Vancouver Whitecaps look to turn chaos into organized performance against Kansas

Football

Published 02.06.2023

Vancouver Whitecaps look to turn chaos into organized performance against Kansas

The Vancouver Whitecaps are coming off what head coach Vanni Sartini known as a “chaotic” 6-2 win over the Houston Dynamo however now should face one of the in-form groups within the Western Conference.

Vancouver (5-5-5) will tackle Sporting Kansas City (4-8-4) on Saturday night time seeking to proceed their sturdy dwelling kind.

The Whitecaps overcame a sluggish first half efficiency towards the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday to emerge victorious in a 6-2 win, and Sartini stated he desires to see extra self-discipline from his squad.

“If it’s going to be a chaos game, it will be Kansas City (who wins),” he stated throughout a media availability on Friday. “The most important thing is to be very well structured both in possession and out of possession.”

He had dubbed the match the “worst performance of the season” and accused his gamers of taking “a collective vacation” through the first half earlier than an improved second half show.

That similar efficiency, he stated, can’t be replicated towards a Sporting Kansas City aspect that solely misplaced one regular-season recreation in May.

“The way (Kansas City) are, the way their coach is, they rely a lot on confidence,” Sartini stated. “Now that they have (gotten) results, they’re dangerous. They press you, they try to come at you with a lot of players.”

Midfielder Julian Gressel recorded his first two-goal recreation for the Whitecaps throughout Wednesday’s win.

“They’re a good team,” he stated. “I’m not surprised they’ve turned it around in the past few games.”

The Whitecaps have 4 factors and a recreation in hand over Kansas City, with the American crew sitting in eleventh within the Western Conference.

“It will be a tough matchup where we’d like to keep the gap we have from them,” Gressel stated.

Vancouver benefited final match from impression substitutes. Defender Ranko Veselinovic changed Javain Brown at halftime to shore up the backline whereas Sebastian Berhalter scored the primary aim of his MLS profession earlier than establishing Ryan Gauld for his first of the season.

That impression, Gressel stated, comes from Vancouver having a transparent model of play that the crew has turn into attuned to.

“There’s clear defined roles within the way we play, the way Vanni sets us up and it makes it easy for guys to come in and do their job,” he stated. “It’s about coming on, doing the set movements we have offensively that has usually paid off in the last few weeks. Defensively, everybody knows what to do and is on the same page.”

Kansas City enters the match off its finest May efficiency in membership historical past however head coach Peter Vermes was fast to downplay any strain to realize a outcome.

“I still think we have a long way to go,” he stated. “We’re getting close to a better version week-in, week-out of us.”

Kansas City has struggled with accidents and Vermes stated he’s taking a look at learn how to handle his gamers in an indoor stadium and on turf.

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (5-5-5) vs. SPORTING KANSAS CITY (4-8-4)

RECORD BREAKING: The Whitecaps recorded a record-breaking efficiency towards the Houston Dynamo final recreation. Brian White set a club-record for the quickest aim after the beginning of a half whereas it was additionally the primary time the Whitecaps have scored six objectives of their MLS historical past.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CELEBRATION: Saturday’s match towards Sporting KansasCity will see Whitecaps FC host the membership’s third annual Indigenous Peoples Match tocelebrate the cultures and contributions of Indigenous and First Nations peoples.

DYNAMIC DUO: Midfielder Julian Gressel and attacking midfielder Pedro Vite appeared in each match of May. Gressel recorded 4 objectives in addition to an help throughout all competitions whereas Vite tallied three objectives and two assists throughout all competitions in May.