Friday night at BC Place, the Vancouver Whitecaps will play their second Leagues Cup match as they welcome FC Juárez.

Despite the fact that advancing from the group stage is now an outside shot after the opening matchday, there’s still every reason for the Whitecaps to go out and win this one as they continue looking to get back into form following the Club World Cup break.

Juárez got the better of Minnesota United in their opening match, winning 2-1. Much like Vancouver’s match against Atlante, Minnesota rotated heavily from their strongest XI, but the Mexican side certainly has a few players worth paying attention to.

Óscar Estupiñán is the primary dangerman. The Colombian striker scored 14 goals in Liga MX last season and, if we go back a few years, also found the net 13 times for Hull City in the Championship during the 2022-23 campaign.

It has not been a good start to Liga MX play for Juárez, however. They are still without a point through three matches, have scored just once, and most recently were embarrassed 5-1 at home by Pedro Vite’s Pumas.

Historically, Juárez has struggled to establish itself since joining Liga MX in 2019. Last season’s run to the Apertura quarter-finals was the deepest postseason run in club history, but it was followed by another missed playoff berth in the Clausura. Overall, consistency has been difficult to find for Juárez, and that has carried over into this season.

Beyond Estupiñán, Vancouver will also need to keep an eye on Guilherme Castilho. The Brazilian midfielder was on the scoresheet in Juárez’s opening Leagues Cup match against Minnesota and has become an important piece of their attack. Castilho provides creativity from midfield and has the ability to arrive late into dangerous areas, making him another player the Whitecaps will need to account for.

Juárez also comes into this tournament with some positive Leagues Cup history. Last year, they went unbeaten in regulation during the group stage, defeating Charlotte FC 4-1, drawing FC Cincinnati 2-2 before winning on penalties, and drawing the New York Red Bulls 1-1 before eventually falling in the shootout.

They will also present a much different challenge than Atlante did on Tuesday night. While Atlante were content to sit deeper and frustrate Vancouver, Juárez have more individual quality and attacking threats. However, they are a team that has struggled defensively. Last season, they conceded 57 goals in Liga MX, among the worst defensive records in the league.

Flipping things over to Vancouver, this is an opportunity for the Whitecaps to get back on track while also managing the busy schedule ahead. Many of Vancouver’s regular starters saw limited minutes against Atlante on Tuesday, so they should be relatively fresh heading into this one. However, with a trip to Mexico to face Tigres coming up next Tuesday, Jesper Sørensen will need to balance getting a result against Juárez while keeping his squad ready for another difficult test. It will be interesting to see if Sørensen prioritizes getting three points or if he continues experimenting with his lineup.

Ultimately, Vancouver should feel good about their chances in this one. Juárez have more quality than Atlante, but they have not shown the same level of consistency or defensive organization. If the Whitecaps put out their top players and play close to their level, they should have enough to come away with three points.