Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Vancouver Whitecaps 🔎

FC Dallas returns home this weekend to host conference rivals Vancouver on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium.

After crashing out in the Concacaf Champions Cup to Liga MX side Tigres, the Whitecaps have gone unbeaten in their first two MLS games, including a win last weekend against the San Jose Earthquakes. Ali Ahmed and Alessandro Schopf found the back of the net in a 2-0 win.

Key Player: Andres Cubas

While the attention will likely be more on guys like Ryan Gauld or Brian White in the attack, Cubas really dictates how this team plays across the entire pitch. He is one of the best defensive midfielders in MLS right now, and if he can clog up passing lanes to Jesus Ferreira, Bernard Kamungo and Petar Musa, it could be another long evening for FCD.

Key Matchup: Ryan Gauld vs Liam Fraser

Part of me wants to see Patrickson Delgado get a start in this one over Fraser (especially if Asier Illarramendi is unavailable). But my gut tells me we’ll see the Canadian go up against the Canadian club from the start. Gauld pulls the strings in the Whitecap’s attack. Last week he had five key passes that helped create a lot of dangerous attempts on goal for the Caps. Slowing him down means you have a good chance to beat the Caps.

Availability Report1:

Suspended: none
Out: Sam Adekugbe - Knee (Out)
Questionable: none
On Loan: none
International duty: none

Quick Notes:

Last year against FC Dallas: After controlling the season series between the two clubs for several years, FC Dallas finally got the better of things in 2023 with a draw in Canada before securing a 2-1 win last May at Toyota Stadium.

Recent run at Toyota Stadium - Despite losing last May in Frisco, the Whitecaps had gone unbeaten in their previous five matches at FC Dallas (W2 D3) after losing each of their first eight away matches in the series.

Coach suspended: Vanni Sartini is serving a long suspension to begin the year for comments he made about an official after last year’s playoff exit to LAFC.

Potential Lineup:

So far this season, the Caps have gone with a 3-4-2-1 formation, which basically mirrors what FC Dallas is trying to do.

Takaoka, Laborda, Veselinovic, Blackmon; Cubas, Vite, Martins, Brown; Gauld, White; Ahmed

Keys To Three Points over Vancouver

1. Start strong: Too many games this season, FC Dallas has started off on the wrong foot by letting in an early goal. The club needs to be more composed at the beginning of the game and set the tone themselves before the other side has a chance to get going. An early goal will drastically change the mood of this team; they are due for one.
2. Hit the counters: Both teams are using the same type of formation right now, so counterattacks will be key in this match. FC Dallas cannot afford a sloppy turnover in the midfield. By limiting those mistakes and forcing Vancouver into ones of their own, FC Dallas can use the speed on the wings to create havoc in the game.
3. Impact subs: As players start to get healthy again, Nico Estevez will need to use his bench at the right moments on Saturday to either spark some life in the attack or solidify the defense to hold a lead late. FC Dallas has done well over the last year or two with the ‘next man up’ approach. We need to see subs be more impactful this season and it starts with Vancouver.