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Where: BC Place
When: Wednesday Sep. 28 at 7 PM
Broadcast: CONCACAF Facebook page
The 'Caps have already booked passage to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals next Spring by winning their previous three group stage games. A win on Wednesday and the 'Caps take full points with an opportunity to take the top seed in the quarters. It would be an opportunity to possibly avoid one of the stronger Mexican teams for at least one round. This is still a good reason to win this game and coach Robinson may be considering playing a stronger lineup, especially since their hopes at making the MLS playoffs have diminished significantly. The 'Caps won their previous match in Trinidad and Tobago 1-0 and have to feel they are the favourites to win this match as well. Central FC are yet to win this season in the Champions League although they did draw with Kansas City and they do have Kenwyne Jones in their lineup as he is on loan from Atlanta United.
The 'Caps have fielded mixed teams of MLS first team players along with a healthy dose of WFC2 players. Second team players like Bret Levis, Spencer Richey, Ben McKendry and Alphonso Davies have performed well enough to get the team to the second round and certainly deserve starts to finish what they have begun, but unlike the 'Caps first team, WFC2 is in their playoff round with the first game on Friday in Colorado Springs. Is it fair to play WFC2's best players in a game two days before they go to battle at altitude? I'm sure the players themselves would want to play both games, but I hope the coaching staff thinks better of it. I expect to see many of the first team players who have been stapled to the bench lately, namely Kudo, Perez, De Jong and Aird, to play in this game, and, isn't it time to throw another game Tornaghi's way? He was charged with the Voyageurs Cup duties this year and we've seen very little of him at all.
There is not much left for the 'Caps to play for this season and this game can do them some good next year by setting them up as a higher seed. The one consideration that might keep Robbo from starting his strongest eleven is a little thing called the Cascadia Cup, they play Seattle on Sunday and there is still a chance they can pull that tournament off.