VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps know what they're up against.
The 'Caps are coming off a rout of CF Montreal in Major League Soccer action on Saturday, but their next match — a meeting with Los Angeles FC in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals Wednesday — is likely to provide a tougher test.
“LAFC is the best team in North America," Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini said Tuesday. "It’s the best team from, I don’t know … Panama to Yukon, it’s the best team. So that’s the challenge they present us.”
Vancouver, which is playing in the Champions League as winners of last year's Canadian Championship, heads into the first leg of the quarterfinals matchup having bested Honduran side Real CD Espana with a 7-3 aggregate win in the round of 16, and with a 1-2-3 record in MLS play this season.
L.A. comes in as the reigning MLS Cup champs and is undefeated (3-0-2) in league play this year. The club toppedCosta Rica’s LD Alajuelense by an aggregate score of 4-2 in the opening round of the tournament between the top clubs in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
“I think when you look at the players that (LAFC) have, I think you can consider us an underdog team," said Vancouver striker Brian White.
"But we’re at home in a CONCACAF quarterfinals, so anything can happen. We’re looking to put our best performance out there and get the result at home.”
The 'Caps got their first victory of the MLS campaign on Saturday when 23-year-old American striker Simon Becher scored twice and notched an assist in a 5-0 drubbing of CF Montreal.
After starting the season with back-to-back 2-1 losses, Vancouver has shown steady progress in recent weeks — and can continue that work against L.A., said midfielder Julian Gressel.
"I think the performances were obviously there over the past few weeks. The results weren't," he said.
Players always want to go up against the best, Gressel added, and that's exactly what they'll get when LAFC comes to town, hungry for a win after battling the Colorado Rapids to a 0-0 draw on Saturday.
With offensive threats like Denis Bouanga and Carlos Vela on the field, Vancouver's defence will need to be at its best.
“There's six guys that can be really, really dangerous. So we obviously have to be clued in as a whole team," Gressel said.
"It's not just individually you can focus on one or two guys. No, it's the whole team that is very dangerous. And the way they attack and the way they play it's very efficient. They score a lot of goals.”
The Whitecaps need to keep playing the same style of game they've shown in recent games, Sartini said, with an extra focus on set plays and being careful in defensive transition.
In CONCACAF Champions League, away goals count for extra in the event of a draw. It's a rule the 'Caps coach would like to see struck, but for now, he's concentrating on preparing his side to fight for a clean sheet.
“We're trying to attack but to be very balanced," Sartini said. "Because we know that not conceding goal or goals, plural, is very important when you play home.”
On the other side of the field, White is looking forward to trying to break through L.A.'s star defenders, including Italian centreback Giorgio Chiellini. He's also anticipating going up against Aaron Long, his former teammate at New York Red Bulls.
"I think it's fun. It's a great challenge," he said of facing LAFC's back line.
"And any time you get to compete and play against the best players, I think you relish those moments. You get excited to test yourself against new challenges."
The second leg of the quarterfinal series is set to go Tuesday at BMO Stadium in L.A.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 4, 2023.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
