MLS MATCHDAY 3
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs D.C. United
Saturday, March 24 - 10:00 PM ET
TV: Comcast SportsNet
When D.C. United faces off against theVancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night, it will be a match-up of two teamsmoving in opposite directions. Fornow.
After back-to-back defeats against two of thetop contenders for MLS Cup, the Black-and-Red find themselves in need of apositive result before the squad returns to RFK for five of their next sixmatches.
Meanwhile, the undefeated Whitecaps are yet toconcede a goal in victories over Chivas USA and Montreal. Their quality start coming against twoof the weaker sides in MLS, Vancouver is preparing for a different level ofcompetition come Saturday.
"It's not going to be easy. It's probably going to be morechallenging than any of the games we've had so far,” Vancouver goalie JoeCannon admitted after training on Thursday. "We just need to do what we've been doing, but probablyeven better. It's going to be atight game."
Vancouver's respect for United may be aleftover from their difficult expansion campaign of a year ago. D.C. handed the Whitecaps the mostlopsided defeat of their inaugural season in a 4-0 drubbing at RFK on August13. Dwayne De Rosario was adominant figure that night, collecting two assists and playing catalyst onanother of United's four tallies.
This time around, the hosts are keen on denyingthe Canadian international a repeat performance.
"You always have to be concerned about DeRosario," noted first-year Whitecaps coach Martin Rennie during a midweekappearance on The Capital Soccer Show. "He's such a key player that can win games on his own. He's done it before. He's somebody wehave to be very aware of and mark very closely."
While Vancouver can look to the past in searchof a formula to beat United, the Black-and-Red won't have the same luxury. In his first season, Rennie has alreadydropped 12 players from the 2011 roster in favor of 15 handpickedreplacements. Bolstered by thearrival of Sebastien Le Toux from Philadelphia, the Whitecaps now possess oneof the most dangerous attacking fronts in all of MLS.
"They have a pretty impressive attackinggroup," said United Head Coach Ben Olsen. "They interchange, they move around each other a littlebit, so it's not an easy task to deal with their top four."
Kickoff for Saturday night's affair isscheduled for 10:00 p.m. EST from Vancouver's BC Place. The match can be seen live on ComcastSportsNet in the Washington area.
NOTES: Vancouver rookieforward Darren Mattocks will miss Saturday's match after suffering burns on hisarm and shoulder midweek. Whitecaps'keeper Joe Cannon - who exited last week's contest vs. Chivas USA with a quadinjury - is listed as probable. D.C. United will be without Lance Rozeboom, Ethan White and Kurt Morsinkthrough injury, while Andy Najar (Honduras) joins Bill Hamid (U.S.) and PerryKitchen (U.S.) in representing their respective nations at this week's CONCACAFOlympic qualifying tournament.
» ANALYSIS: Breaking down the Whitecaps
REFEREE: Kevin Stott. SAR (bench): Adam Wienckowski; JAR (opposite): Jeff Hosking; 4th: David Gantar
Stott's MLS Career: 215 games; FC/gm: 25.8; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 58; pens: 44
INJURY REPORT:
- VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC -- OUT: FW Etienne Barbara (groin strain); MF John Thorrington (L quad strain); MF Michael Nanchoff (L heel contusion); FW Darren Mattocks (R shoulder burn); QUESTIONABLE: GK Brian Sylvestre (R knee surgery); FW Atiba Harris (L knee pain); MF Gershon Koffie (R ankle pain); PROBABLE: GK Joe Cannon (L quad contusion)
- D.C. UNITED -- OUT: MF Kurt Morsink (L foot neurectomy); DF Ethan White (R knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Dejan Jakovic (L groin strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: VAN: Bryce Alderson, Russell Teibert (CAN U-23)... DC: Bill Hamid, Perry Kitchen (USA U-23); Andy Najar (Honduras U-23)
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME -- (2 meetings): Whitecaps FC 1 win, 2 goals ... United 1 win, 5 goals ... Ties 0
- LAST YEAR -- 8/13/11: DC 4, VAN 0 (Pontius 45, 70; Najar 48; King 81) ... 10/12/11: VAN 2, DC 1 (Camilo 1; Tan 46 – McDonald 57)
RETURN MATCHES: None
COACHES RECORD:: Martin Rennie vs. DC: first game ... Ben Olsen vs. VAN: P2 W1 L1 D0
