The Vancouver Whitecaps can win their first two matches of a Major League Soccer campaign for the first time since 2018 when they host the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday at BC Place Stadium.
In their opener a week ago, the Caps came away with a convincing 4-1 triumph over the Portland Timbers, while the reigning MLS Cup champions were beaten 2-0 by the expansion San Diego FC.
Match preview
© Imago
Jesper Sorensen could not have asked for a much better start to his MLS coaching tenure as Vancouver put together a spectacular attacking display at Providence Park.
With a man advantage after just 11 minutes, the Caps poured it on, firing 10 efforts on target with 67% possession in their first match of the regular season.
Vancouver lost their final three regular-season encounters of 2024 at BC Place, winning just one of their last seven games played at home in this competition, not counting the playoffs.
They have not won their opening match of an MLS campaign as the home team since 2021, when they shut out the Portland Timbers 1-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah, their home venue during COVID.
In 2024, this team won six of their seven regular-season affairs at BC Place when netting multiple times, losing only once at home when doing so (4-3 defeat to the Houston Dynamo).
The Whitecaps lost four of their six matches in this competition last year versus teams from California, with their two triumphs coming against the San Jose Earthquakes.
© Imago
For a second successive year, the Galaxy failed to win their opening game of the regular season, looking out of sorts defensively against San Diego.
Greg Vanney's men have failed to score in their last two matches versus MLS opposition, losing their final pre-season affair to the Chicago Fire (1-0), before their opening regular season defeat last Sunday.
LA lost four of their final five regular-season contests last year away from home, with their only triumph over that stretch coming against the Colorado Rapids in October (3-1).
In three of the last four MLS campaigns, the Galaxy have won their first match as the visitors, defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 in their opening MLS away fixture a year ago.
The highest-scoring team in the 2024 Western Conference regular season (69 goals) could equal their longest goalless run in this competition last year (two games) should they fail to score on Sunday.
Last year, the Galaxy swept their season series with the Whitecaps, outscoring them by a combined margin of 7-3 in their two meetings.
- W
- L
- W
- W
- L
Team News
© Imago
On matchday one, the Caps were missing Emmanuel Sabbi with an ankle issue, while Damir Kreilach was sidelined due to a calf strain.
Earlier this week, the club signed their record MLS goalscorer Brian White to a contract extension, keeping him in Vancouver until 2027.
Ryan Gauld, Pedro Vite, Sam Adekugbe and Jayden Nelson all found the back of the net in their opening match of this competition, with the latter scoring his first as a Whitecap.
Los Angeles were without Riqui Puig last Sunday as he continues to recover from his ACL rupture a few months ago, while Joseph Paintsil sat out with a quad issue and Mauricio Cuevas was sidelined because of a hamstring injury.
Christian Ramirez made his Galaxy debut against San Diego, logging 63 minutes in the attack, while Novak Micovic started between the sticks making four stops, while their first-choice keeper in 2024 John McCarthy was on the bench.
The last time they faced the Caps, Gabriel Pec was involved in all of their goals in a 4-2 triumph, scoring once while setting up Puig and Paintsil and assisting on Sebastian Berhalter's own goal.
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Laborda, Veselinovic, Blackmon, Adekugbe; Ahmed, Cubas, Priso; Nelson, White, Gauld
Los Angeles Galaxy possible starting lineup:
Micovic; Yamane, Garces, Yoshida, Aude; Wynder, Cerrillo; Pec, Reus, Fagundez; Ramirez
We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 1-2 Los Angeles Galaxy
The Caps played earlier this week in the Champions Cup, ousting Deportivo Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate, and going up against an angry Galaxy team following on a few days' rest could spell bad news for the home team.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
