Minnesota United at Vancouver Whitecaps
When: 9:30 p.m. CT Wednesday
Where: BC Place, Vancouver
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: KSTP-AM, 1500
Betting line: Vancouver plus-125; draw plus-260; MNUFC plus-200mls
Form: MNUFC (7-3-4, 26 points) fell to third place in the West after a 1-1 home draw with ninth-place Austin FC on Saturday. Vancouver (9-1-4, 31 points) came back from a 2-0 hole within the opening five minutes to beat Salt Lake 3-2 and hold down first place in the conference.
Recent matchup: Vancouver used three second-half goals to stake a huge lead in a 3-1 win over Minnesota at Allianz Field on April 27.
Context: No match this season bothers United more than the Vancouver defeat last month. Loons players and coaches have brought it up on multiple occasions.
Quote: “We gave them a lot of space,” Joaquin Pereyra said Saturday of the Vancouver loss. “They have good players, especially on the flanks, and I think in that match, here at home, we gave them a lot of space. We’re trying to reduce that margin for error, try to put more pressure on them, and be a little more aggressive.”
Update: Head coach Eric Ramsay was reconnected to the head coaching vacancy at West Bromwich Albion in England this week, but the Welshman remains committed to MNUFC for the foreseeable future, the Pioneer Press understands.
Stats: Captain center back Michael Boxall became the 10th Loon to score this season with his header against Austin on Saturday. Five United players have two or more goals.
Scouting report: Forward Brian White scored two goals, including his first PK, on Saturday to give him 10 on the season, three off MLS leader Tai Baribo of Philadelphia.
Absences: Kipp Keller (hamstring) and Sam Shashoua (leg) are expected to be out.
Projected starting XI: In a 5-3-2 formation, FW Tani Oluwaseyi, FW Kelvin Yeboah; MF Joaquin Pereyra, MF Robin Lod, MF Wil Trapp; LWB Joseph Rosales, CB Nico Romero, CB Michael Boxall, CB Jefferson Diaz, RWB Julian Gressel; GK Dayne St. Clair.
Prediction: Unbeaten in nine consecutive matches, Vancouver has established themselves as the class of the conference through 40% of the season. They will add to their MLS-best goal differential )plus-15). Vancouver victorious at 2-1.
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