The Vancouver Whitecaps will aim to play with more composure as they look to make it back-to-back home victories to start the MLS regular season.
Vancouver entertains Toronto FC on Saturday night for its fourth match in 11 days, including CONCACAF Champions Cup play.
“We have to start relaxing a little bit more,” Vancouver coach Jesper Sorensen said. “We play a little bit too fast and a little bit too hectic, we have to slow down a little bit and have patience — not try to overdo stuff.”
Aziel Jackson scored in the 57th minute and goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka made two saves as Vancouver opened the MLS regular season with a 1-0 home win over Real Salt Lake last weekend.
In CONCACAF Champions Cup play, the Whitecaps picked up a 2-0 home win against Costa Rica’s Cartagines on Wednesday to advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, where they will face the rival Seattle Sounders beginning March 12.
“We also like the games coming close to each other because it’s exciting, and it’s also a good opportunity for us to get players involved,” Sorensen said.
Toronto travels west in search of its first victory of the young MLS season following a 3-2 road loss to FC Dallas last weekend.
Djordje Mihailovic and Derrick Etienne Jr. provided the offense for Toronto in Frisco, Texas.
The Reds hold a 6-8-4 regular-season record against Vancouver and will be in search of their first win in Vancouver since March 2017.
“We have to take care of the defending,” Toronto coach Robin Fraser said regarding the key to the Saturday match. “I think if we take care of the defending, then we put ourselves in a position to have a good result. The first thing is we have to take care of the defending.”
–Field Level Media
