The Seattle Sounders are hosting the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday for the second of three meetings this regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 6 p.m. PT at Lumen Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on FOX 13+ and Prime Video.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360AM.
2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 16-5-6 (54 points, 1st West), Whitecaps: 9-8-10 (37 points, 8th West)
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders and Whitecaps drew 2-2 at Lumen Field on June 26. RaĂºl RuidĂaz opened the scoring in the 40th minute before Cristian DĂ¡jome and Lucas Cavallini scored two unanswered in the 49th and 56th minutes. Jimmy Medranda found a Seattle equalizer 20 minutes from full time to split the points.
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Seattle: WWWLW, Vancouver: WDWDL
UPDATED HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS: A reminder to look at the updated healthy and safety protocols in effect at Lumen Field HERE.
MISSING INTERNATIONALS: The Sounders will be without five standout players on Saturday, as RaĂºl RuidĂaz (Peru), Cristian Roldan (United States), Alex Roldan (El Salvador), Xavier Arreaga (Ecuador) and Nouhou (Cameroon) are all away on international duty. The quintet have massive FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in their respective federations. Vancouver, meanwhile, will be without Canadian international forward Cavallini and goalkeeper Maxime CrĂ©peau, as well as Jamaican fullback Javain Brown.
ONE WIN FROM THE POSTSEASON: With a win or a draw on Saturday, the Sounders will extend their MLS-record playoff streak to 13 years.
THERE GOES THAT MAN: Brazilian midfielder JoĂ£o Paulo will look to put in another outstanding performance after his MLS Team of the Week-effort in a 3-0 win over the Colorado Rapids last Sunday. He had a sublime assist to Medranda before pulling off one of the MLS goals of the season in a marauding solo run from beyond midfield.
OFFENSIVE OUTPUT: The Sounders enter on a three-match winning streak in which they’ve scored eight goals. Seattle had scored just four in its previous five matches.
CLEAN SHEET HISTORY: With a clean sheet on Saturday, Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei will move into sole possession of third place in all-time MLS shutouts. Frei (currently 86) will pass Joe Cannon and will be behind only MLS legends Nick Rimando (154) and Kevin Hartman (112).
NEW COACH BUMP: The Whitecaps parted ways with Manager Marc Dos Santos on Aug. 27 after two and a half years in charge. Dos Santos went 22-37-18 during his tenure. Vancouver has seen a new-coach bump in form, going 4-1-2 in seven matches under interim coach Vanni Sartini.
ATTACKING UPTICK: During Sartini’s seven matches at the helm, the ‘Caps have jumped from 0.95 xG per match, which was 24th in MLS, to 1.3 and have scored 11 goals.
HAT TRICK HERO: Whitecaps forward Brian White enters the weekend as the reigning MLS Player of the Week following his hat trick in a 3-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes. The 25-year-old American, who started the season with the New York Red Bulls, leads Vancouver with nine tallies this season.
SCOTTISH DELIGHT: The Whitecaps signed Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld as a Designated Player from Farense in the Portuguese First Division this summer, and he’s already in the running for MLS Newcomer of the Year. The 25-year-old has two goals and three assists in 11 matches (six starts), and his chance creation and attacking impetus have been an influential reason behind Vancouver’s recent success.
