The Vancouver Whitecaps can maintain their lead atop the Major League Soccer table when they welcome Real Salt Lake to BC Place Stadium on Saturday.
After a convincing 3-1 victory at Minnesota United last week, the Caps are a point above FC Cincinnati in the Supporters' Shield standings, while Claret and Cobalt are a point below the Western Conference playoff line following a 3-1 win over San Diego.
Match preview
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April was quite the month for the Whitecaps, who went unbeaten in their eight matches played and capped it all off with a memorable 3-1 victory at Inter Miami on Wednesday, advancing to the CONCACAF Champions Cup (CCC) final, 5-1 on aggregate.
Jesper Sorensen has pushed all the right buttons in his first season as head coach, with the Caps scoring the joint-most goals in the league (20) and conceding the joint-fewest (seven).
Since their 3-1 home defeat versus the Chicago Fire in late March, Vancouver have gone unbeaten in nine consecutive competitive games, outscoring those opponents by a combined margin of 18-6.
Coming into this weekend they have avoided defeat in their last four competitive matches played at BC Place, conceding just two goals along the way.
With 23 points after 10 MLS matchdays, the Caps have accumulated five more points than they had at this stage of the 2024 campaign.
Six of their seven triumphs in the league this season have come when netting multiple times, while they have lost their last six MLS affairs when conceding more than once, dating back to 2024.
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Real Salt Lake got back on the right foot last week, winning for just the second time in their previous six league fixtures.
However, maintaining consistency from one game to the next has been a problem for Pablo Mastroeni's side in 2025, with this team losing four times in MLS this year after a win.
On Saturday, Claret and Cobalt can claim consecutive away triumphs in this competition for the first time since April of last year.
At this stage of the season, this team have been far too vulnerable at the back, with an expected goals-against rate of 17.6, the third highest in the Western Conference.
So far this year they have dropped six points domestically when scoring the opening goal, though all four of their triumphs in 2025 have occurred when drawing first blood.
RSL have won their last four matches played against the Caps domestically by a single goal, coming from behind to win the previous two at BC Place by a 2-1 score.
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Team News
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Whitecaps captain Ryan Gauld missed another encounter last week with a knee injury, while a hamstring strain kept Mathias Laborda on the sidelines.
With the second leg of their CCC semi-final tie with Miami on the horizon, Sorensen made wholesale changes to his starting 11 last weekend, with Yohei Takaoka, Ranko Veselinovic and Emmanuel Sabbi being the only ones to maintain their place in the opening lineup.
Pedro Vite made his 100th appearance for the Caps last weekend, including the playoffs, scoring a brace, with Sebastian Berhalter also netting against the Loons.
Numerous Salt Lake players missed their victory over San Diego last week, including former Vancouver defender Javain Brown (knee), along with Dominik Marczuk (leg), Justen Glad (thigh), Jesus Barea (quad), Zac MacMath (shoulder), Kobi Henry (hamstring) and Matthew Bell (hamstring).
On Saturday, they will be without Bode Hidalgo, who is suspended, while veteran Johnny Russell will be seeking his first appearance with his new club, having signed for them last Friday.
Diego Luna netted a brace for RSL in their encounter last weekend, with Sam Junqua adding an insurance marker in the second half.
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Bovalina, Utvik, Veselinovic, Adekugbe; Berhalter, Priso, Ngando; Sabbi, White, Nelson
Real Salt Lake possible starting lineup:
Cabral; Junqua, Quinton, Vera, Katranis; Ojeda, Eneli, Ruiz; Russell, Piol, Agada
We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 Real Salt Lake
We expect some of the RSL newcomers will give them a much-needed energy boost this weekend, though the Caps are on such a roll that they should find a way to stay in this match after their emotional victory days ago.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
