VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps season will end Sunday night if they don’t beat the visiting Los Angeles F.C.
The Whitecaps lost the first match of the best-of-three Major League Soccer playoff series 5-2 on Oct. 28 in California, so they’ll need a victory at B.C. Place Stadium to force a third and deciding game in Los Angeles on Nov. 9.
Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini says his team is focused on correcting mistakes that led to goals in the last game, while also emphasizing the skill of the Canadian club’s opponents, who are the defending MLS Cup champions.
Vancouver is unbeaten in its last five home games against LAFC, with four of those coming as wins before the regular season-ending draw.
The Whitecaps’ playoff record in MLS is mixed. The team has twice made the quarterfinals (2015, 2017) but hasn’t made it past the first round the other seasons since it joined the league.
LAFC head coach Steven Cherundolo said in a media availability that his team is aiming to end the series Sunday with a win.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2023.
