The start of the Whitecaps’ season has been impressive, with Vancouver winning five of its first six matches and leading Major League Soccer in goals scored.
Coach Jesper Sorensen’s team aims to continue this success as they face New York City FC at home on Saturday.
After reaching the MLS Cup final last season, Vancouver (5-1-0, 15 points) only has one loss this year—a 1-0 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes on March 21. The Whitecaps have scored a league-high 17 goals and are just behind Los Angeles FC in the Western Conference standings.
Last weekend, Vancouver secured a 3-2 victory over the Portland Timbers with goals from Thomas Muller and Sebastian Berhalter in stoppage time. The team welcomed 21-year-old Bruno Caicedo, who made his MLS debut after signing in January, and he made a notable impact by taking three shots.
“Bruno Caicedo’s debut was amazing,” Sorensen said. “He’s eager to make an impact, and if this is what we can expect from him, we have exciting times ahead.”
Veteran player Brian White leads with five goals, while Berhalter has three goals and a team-high four assists.
New York City FC (3-1-2, 11 points) is on the road after playing four home games. They are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 1-1 draw against St. Louis City, where they conceded a last-minute equalizer.
Despite earning points in five of their first six matches, Coach Pascal Jansen’s side is not satisfied. “It felt like a loss,” Jansen said. “To concede like that at the end is unacceptable.”
Nicolas Fernandez leads the team with five goals and the squad is not feeling extra pressure before facing Vancouver, even after two recent disappointments. They also lost 3-2 to Inter Miami in their previous match.
“We always feel pressure to perform at our best,” Jansen noted. “The draw against St. Louis was tough, but there’s no added pressure for the Vancouver game.”
The last meeting between these two teams was a 1-1 draw in New York during the 2023 season.