The Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders have already clinched MLS playoff berths.
But there’s always something on the line when the Cascadia Cup rivals meet, as they will on Wednesday night in Vancouver.
Not only can the Whitecaps (13-9-8, 47 points) secure a record eighth Cascadia Cup title in the annual three-way competition that includes the Portland Timbers, but they can also pull even with the Sounders (14-9-8, 50 points) in the Western Conference standings.
The Sounders are currently in fifth place in the West, while Vancouver is seventh. Both clubs are seeking a top-four finish in the conference to earn home-field advantage in the opening round of the postseason.
“I actually think we’re setting up nicely for the playoffs,” Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini said. “It’s going to be a fight until the end.”
The Whitecaps clinched their playoff spot with a 1-1 draw against visiting Portland on Saturday. Brian White scored in the third minute for Vancouver, tying his career best of 15 regular-season goals, set last season. That gave him 10 goals in his past nine MLS matches.
The Sounders also clinched a postseason spot on Saturday thanks to other results across the West, then picked up a 1-0 victory against the visiting Houston Dynamo. Paul Rothrock scored the lone goal about midway through the first half.
“I absolutely love the fact that the guys persevered,” Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said. “Closed out the game, kept the lead under some duress and we actually punched our own ticket into the playoffs.”
This will be the third meeting of the season between the clubs, but the first north of the border. Vancouver won 2-0 on April 20 and the teams played to a 1-1 draw on May 18, with both matches in Seattle. The first match was notable in that the Whitecaps scored both their goals, from Ryan Gauld and White, after Seattle defender Jackson Ragen was issued a red card late in the first half.
–Field Level Media
