The Seattle Sounders are taking on the rival Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday for the first time this season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 6 p.m. PT at Lumen Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on JOEtv and Prime Video.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Seattle: 7-0-3 (24 points, 1st West), Vancouver: 2-6-1 (7 points, 12th West)
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders and Whitecaps last met on Oct. 27 of last year in a 2-0 Seattle win. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the match was played at Providence Park, in Portland, Ore. Raúl Ruidíaz and Nicolás Lodeiro each scored in the victory.
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Sounders: WWDDW, Whitecaps: LLLLL
ARRIVE EARLY: Make sure to check traffic before leaving home with I-5 closures and delays. If you are seated in a vaccinated section, we encourage you to arrive early to screen your vaccination card. A reminder, you must have had your second dose on or before June 12 to be eligible. Also, there are PRIDE headbands available at gates brought to you by Starbucks.
HEAT WAVE: Please make sure to stay hydrated and bring a factory sealed or empty plastic water bottle with you to fill up at the stadium. There are water bottle fill stations available.
BEST START CONTINUES: The Sounders are out to their best start to an MLS season in franchise history, going unbeaten through their opening 10 matches and leading the Supporters’ Shield standings. The fact that they are doing this without the injured Lodeiro, Jordan Morris and Stefan Frei is all the more remarkable.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: Seattle has been the best defensive team in the league so far this season, allowing just 0.5 goals per game. The Sounders have still yet to concede from the run of play, posting 900 minutes of shutout soccer. Of the five goals they have allowed, three have come from penalty kicks and two from direct free kicks.
RUIDÍAZ ROLLING: After being a surprise omission from Peru’s team for Copa América, Ruidíaz has scored twice in as many matches, including converting a pressure-packed penalty in the 88th minute of the Sounders’ 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. He’s tied with the LA Galaxy’s Chicharito for first in the MLS Golden Boot race with eight.
SEATTLE STREAK: Seattle is unbeaten in its last 11 matches against the Vancouver (8-0-3), including winners of four in a row. The Sounders’ last loss to the Whitecaps came in April 2017 at BC Place, and the Sounders have not lost at home to their Cascadia rivals since March 2016.
BRITISH COLUMBIA BLUES: Vancouver enters the weekend off a 2-1 loss to the Galaxy on Wednesday and sits in 12th place in the Western Conference with just seven points from nine matches. Due to continued COVID-19 protocols, they are playing their home matches at Rio Tinto Stadium, the home of RSL, but they’ve now lost five matches in a row heading into Saturday’s contest.
FREDY FOE: Saturday will mark the first time this year that Sounders forward Fredy Montero battles his old club where he spent the previous three seasons. Montero joined Vancouver in 2017 after originally starting his MLS career with the Sounders from 2009-12.
TARGET MAN: Vancouver has struggled offensively, scoring just eight goals. If the ‘Caps want a shot at finding a victory in Seattle, they’ll need Designated Player Lucas Cavallini to step up in a big way. The 28-year-old Canadian international has just one tally so far this season after posting six goals in 18 matches in his debut season last year.
