Whitecaps vs. Sounders, full-time: Vancouver wins 2-0
FULLTIME: The Seattle Sounders looked slow and sloppy, ultimately falling 2-0 to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday. It was the Sounders’ second straight loss and dropped them to 2-4-1 in their last seven.
WHITECAPS 2, SOUNDERS 0: Another turnover leads to another goal, this time after Alex Roldan can’t control a pass down sideline. Ryan Gauld eventually got a shot off from inside the box that Stefan Frei saved, only for it to ricochet off the post, off his back and in.
WHITECAPS 1, SOUNDERS 0: After a turnover in their end, Pedro Vite scored just before halftime. Vite appeared to botch his first touch, allowing Alex Roldan to get position but still managed to get a poke to it.
Pedro Vite with goals in back-to-back games, and @WhitecapsFC strike first vs. Seattle. pic.twitter.com/fP6Rv0fsEi — Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 21, 2023
LINEUPS: The Sounders made five changes from midweek, most notably inserting Léo Chú and Nouhou back into the starting lineup effectively in place Dylan Teves and Cody Baker. Xavier Arreaga, Fredy Montero and Josh Atencio also came into the lineup.
It would definitely be hyperbolic to suggest that any match this early in the season is anywhere close to a must-win, but after a run of disappointing results three points sure would do a lot of good for the Seattle Sounders.
Maybe it’s a good thing that the Vancouver Whitecaps aren’t in some horrible slump themselves. Sure, they’ve lost two straight, but both of those were on the road and the underlying numbers kinda love them. They will be missing their top centerback and it’s unclear if fellow projected starters Ryan Gauld and Tristan Blackmon will be deemed fit.
The Sounders are expected to make at least a few changes to the starting lineup as both Léo Chú and Nouhou have been declared “ready to go.” It’s also possible that a couple of other changes could be made to the lineup to account for some recent fixture congestion.
Notes
The Sounders had a 15-match unbeaten streak against the Whitecaps snapped the last time these two teams played at BC Place. The Whitecaps won that game, 2-1.
The Whitecaps are coming off two straight road losses but are 3-0-2 in their last five at home.
After winning just three of their previous 26 road matches, the Sounders have already won 3 of 6 road games this year.
Fredy Montero’s goal last week was the 14th he’s scored in his MLS career off the bench, which ranks him sixth all-time.
Paul Rothrock has earned another short-term contract. He has scored in all three of his previous first-team appearances.
Absences: Injury, international duty and suspension
Vancouver
OUT: Ranko Veselinović (personal reasons)
QUESTIONABLE: Tristan Blackmon (right knee contusion); Ryan Gauld (left hamstring tightness)
Seattle
OUT: Ethan Dobbelaere (right ankle sprain); Danny Leyva (loan); Cristian Roldan (concussion protocol); Kelyn Rowe (left knee sprain); Raúl Ruidíaz (right hamstring strain); Obed Vargas (international duty)
Officials
REF: Joe Dickerson; ARs: Felisha Mariscal, Gérard-Kader Lebuis; 4th: Jeremy Hanson; VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.; AVAR: Robert Schaap
How to Watch
Match date/kickoff time: Saturday, 7:39 PM PT
Venue: BC Place, Vancouver, British Colombia
Global Streaming English: MLS Season Pass (Blake Price, Warren Barton)
Global Streaming Spanish: MLS Season Pass (Alejandro Figueredo, Diego Arrioja)
Global Streaming French: MLS Season Pass (Jeremy Filosa, Matthias Van Halst)
Local Radio: 950 KJR-AM Seattle, iHeartMedia (Danny Jackson & Steve Zakuani)
Local Spanish Radio: El Rey 1360 AM (Rodriguez, Maqueda, Tapia)
Is this game available to stream for free? No
Will Sounders radio be available as an alternate feed? No
Lineups
Highlights will be posted as the match progresses.
This is Seattle Sounders at Vancouver Whitecaps; watch with us
Sounder at Heart has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Sounder at Heart may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.
Source: Sounder At Heart
