After a dominating series-opening victory, the Vancouver Whitecaps will look to finish off FC Dallas in Game 2 of their opening-round series on Saturday night at Frisco, Texas.
The Whitecaps won 3-0 at home to start the best-of-three series last weekend, and they didn’t allow Dallas to take a single shot.
“I think it’s pretty strong words to say that it’s a prototype,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said of the effort. “It’s not normal. Also for us, it’s not normal. It was a game where we also cannot expect to play games like that very often. But it would be nice.”
Daniel Rios scored in the 43rd minute for the Whitecaps. Thomas Muller added a penalty-kick tally in the 60th minute, and Kenji Cabrera completed the scoring in the 83rd minute.
“It was good we were able to score before the halftime,” Rios said. “Then in the second half, the PK opened the game for us.”
The second-seeded Whitecaps won without star forward Brian White (hamstring) and defenders Tristan Blackmon (knee sprain) and Mathias Laborda (red-card suspension). Blackmon was named MLS Defender of the Year earlier this week.
Laborda will be back in the lineup on Saturday, while Sorensen was noncommittal about White.
As for Blackmon, he has been out six weeks and said it’s hard to be watching this time of year.
“It’s tough. Obviously, you want to be a part of what’s going on on the pitch,” Blackmon said. “But it’s been super inspiring to have a different viewpoint. Watching the guys perform every single game since I’ve been out has been incredible. So it’s definitely making me want to get back sooner than later.”
Seventh-seeded FC Dallas will attempt to post a better effort in their bid to remain alive.
FC Dallas were outshot 22-0 in Game 1, failing to take a shot for the first time in franchise history.
Defender Shaq Moore believes the Toros can respond to the one-sided affair.
“It was a good learning experience for everybody,” Moore said. “Obviously, our backs are to the wall. … We need to up the intensity and then we’ll be all right.”
Slowing the Vancouver offense is a huge Game 2 priority.
“Not give them as much time and space,” Dallas coach Eric Quill said of the goal. “We need to get in their faces faster, and we want to turn them over.”
The Whitecaps put 10 shots on target while bombarding Dallas goalkeeper Michael Collodi, who made seven saves.
If FC Dallas win on Saturday, Game 3 would be played on Nov. 7 in Vancouver.
–Field Level Media
