VANCOUVER, B.C - The Vancouver Whitecaps control their own destiny and face a "win and you're in" situation on Saturday night at BC Place in Vancouver. Carl Robinson and his players know that if they are able to beat the Colorado Rapids at home, the Portland Timbers will be eliminated from the MLS playoffs and Vancouver will earn a spot in the post season. Vancouver can secure ownership of the 5th and final spot in the MLS Western Conference. Vancouver would then potentially either travel to Real Salt Lake or Frisco Texas to play FC Dallas next Wednesday, or Thursday evening.
However, if Vancouver drops the ball and fails to perform vs Colorado the playoff scenarios are certainly complicated and enough for supporters to bite their nails down to their cuticle. If the Whitecaps lose to the Rapids and Portland earns a draw or a win away to FC Dallas, then the Whitecaps playoffs hopes will be done and dusted. Vancouver holds zero tie-breakers over Caleb Porter and the Portland Timbers. If Colorado and Vancouver play to a draw Vancouver is in the playoffs just as long as Portland fails to beat FC Dallas. If both Portland and Vancouver lose on Saturday, it would be Vancouver backing into the MLS playoffs.
The players themselves aren't willing to put the playoff cart before the horse. Everyone in the Whitecaps organization is firmly focused on playing the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. Any talk about qualifying for the playoffs and who Vancouver would prefer to play, is just mindless banter. The task at hand is to prepare for the Colorado Rapids and Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson drove that point home this week when prodded about his team's mindset heading into the season finale.
"I'm taking it obviously one game at a time as we do. This is the next big game, but we need to win. I firmly believe that Portland will go to Dallas and get a result because they've got a fantastic group of players. I won't be looking at their result, I'll be focusing on what we can do and how we need to conduct ourselves in relations to Saturday because the reality is, if we win the game on Saturday were in and that's all my focus is so that's the mentality we'll have going into the game."
The Portland Timbers kick off away to FC Dallas at 5:30 PM Pacific Time on Saturday night. The Whitecaps match doesn't start until 7:00 PM Pacific Time. Vancouver should know the Portland and FC Dallas result soon after kickoff at BC Place. Carl Robinson could decide to rest a tired Pedro Morales, or Mauro Rosales. Goalkeeper David Ousted has started every Whitecaps MLS match this season, and he is also banged up with a few niggles. The Danish keeper was given time off from training earlier this week and the question remains, will the Whitecaps gaffer decide to rest or sit any of their star players or key contributors?
"No it won't affect my mindset because I want to win that game on Saturday. I'll deal with that after the game and if it means that I generally believe that someone is tired going into Wednesday's game then I've got a squad of players. I'm getting players back that I haven't had recently up to speed so if I need to use, and rotate my squad on the Wednesday then I will. Saturday's the important game and I'll focus on Saturday."
One particular player who the Whitecaps will be counting on this Saturday and perhaps in the playoffs is Argentina midfielder Mauro Rosales. The 33 year-old has been a fantastic addition to the struggling Vancouver offense. Combined with Pedro Morales, Rosales has added a needed one-two punch in the midfield for Vancouver. The MLS veteran has a vast amount of experience and well over 100 appearances in Major League Soccer. Like his teammates, Mauro is polite and confident as the Whitecaps approach this final match of the season in a business like manner.
"We need full energy, full concentration, full determination to go forward. It's going to be our last game of the season and it has to be enough motivation for everybody to just try and make history with this club. We need a win and not just to be depending on another result. We're going to train as hard as we can this week and I think we can do it. We are very confident that we can make a good game and try to qualify for the playoffs."
In Vancouver's two previous matches against the Colorado Rapids they lost 2-1 at BC Place on April 5, and 2-0 away to Colorado on June 28. Mauro Rosales was not part of the Vancouver Whitecaps organization and did not feature in those matches. Colorado has been in a downward spiral and has not picked up a victory since they defeated Chivas USA 3-0 on July 25. Pablo Mastroeni and his players will be looking to finish a dismal season on an upswing.
"I hope that everybody can put the quality that they have in the field and show to the coach in a couple of days how much everyone wants to be part of the team and be part of the last game. We're very excited to show and prove that we can do it. I'm mentally prepared for any kind of game that we can face, and adversity doesn't matter. We are full of concentration. Myself I'm very confident that we have a good team to have a good game. We are also playing against a good team, but we're playing at home and this is a plus. We have to take our advantage and try to give them (The fans) three points and the qualification."
Rosales and the Whitecaps don't care who they would face in a winner-take-all knockout playoff match next week. Both Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas present challenging opposition for the Whitecaps. At the moment FC Dallas is on a terrific run and in prime form. Vancouver has never won away to FC Dallas. The Whitecaps have played Real Salt Lake to a pair of draws in Sandy, Utah this season. Most pundits believe a shorter flight and a trip to Utah is the most desirable destination the Whitecaps would prefer. Rosales isn't fussed, and he knows the MLS playoffs will be not easy cake walk should Vancouver qualify.
"No, it doesn't matter. We want to qualify, whatever happens, happens. If you want to be the best in the league you have to beat the best. We are facing in that last part of the competition the best of this year, anyone will be very tough and difficult to beat, but we are confident."
Notes: The Vancouver Whitecaps organization handed out player awards on Wednesday afternoon. Pedro Morales was voted Player of the Year, and also won the Dominic Mobilio Golden Boot Award for being the team's top goalscorer. Matias Laba earned the Jack MacDonald Unsung Hero Award, and David Ousted won Humanitarian of the Year. Goalkeeper Marco Carducci, and Girls Elite defender Simmrin Dhaliwal won Most Promising Player Awards.
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