SEATTLE, WA (NEWS 1130) – The Whitecaps are at CenturyLink Field this afternoon for a Cascadia derby with longtime rival Seattle Sounders.
Both teams are also fighting desperately for the final playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference. The ‘Caps currently sit seventh, four points out of a playoff spot with five matches remaining. Seattle trails Vancouver by two points but have two matches in hand. The ‘Caps should have confidence heading into this one having won four straight MLS matches in the Emerald City dating back to 2013.
Earlier in the week, Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson addressed the magnitude of this result “We’re underdogs, our season is on Saturday against our rivals.”
The ‘Caps are riding a high after a 3-1 road win over Columbus Crew followed by a dramatic 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City that clinched Vancouver’s first CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final berth.
The Cascadia Cup, which is awarded each season to the best soccer team in the Pacific Northwest can’t be won based on the outcome of this battle, but it can be lost. Seattle needs a win to have a shot at successfully defending the trophy. Otherwise, it will be a two-team race between Vancouver and Portland down the stretch.
Kick off for today is at 1 p.m.