VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps know the odds aren’t in their favour, but they’re presenting an optimistic front.
Facing a 3-0 deficit against one of only two undefeated teams in Major League Soccer, the Whitecaps maintain they can get a result against LAFC in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League matchup on Tuesday.
Vancouver lost the first leg in front of a home crowd last week, conceding three goals in 10 minutes.
Head coach Vanni Sartini, who previously likened overcoming the steep deficit as the equivalent of “climbing Mt. Everest,” believes his team has a chance to change how they’re viewed.
“It’s a very good opportunity for us to change the picture of the Whitecaps and the feeling around the league. We are a team now that should be respected because we’re playing a very, very high quality game. We need to earn this respect with performances not only at B.C. Place but also tough places like LAFC,” Sartini said.
The Whitecaps held their own for much of the first leg of the Champions League matchup, Sartini added, and that needs to be extended to the entire game.
“We need to be offensive but not crazy,” he said.
Vancouver comes into the game after a hard-fought 1-0 win over regional rivals Portland Timbers FC where they saw two goals called back before substitute Brian White bagged the winner in the 74th minute.
Sartini said the take-aways from that result, where the Whitecaps had 13 shots with nine on target, highlights the need to not be complacent when attacking teams.
“I think that's what happened against Portland in the last 15 minutes of the first half. We were dominating, we were thinking we were in control of the game, we weren't going at them in the final third like we should have done. I think that also happened a little against LAFC. We were satisfied to be beautiful and not to be efficient.”
The 3-0 loss has been offset by back-to-back wins in regular season play, with both results coming with clean sheets and no shots on target by their opponents.
Defender Tristan Blackmon, speaking to the media ahead of the match against the Whitecaps’ California opponents, echoed his coach.
“It’s another chance for us to go and prove people wrong,” he said.
Midfielder Ryan Gauld said the Whitecaps have shown “flashes” of their ability this season but Vancouver will “need to be at our best.”
“We need to look at it as a one-off game. (LAFC) kind of deflated us a little bit with that result but we have to believe we’re good enough to get a result down there,” he said.
LAFC beat Costa Rican team LD Alajuelense 4-2 on aggregate, losing the second match 2-1, in the Champions League Round of 16.
Forward Denis Bouanga scored a hat trick in the first matchup and also scored a brace in the first game against the Whitecaps
He’s the highest scoring player for LAFC with six goals in MLS regular season action, making him second in the league in scoring.
Blackmon acknowledged the need to silence Los Angeles’ potent attack, which also features Mexican attacker Carlos Vela.
“He’s a top player for them in the league and CONCACAF so I think we have to limit as many chances as he gets in the game,” Blackmon said.
The winner of the two-leg series will face either fellow MLS team the Philadelphia Union or Mexican side Atlas.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on April 10, 2023.
Nick Wells, The Canadian Press
