:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60158221/usa_today_10886772.0.jpg)
On Saturday June 23rd the Vancouver Whitecaps will host the Philadelphia Union. The Whitecaps enter the match having rested for the last week as they were on their World Cup break. The Caps last match was the 5-2 drubbing of Orlando City SC.
The clear Man of the Match last game was Alphonso Davies, despite what Dudweiser and the MLS have to say about it. Phonzie ran rampant over the opposition in the last match, notching three helpers and adding a goal. His passing game in the final third has really sharpened up over the last five matches. I would not hesitate to say the Caps offence is revolving around the teenage phenom. The Union will be in tough trying to cope with his pace, control and playmaking abilities.
The Union on beat the New York Red Bulls in their most recent match –a US open cup fixture- so they have a bit of a reason to smile. However, they dropped their last MLS match to TFC a few weekends back, and have lost three of their last five. The boys from the City of Brotherly Love have have not felt much of it to this point in the season. Especially offensively, where they are tied for the second fewest goals for in the MLS. Those offensive struggles mean PU sit a point out of the playoff picture in the east. Philly is fast approaching that time of year when they need to improve form if they plan to mount a charge into the playoff picture in the east. This will be a hungry team that will want to snatch a point on the road.
The Home Team are on an impressive run of form. They have not lost a match since May 5th in Minnesota, and have not lost a home match since April 13th. They finally seem to be rounding into form. The 2018 Caps are scoring and playing an exciting brand of football. The Whitecaps need to continue to outscore or at least keep pace with their defensive lapses. This team definitely has a different feel to it than seasons past. If they can tighten up at the back and continue to bury their chances they just may do some real damage this season.
That brings us to Kendall Waston and the Costa Rican national team. Unfortunately Kendall has not factored into a world cup match yet. And he will not play a meaningful game in this years tournament as his team has been eliminated in Friday’s play by Brazil. The Ticos lost two nil, both goals coming in stoppage time in the second half. This means Kendall will be in Russia with his squad for another week or so as they play their third and final match on Wednesday against Switzerland. The Towering Tico could possibly return to the Caps lineup for their July 1st match against the Colorado Rapids. The eventual (potential) pairing of Doneil Henry and Kendall Waston at center back has me salivating.