Guess the Starting XI – Match Sixteen vs. Seattle

Welcome back, everyone.

Assuming this match goes ahead, it will be a weird one for Vancouver.

After the Cup Final defeat in Mexico, the Whitecaps are facing an unprecedented challenge, as they have 10+ players unavailable through a combination of international duty and food poisoning. Who will be available? Honestly, it’s really hard to say.

Match Preview: A Scheduling Calamity

Ok, without further delay, here are the rules and standings (updates are still a work in progress).

– Predictions will be ‘valid’ if posted HERE (or more accurately, whichever is the correct match thread) before the lineup is officially announced, usually about an hour before kickoff.
– You receive 1 point for every player you correctly guess to be in the Starting XI. You receive 4 bonus points for correctly predicting all 11 starters.
– You get 5 points for correctly guessing Win/Lose/Draw, this doubles to 10 if you also predict the right score-line along with the result.
– All this means, if you correctly predict the Starting XI, Final Score, and Winner, you can earn 25 points!
– At the end of each half of the season, the contestant’s lowest two scores (or missed predictions) of that period will be deducted from the cumulative standings.

 

31 thoughts on “Guess the Starting XI – Match Sixteen vs. Seattle

  1. VAN 0-2 SEA
    Kreilach – Rios – Sabbi
    Badwal – Ngando – Selemani
    Russo – Halbouni – Veselinovic – Laborda
    Takaoka

    1. Actually changed my mind put this Jackson Castro guy in instead of Selemani…tho it really just just throwing darts in the dark

  2. Kreilach Rios Sabbi
    Ngando Priso Badwal
    Ocampo Halbouni Ranko Laborda
    Takaoka

    2-2 draw
    Cam Pierce

  3. I am so angry about this game it is so unfair to the players especially in 25° heat to expect them to play less than a week after what they’ve been through. I used to think people were exaggerating when they said MLS hates Vancouver. I was wrong. I don’t know how to choose amongst these players – it worries me that most of them aren’t even regular starters for WFC 2 so I guess we pick the whitecaps and hope from there.

    Laborda Blackmon Ranko Djordjevic
    Badwal Priso Ngando
    Ocampo Ríos Sabbi
    3-0 Seattle
    IF they can pull a 0-0 game that would be a huge victory. I’m waiting for the MLS commentators to say the caps are clearly falling apart if they lose.

  4. 1-1
    Takaoka
    Ocampo Veselinovic Blackmon Utvik
    Priso Ngando Badwal
    Sabbi Rios Kreilach

    So ridiculous this match is happening today. Let all the sickos play on. I hope our result will be better than when we played Chicago earlier this season. At least it wasn’t a 7-1 loss for us that day BWAHAHAHA Buuuuut, congrats to all our VWFC2 players getting minutes today! Maybe Gauld will make a surprise appearance BWAHAHA

  5. Tak
    Laborda Blackmon Ranko Pelayo
    Ocampo Badwal Priso Ngando
    Ríos Sabbi

    I don’t know 1-1 some kind of strange tie game

  6. AtlantisB

    I pulled out my dartboard and put player picture on it. Then closed my eyes and threw…this is the lineup that arose.

    Takaoka
    Laborda, Ranko, Utvik, Djordjevic
    Priso, Ngando, Castro
    Selemani, Rios, Kreilach

    Vancouver 0:2 Seattle

  7. This will be fun

    Rios-Kreilacha-Selemani
    Ngando-Coupland-Castro
    Russo-Laborda-Halbouni-Djordjevic
    Takaoka

    Caps lose 4-0

  8. Im gonna have to do my first caps L in forever.

    Caps 2 seattle 3

    Takaoka
    Ocampo, blackmon, hallbouni, laborda
    Badwal, mackenzie, priso,
    Ngando, rios, sabbi

  9. Sounders 2-1
    Takaoka
    Ocampo Blackmon Ranko Laborda
    Badwal Priso JC
    Sabbi Rios DK

    Just hoping all the guys who were ill can go today

  10. [Flic Soda]

    Yohel Takoka
    Mathias Laborda; Ranko Veslinovic; Belai Halbouni; Bjorn Inge Utvik;
    Jean-Claude Ngando; Ralph Priso; Jeevan Badwal
    Damir Kreilach; Daniel Ríos; Emmanuel Sabbi

    2-0 Seattle. I have not found any announcements that whitecap 2 players would be called up? So assuming some of the questionable players will be playing….If anyone gets this lineup right, we should double their points 🙂

    1. Totally! I have no idea who the caps 2 players are. Mackenzie ? He actually looked pretty good. Thanks for the laugh!

      1. Thanks Anon………. cannot open link on site…here they are!
        Sunday, Jun 8, 2025, 12:00 PM

        share
        VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Sunday that seven players from Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) have been signed to MLS short-term agreements for this evening’s home match against Seattle Sounders FC at BC Place. The club received an extreme hardship exemption from the league to sign more than the regularly allotted four short-term agreements per match.

        MLS Roster Rules & Regulations.)
        Jackson Castro

        Castro, 22, has two goals and two assists while starting all 12 matches for WFC2 this season, and leads MLS NEXT Pro with 35 key passes. This marks the first time that Castro has signed an MLS short-term agreement.

        The midfielder was signed in February after graduating from the University of Creighton. In that time, he was twice named to the All-BIG EAST First Team (2023 and 2024), and once to the Second Team (2022). During his NCAA career, he scored 22 goals and recorded 22 assists over 74 appearances.

        Jackson Castro
        Position: Midfielder
        Height: 5-08
        Weight: 160 pounds
        Date of Birth: December 24, 2002
        Hometown: Plano, Texas
        Citizenship: United States
        Status: Domestic
        University: University of Creighton (2021-24)
        Former Club: Vermont Green (USL League Two)
        Youth Club: Solar SC

        Antoine Coupland

        The 21-year-old midfielder is in his third season with WFC2, and has started four of his eight MLS NEXT Pro appearances in 2025. In total, Coupland has recorded two goals and five assists during his 32 starts and 46 appearances.

        The native of Quebec originally signed in 2023 from Croatian first division side HNK Rijeka, where he recorded nine goals and two assists across 19 starts and 23 appearances in two seasons with the club’s U-19 team in the 1. HNL Juinori.

        This marks the first time that Coupland has signed an MLS short-term agreement.

        Antoine Coupland 
        Position: Midfielder 
        Height: 5-08
        Weight: 160 pounds
        Date of Birth: December 12, 2003 in Chelsea, Québec 
        Hometown: Chelsea, Québec 
        Citizenship: Canada 
        Status: Domestic 
        Previous Clubs: HNK Rijeka (2022-23), Atlético Ottawa (2020-22), Ottawa Fury FC (2019) 
        Youth Clubs: Ottawa St. Anthony SC’s Futuro Soccer Academy, Ottawa Fury

        Nikola Djordjevic

        The 22-year-old has started seven of nine appearances in his first MLS NEXT Pro season, leading the team with three assists and adding one goal. This marks the first time that Djordjevic has signed an MLS short-term agreement.

        The defender from Austin, Texas was selected in the second round of the 2025 MLS SuperDraft with the 45th overall selection and was part of the ‘Caps preseason roster in Marbella, Spain. From 2022 to 2024, Djordjevic started 35 of his 38 appearances at Southern Methodist University, recording two goals and 12 assists. In his final season at SMU, he captained the Mustangs while starting all 21 matches, scoring one goal and adding five assists.

        Nikola Djordjevic
        Position: Fullback
        Height: 5-09
        Weight: 175 pounds
        Date of Birth: November 14, 2002
        Hometown: Austin, Texas
        Citizenship: United States
        Status: Domestic
        University: Southern Methodist University
        Youth Club: Capital City SC

        Rayan Elloumi

        Elloumi signed his first professional contract with WFC2 on Saturday, and this marks the first time that he has signed an MLS short-term agreement. The native of Edmonton, Alberta previously spent time playing with WFC2 as an amateur player during the 2024 and 2025 MLS NEXT Pro seasons. This season, Elloumi has started two of his seven appearances, recording one goal and two assists. In 2024, he made one start in four appearances and scored his first professional goal against Houston Dynamo 2 on October 6.

        The forward originally joined the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy in August 2023 after previously playing with BTB Soccer Academy.

        Elloumi has also competed with Whitecaps FC at the League1 BC and MLS NEXT levels.

        Rayan Elloumi
        Position: Forward
        Height: 6-00
        Weight: 180 pounds
        Date of Birth: September 17, 2007 in St. Albert, Alberta
        Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
        Citizenship: Canada, Tunisia
        Status: Domestic
        Youth Clubs: Whitecaps FC BMO Academy, BTB Soccer Academy

        Adrián Pelayo

        Signed in April, the 18-year-old has made two starts for WFC2 in MLS NEXT Pro. This marks the first time that Pelayo has signed an MLS short-term agreement.

        Prior to coming to Vancouver, Pelayo made 14 starts in 16 appearances during the 2024/25 LIGA MX U-23 Apertura and Clausura seasons for Chivas de Guadalajara’s U-23 side after joining the club last July.

        Internationally, Pelayo represented Mexico at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia, making one start as the team reached the tournament’s Round of 16.

        Adrián Pelayo
        Position: Defender
        Height: 6-01
        Weight: 180 pounds
        Date of Birth: May 16, 2006 in Stayton, Oregon
        Hometown: Salem, Oregon
        Citizenship: United States, Mexico, Argentina
        Status: Domestic
        Former Clubs: Chivas de Guadalajara U-23 (‘24-’25), North Carolina FC (‘23-’24), Portland Timbers2 (‘22-’23)
        Youth Club: Portland Timbers Academy

        Daniel Russo

        Russo, 23, joined WFC2 in April and has gone on to start five of his seven appearances with the side, scoring twice. This marks the second time Russo has signed a short-term agreement with the club after previously getting called up for the TELUS Canadian Championship quarterfinal first leg at Valour FC.

        The Jackson, New Jersey native spent the 2024 season with fellow MLS NEXT Pro side Atlanta United 2. He made one start and two appearances for the Five Stripes.

        Prior to making the move to Atlanta, Russo spent four seasons playing at the University of Notre Dame, playing the majority of his minutes as a winger. In his first season at Notre Dame, Russo made 13 appearances, including five starts, and had one goal and one assist. He continued to progress the following season, playing in 24 matches and tallying three goals as well as four assists.

        In his youth, Russo played his prep career at Jackson Memorial and was a member of the New York Red Bulls academy before heading to South Bend.

        Daniel Russo
        Position: Defender
        Height: 5-11
        Weight: 165 pounds
        Date of Birth: March 24, 2002 in Jackson, New Jersey
        Hometown: Jackson, New Jersey
        Citizenship: United States
        Status: Domestic
        University: University of Notre Dame
        Former Club: Atlanta United 2 (‘23-’24)
        Youth Club: New York Red Bulls Academy

        Johnny Selemani

        Selemani, 17, signed his first professional contract on Saturday, and this marks the first time that he has signed an MLS short-term agreement. The native of Edmonton, Alberta spent time playing with WFC2 as an amateur player during the 2024 and 2025 MLS NEXT Pro seasons. This season, Selemani has started 11 of his 12 appearances, recording one goal and one assist. In 2024, Selemani became the youngest WFC2 debutant in the club’s MLS NEXT Pro era (16 years, one month, five days) with his start at Tacoma Defiance. He went on to make three total appearances during the season.

        The forward originally joined the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy in August 2022 after previously playing with BTB Soccer Academy.

        In addition, Selemani has competed with Whitecaps FC at the League1 BC and MLS NEXT levels.

        At the international level, Selemani has represented Canada at the U-15 and U-17 age groups. The forward was part of Canada’s roster at the Concacaf U-17 Championship earlier this year, where he started two of his three appearances and scored once en route to helping Canada to a perfect 4W-0L-0D record to secure qualification to the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

        Johnny Selemani
        Position: Forward
        Height: 5-10
        Weight: 165 pounds
        Date of Birth: March 16, 2008 in Edmonton, Alberta
        Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
        Citizenship: Canada
        Status: Domestic
        Youth Clubs: Whitecaps FC BMO Academy, BTB Soccer Academy

        Whitecaps FC MLS short-term agreements:

    2. [Flic Soda]

      Updated lineup….

      Yohel Takoka
      Mathias Laborda; Daniel Russo; Belai Halbouni; Nikola Djordjevic;
      Jean-Claude Ngando; Jackson Castro; Antoine Coupland
      Damir Kreilach; Daniel Ríos; Johnny Selemani

      3-0 Seattle; If the whitecaps can get a draw or manage a win, this will be the game of the year….

  11. Dirq piqx for starting XI for match XVI vs Sounders FC

    Takaoka
    Laborda Veselinovic Halbouni Johnson
    Priso Berhalter Bovalina
    Sabbi Rios Badwal

    ‘Caps win 1-0
    Go ‘Caps

  12. Ríos Kreilach
    Selemani Ngando Castro Djordjevic
    Vellios Halbouni O’Neill Laborda
    Takaoka

    VWFC 1—2 SEA

  13. Takaoka
    Ocampo Veselinovic Blackmon Bovalina
    Ngando Priso Badwell
    Sabbi Rios McKenzie

    4-0 Sounders

  14. 1-0 caps
    Takaoka
    Ocampo Veselinovic Blackmon halbouni
    Laborda priso badwal
    Rios sabbi ngando

  15. Caps Win 1-0 (CDPrior)

    Takaoka
    Halbouni Ranko Blackmon
    Ocampo Badwal Priso Ngando Laborda
    Rios Sabbi

  16. Whow!……lots of .unfamiliar faces

    {I notice MIAMI don’t play in MLS until June 29! ……WHITECAP Ownership has no ba–s

    1. Miami don’t play in MLS until june 29th because they’re in the club world cup, what does Whitecaps ownership have to do with that exactly?

      1. MLS insisted that the Whitecaps played the Wednesday before the biggest game in their history ans now…… are insisting that they play on Sunday! ….you OK with that?

  17. This seems like an impossible task, but I’ll say…

    Sabbi Rios McKenzie
    Ngando Priso Badwal
    Laborda Ranko Hallbouni Ocampo
    Taka

    3-1 Seattle

      1. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

        Takaoka
        Laborda Blackmon Ranko Djordjevic
        Badwal Priso Ngando
        Ocampo Ríos Sabbi

        Seattle wins 3-1

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