After last week’s false start, Vancouver Whitecaps get their 2026 MLS campaign back up and running when they travel to Eastern Conference playoff chasers FC Cincinnati.
With MLS yet to return to full throttle after the restart, we are yet to see who has used the break to their advantage and which sides will take a step backwards into the second half of the year.
The table currently looks good for Vancouver, as the Whitecaps currently sit atop the Western Conference and four points behind supporters shield leaders Nashville SC with a game in hand. Jesper Sørensen will be hoping that his team kick on and continue to push his team towards a return to MLS Cup.
On the other hand, Cincinnati are definitely one of the teams who could either push on or capitulate. Going forward, the Orange and Blue are sensational, with their 36 goals in 15 games spearheaded by Kevin Denkey and Evander only beaten by Inter Miami across MLS. The problem is defensively, as only Orlando City and Sporting Kansas City have shipped more than Pat Noonan’s team.
Although this is not helped by the frequent absences of MLS veterans Matt Miazga and Miles Robinson, such form is pretty much the polar opposite from their 2025 season, where Cinci’s goals record stood at 52-40. The upside, at least from the outside, is that this has made Cincinnati a dream side to watch for a neutral, with results like 3-3 (twice), 4-3, 4-4, 5-3 and 6-2 all occurring since the turn of the year.
With Vancouver having the highest xG and the second highest goals scored per game (behind Miami) this might be a feast of attacking football. If ever there was a game for the Whitecaps to get fans watching after the World Cup, this may become the perfect advert.
Last week’s encounter against Chicago Fire was meant to be centred around Thomas Müller and Roberts Lewandowski, and this match is another game where the focus will be on the German international. As the song (and a ludicrous amount of GAM for ‘discovery rights’) remind those at BC Place, Müller could very easily have ended up in Ohio but instead elected to come to Canada. Vancouver fans have reaped the benefits ever since, and they will be hoping that he proves he made the right decision with a solid display.
In terms of team news, barring the absences of wingers Kenji Cabrera, Emmanuel Sabbi and Cheikh Sabaly alongside centre-backs Ralph Priso and Belal Halbouni, Vancouver have a fairly clean bill of health.
Replacing those wingers in attack will be captain Ryan Gauld, who will require some getting up to speed but is finally fit after an 18-month long spell out the team. Young talents Bruno Caicedo and Jeevan Badwal have been impressive over the first part of the season and will prove more than capable of threatening a weak Cincinnati backline.
On the defensive side of the field, Yohei Takaoka will likely start between the sticks, and Tristan Blackmon and Ranko Veselinovic are set to continue the partnership that locked down MLS in the first half of 2025. Moldova international Mihail Gherasimencov impressed in both legs against Cavalry and will feel like he deserves the opportunity in the league, but with Mathias Laborda, Edier Ocampo and Tate Johnson all looking for places, the 21-year-old may be pushed out the starting XI. Further forward, Sebastian Berhalter and Andres Cubas will hopefully have recovered from their sensational World Cup exploits and are set to start in the middle of the park.
Remarkably, this is only the fourth encounter between these two outfits, with Vancouver emerging 2-1 victors on their first visit to Cincinnati and the other two matches being drawn.
The Whitecaps will hope to extend their undefeated streak against these opponents, and despite the break I can see them doing it and finally getting their season back off to a perfect start.