number 10 goes. With 7 goals and 9 assists to his credit, Morales will draw a lot of attention from the Chivas defenders and midfielder, which will undoubtedly open up space for the other players on Vancouver.
While Vancouver have one of the most exciting offenses in the league, the team’s defensive consistency has been an issue in a number of fixtures this season. In this vein, Chivas could provide something of a tonic given that they have scored fewest goals in the league. Interestingly, Chivas striker Erick Torres will go into Saturday’s fixture tied for second in the league with 14 goals scored. If Whitecaps Head Coach Carl Robinson can formulate the right game plan to neutralize the effectiveness of Torres, then Vancouver should be in a solid position to cruise to a victory.
The Whitecaps recently made a move to address their defensive issues, bringing in 6-foot-5 central defender Kendall Waston. The Costa Rican defender has been training with his new club but Robinson was evasive this week with regard to whether his newest player would be making his MLS debut against Chivas on Saturday.
Final Thoughts
While Vancouver have been somewhat unpredictable this season, it is almost inconceivable with the talent the team possesses that they could go through the entire three game season series against Chivas USA without picking up a single victory. The Whitecaps should be a good place psychologically for this one, with the squad both confident from last week’s win over Sporting Kansas City, but not overconfident against Chivas given the earlier loss to them at BC Place and previous draw at StubHub Center.
Prediction
Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 Chivas USA
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