The Vancouver Whitecaps will look to snap a late season slump on Saturday in a must-win matchup with Minnesota United.

A few weeks ago, this one seemed like it would be a cinch for the Whitecaps, who were in good form and comfortably in the middle of the playoff pack in the Western Conference. Minnesota United, meanwhile, were in a mid-season doldrums that saw some wondering if FC Dallas or St. Louis City could make a run at the final playoff spot.

Now, however, things look far different. The Caps have looked listless since mid-September and have had some injury problems. Minnesota United, meanwhile, have successfully moved on from Emmanuel Reynoso to climb out of ninth place and sit a point back from the blue and white, with Vancouver having a game in hand.

Coming out of the Leagues Cup break, the Loons have been 4-1-2 and have gotten results against top teams like Colorado and Real Salt Lake. They’ve been powered by Kelvin Yeboah, a summer signing who has hit the ground running with 7 goals in 7 matches. Robin Lod, meanwhile, is on 13 assists and 6 goals and has been one of the most consistent chance creators in the league.

The Loons are dangerous, as they play against the ball and can hit back and grab goals even when it seems the match is getting away from them. That makes it somewhat ironic that the Caps lucked into a win in Saint Paul over the summer, when Minnesota couldn’t buy a goal.

Instead, the Loons use the pace of guys like Yeboah, Sang-Bin Jeong and Bongokuhle Hlongwane to cook in transition, while relying on some solid defensive pieces, such as the indefatigable Joseph Rosales, to keep things tight on that side of the pitch.

The Loons don’t have a ton of potential absences due to injury, but the fate of Michael Boxall is up in the air. Boxall was booked in the dying minutes of the 0-0 draw with RSL in the midweek but Minnesota appealed the yellow card, as it came during a tussle with Bryan Vera, with the RSL player spitting at Boxall. Given that the Kiwi has been their most dependable centerback, a position where Minnesota has struggled with depth, this could be a significant development.

For the Caps, a bit of injury good news is in order. Ryan Gauld, Stuart Armstrong and Ali Ahmed have returned to full training and should be available in some form, though it might come via an appearance off the bench. Fafa Picault will also miss out after a sending off in the dying minutes of the loss to Seattle on Wednesday.

This is a massive chance for the Caps to respond after the 3-0 drubbing by the Sounders earlier this week, hopefully the low point in the 2024 season. The good vibes that prevailed after the Armstrong signing have disappeared and Saturday’s match is a big deal to avoid falling into one of the 8/9 seeds and thus making sure you don’t have to play in the play-in game.

Minnesota also offers a unique challenge, particularly given that they have added a strong finisher in Yeboah. The Caps will have to do something with the ball when they have a majority of possession, something they’ve struggled with this season. This is a game the Caps should be winning and if Gauld starts they will be in a better position to do so. But no one should be taking Minnesota for granted at this point.