The Vancouver Whitecaps aim to continue their strong start in MLS history on Friday night when they face Sporting Kansas City, who are coming off a disappointing performance.
Vancouver (6-1-0, 18 points) recently won 2-0 against New York City FC, boosting their strong early record, aided by a schedule that has included mostly home games under manager Jesper Sorensen.
Brian White netted his sixth league goal in the second half, following a goal from Mathias Laborda in the first.
Defensive midfielder Andres Cubas stood out, returning from a quadriceps injury after four weeks. Vancouver has not conceded any goals with Cubas on the field for 395 minutes this season.
Sorensen acknowledged Cubas’ importance, stating, “It’s tricky taking him out. He’s very strong against the ball and covers space well.”
After Friday’s match, the Whitecaps will have one more home game before starting an eight-match road trip that will conclude in early August, with BC Place set to host games in the 2026 World Cup.
Kansas City (1-5-1, 4 points) has had a tough start in their first season under manager Raphael Wicky, who took over from Peter Vermes last season.
Their most recent match was a 3-0 loss to Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the U.S. Open Cup, where they fell behind 2-0 early.
Wicky expressed his concerns, stating he wants more fight from the team, saying, “They themselves don’t want to accept it. Our fans don’t want to accept.”
Dejan Joveljic has scored four goals for SKC, but the rest of the team has combined for only three goals.
Vancouver has won the last four encounters since Sporting Kansas City last recorded a win against them in 2023.