The Vancouver Whitecaps, fresh off vanquishing Inter Miami, are back in action at home against Real Salt Lake. Frankly, it would be extremely disappointing if the Whitecaps do not walk away from this one with all three points.

Real Salt Lake currently sit 10th in the Western Conference with 12 points from 10 games. They were quite successful in 2024 but sold several key players and have not been able to replace them. Out were Carlos Gomez, Chicho Arango, and Anderson Julio. The players they have brought in just have not been able to replace the outputs of those players. Portuguese attacking midfielder Diogo Goncalves has put up some respectable underlying numbers but he is nowhere near the outputs of Andres Gomez.

Wingers Lachlan Brook and Dominik Marczuk have struggled for consistency and regular minutes. Ariath Piol has shown some flashes but is a long way from being able to replace an MLS giant like Arango. RSL have recently brought in Willy Agada, a striker I rate very highly, via a cash trade with Sporting Kansas City, so he might add a little bit more danger, but overall this team should not have the juice to trouble a team like Vancouver. RSL have averaged 1.3 xG/90 this season which is not god-awful but it is solidly below average.

On the defence, things are arguably even worse for RSL. They have averaged 1.75 xG against/90. That is very bad! The Whitecaps have averaged about 1.85 xG/90, so basically the attacking play we have been enjoying this season is what goes against RSL every single game (on average). Their only saving grace (no pun intended) is that veteran goalkeeper Rafael Cabral has added significant value as a shot-stopper.

RSL play a 4-2-3-1 and are a relatively high possession team despite their offensive struggles. They play a fairly low block with relatively few defensive actions in the opposition final 3rd. So I would expect the Whitecaps to be able to get their foot on the ball and control the game regardless.

It’s getting hard to know what to say about the Whitecaps in these previews. They haven’t lost in 9 games in all competitions and I don’t see any good reason to expect that to change in this game. You could point to fatigue and potential CCC hangover, but those have been a factors from almost day 1 of the season and it hasn’t stopped them so far. I suppose we are on Ryan Gauld watch, who surely must be close to a return at this stage. But we haven’t gotten the Har Journalist scoop that he is back in training yet, so I doubt he will play a part here. That only really leaves rotation watch.

We didn’t see Ralph Priso against Miami so I wouldn’t be shocked if he gives one of Cubas or Berhalter a rest. Sam Adekugbe and Jayden Nelson seem to be working their way back to fitness so perhaps we see one or both of them get a start. Is Isaac Boehmer going to play again at some point? This seems like a reasonable game to give him a start for if you are ever going to rotate Takaoka.

In conclusion: The Whitecaps are probably going to win. There are no certainties in life but there are percentages and the percentages very much favour the ‘Caps.

(Images: Real Salt Lake & Tav Morrison)