Underdog Vancouver Whitecaps take on powerhouse Los Angeles FC in MLS playoffs

Vanni Sartini accepts that the betting odds are against his Vancouver Whitecaps as they head into the Major League Soccer playoffs.

He’s coined a new term, though, for the position his club will be in when they kickoff a best-of-three first-round series against the West’s top seed, Los Angeles FC, in California on Sunday.

“We are the underdogs because they’re the No. 1 in the (Western Conference). And so it’s normal to be the underdogs,” the head coach said. “But I’m more of a cat person, so I like to be the under cat. And so I hope that we will win the game being the under cat.”

The Whitecaps finished eighth in the West, but take momentum and renewed confidence into Game 1 after posting a decisive 5-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in a wild-card matchup on Wednesday.

There’s a lot the team can take from that performance, said winger Sam Adekugbe, particularly since the victory snapped Vancouver’s seven-game winless skid.

“It was an important result for us, but I think everyone was more excited just because of the way things have transpired over the last weeks,” he said. “But we’re still humble and know that we have a lot of work to do.”

While the five goals the ‘Caps scored drew ample attention following Wednesday’s game, the squad’s defence also put on a show, stymying a Portland side that scored 64 goals over the regular season.

The back line felt comfortable against the Timbers, Adekugbe said.

“We also knew it was going to be an important game, and we knew we were going to have to suffer for periods. And we did that well in the first half,” he said. “And our attackers took the goals when we needed to come. I think it was all around good strong performance for 90 minutes.”

Repeating the defensive feat against LAFC will be difficult, said Whitecaps ‘keeper Yohei Takaoka.

“They are very good wingers, very good strikers. We need to be compact, and don’t give them any big space. So that’s a key for us,” he said.

Takaoka knows all too well that Los Angeles won’t wait to unleash it’s powerful offence. The Japanese netminder was in goal on Oct. 13 when Mateusz Bogusz put LAFC on the board just over 30 seconds into a game at B.C. Place.

“(Sunday’s) going to be a tough game in their home so we have to be ready at the first moment,” Takaoka said. “We need to be ready at any moment. Also, they have good attackers, so we need to be patient. We need to be very smart the entire game.”

The game will mark the 10th matchup between LAFC and the ‘Caps since April 2023 across all competitions. In addition to MLS play, the clubs have met in Concacaf Champions League, the League’s Cup and the MLS playoffs.

“That’s actually nuts. We play them a lot,” said Whitecaps striker Brian White.

LAFC has the better record across the last nine outings (7-1-2), including two wins and a draw against in regular-season action this year. The California club also ousted Vancouver from the playoffs last year, beating the ‘Caps in the first two games of the first-round series.

“(The record) doesn’t mean anything going into the playoffs, because I think we have a good team,” White said. “We have a confident team right now and we believe we can win these games. But it’s going to be a tough test.”

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS AT LOS ANGELES FC

Round One, Game 1

Sunday, BMO Stadium

THREE-PEAT: Los Angeles is looking to make its third consecutive appearance in the MLS Cup final. They would be the third club to achieve the feat, following D.C. United (1996-1999) and the New England Revolution (2005-2007).

BRILLIANT BOUAGNA: LAFC’s offence is powered by Denis Bouagna, who finished the regular season with 20 goals. He came second in the Golden Boot race, tied with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. Bouagna led the league in shots (157) and shots on target (64).

STAY GAULD: Whitecaps captain Ryan Gauld was a dominant force Wednesday, scoring a hat trick and notching an assist. He’s the third player in MLS playoff history to record three goals and a helper in a single match. The Scottish attacking midfielder has 11 goals and 13 assists in his last 21 appearances in all competitions.