Thursday, June 26

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Sports Mole previews Thursday's MLS Playoffs clash between Vancouver Whitecaps and San Diego, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

BC Place is set to host a top-of-the-table clash in the Western Conference of MLS when Vancouver Whitecaps welcome in-form San Diego on Wednesday.

The Village will be hoping to bounce back from defeat last time out, while SDFC will be aiming for a third win on the bounce in midweek.

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Match preview

Jesper Sorensen's Whitecaps have stumbled at the summit of their conference, and with just two wins from their six most recent league games, they are in a vulnerable position ahead of this showdown.

Back on June 15, the Village followed up their 3-0 victory over Seattle Sounders by losing 2-1 on the road to the Eastern Conference's Columbus Crew, and though they initially reacted well to going a goal behind after just two minutes, they failed to respond to Diego Rossi's 23rd-minute winner.

That defeat left Sorensen's men on 35 points, and while they remain at the top of the pile, they are now only two points above their second-placed opponents.

Knowing that their spot is at risk, Wednesday's hosts will draw confidence from their impressive record at CB Place that features just one competitive loss in 2025, an eight-game unbeaten streak prior to this match, and five wins from their last seven games on their own turf.

An 11th victory of the league campaign would take the Whitecaps five points clear of second and could be enough to give them the highest points total across both conferences, but another defeat would see them drop down to second, where they may be within reach of both Minnesota United and Portland Timbers by the next matchday.

Meanwhile, Mikey Varas's San Diego bounced back from their three-game losing streak in April with an impressive six wins, one draw and one loss in their eight matches since, and their momentum could carry them all the way to the top of the Western Conference this week.

Last time out, SDFC seized maximum points in another high-level six-pointer against third-placed Minnesota, coming from behind to triumph 4-2 thanks to braces from Anders Dreyer and substitute Milan Iloski.

That victory took Varas's men to a tally of 33 for the campaign, moving them three clear of the Black and Blue and to within two points of their first-placed opponents.

With a chance at taking top spot for their own, this week's visitors will be psychologically boosted by their recent form, but also aware of the fact that they have lost four of their last six games on the road.

That being said, San Diego did beat Minnesota away from home in a high-stakes clash earlier this month, and the experience should help them with the pressure of Wednesday's trip to Vancouver.

Vancouver Whitecaps MLS form:

Vancouver Whitecaps form (all competitions):

San Diego MLS form:

San Diego form (all competitions):

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Team News

Vancouver will be without versatile forward Ryan Gauld on Wednesday as he works his way back from a knee injury that has kept him sidelined since March.

In his absence, Jean-Claude Ngando Mbende should start on the left flank, with Pedro Vite on the opposite side and Daniel Rios up top.

As for San Diego, they are likely to be missing right-back William Kumado, who has been out since picking up an injury towards the end of May, as well as left-back Hamady Diop, who has not featured in over a month.

As a result, expect to see Varas turn to Oscar Verhoeven on the right, though usual left full-back Luca Bombino should be ready to start on Wednesday.

In the frontline, Anders Dreyer will be keen to pick up where he left off after his man-of-the-match performance against Minnesota, and he will be joined in attack by Marcus Ingvartsen and Alex Mighten, while Milan Iloski stands by to offer more firepower from the bench.

Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:

Takaoka; Laborda, Utvik, Veselinovic, Blackmon, Ocampo; Vite, Cubas, Priso, Ngando, Rios

San Diego possible starting lineup:

Dos Santos; Verhoeven, McVey, Pilcher, Bombino; Alvarado Jr, Tverskov, Valakari; Dreyer, Ingvartsen, Mighten

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We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 San Diego

 

The Whitecaps may be in mixed form overall, but their resilience at home is well documented, so expect them to avoid defeat at the very least in midweek.

Additionally, San Diego have the momentum going into this clash, but their travelling record has been poor in recent months, and they may have to settle for a point on Wednesday.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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