Western Conference supremacy will be on the line Wednesday night when the expansion San Diego FC visit the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Upstart San Diego (10-5-3, 33 points) is 6-1-0 in its last seven MLS matches to move within two points of Vancouver (10-2-5, 35 points), which boasts a 6-1-2 record at home this season.
So is the expansion club putting more emphasis on this clash with the Whitecaps?
“I honestly haven’t thought about it one time before we just brought it up,” San Diego FC head coach Mikey Varas told reporters. “Now I’m thinking about it.
“… We’re not thinking far ahead because football doesn’t work like that. You have to be here in the present moment, build the team, build the identity of how we want to play. And then, when the games come, you’re ready for the games.”
Anders Dreyer particularly was ready for San Diego’s last game. He collected two goals and an assist in San Diego’s 4-2 victory over Minnesota United on June 14 to boost his MLS-leading goal contributions to 17 (eight goals, league-best nine assists), one ahead of reigning Landon Donovan MVP Lionel Messi (10 goals, six assists) of Inter Miami.
The Danish attacker scored a potential goal of the year candidate, completed his brace by converting a penalty in the 66th minute and set up San Diego native Milan Iloski for the first of the latter’s two goals in the second half.
Vancouver, meanwhile, entered the international break on a downer. The Whitecaps’ club-record 11-match unbeaten run in MLS play (6-0-5) came to a halt with a 2-1 setback versus the Columbus Crew.
The short-handed Whitecaps played without leading goal scorer Brian White (10 goals), midfielders Sebastian Berhalter and Ali Ahmed and forward Jayden Nelson. The first two players were representing the United States Men’s National Team at the Gold Cup, while the latter two were with Canada for its Gold Cup opener against Honduras.
“We’re confident in the guys we have,” said Vancouver defender Tristan Blackmon.
–Field Level Media
