Brian White mentioned that the Vancouver Whitecaps are “daring to dream” about what they might obtain this season after reaching the CONCACAF Champions Cup ultimate.
White was on track in Vancouver’s 3-1 win of their second-leg conflict in opposition to Inter Miami, sealing a 5-1 combination victory and a date in opposition to Cruz Azul within the showpiece match.
Jesper Sorensen’s facet have been in advantageous type this season, sitting high of the Western Convention by 5 factors after 10 video games of their marketing campaign.
With 11 objectives in 16 video games in all competitions, White has been the driving power within the Whitecaps’ latest run and insisted that he had no plans of slowing down.
“The followers had a tifo that mentioned we allowed them to dream once more, and I feel that was the message that the gamers introduced as effectively,” White mentioned.
“All of us have this dream, and we’re thrilled that Vancouver got here out to assist us and that we will do that for them, and everybody who’s been across the membership for thus lengthy.
“This has been fairly a journey for us and fairly a journey for [the fans]. The sky’s the restrict to what we will obtain this yr.
“Hopefully, we will keep humble, know the place we come from, consider in ourselves, and proceed to push ahead.”
WE’RE OFF TO THE SHOW!
‘Caps are @TheChampions Finals sure for the primary time in historical past #VWFC | #ConcaChampions pic.twitter.com/Kyc6s1CNAO
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) Might 1, 2025
However standing in between an eighth MLS win of the season for Vancouver is Actual Salt Lake, who wish to construct on their 3-1 victory over San Diego FC final trip.
Diego Luna stole the present with two objectives on the Snapdragon Stadium, scoring twice, with the 21-year-old incomes reward from head coach, Pablo Mastroeni.
“I don’t suppose we will discuss Diego creating anymore. He’s the man,” Mastroeni informed reporters.
“He’s the man that performs with the chip on his shoulder. He’s one in every of our greatest defenders. He’s clearly the man that’s placing the ball at the back of the online. He’s doing all of it for our group.”
Luna, nonetheless, was not getting carried away by the noise round his latest performances.
“For me, it doesn’t change what I’m doing on the each day or what I’m attempting to do for myself and the profession I’m attempting to construct for myself,” Luna mentioned of Mastroeni’s reward.
“He’s my coach, so, after all, he’s up there, proper? But it surely’s identical to anybody else speaking or anybody else saying one thing.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Vancouver Whitecaps – Pedro Vite
Vite got here off the bench to attain twice in Vancouver’s win over Minnesota on Sunday.
He’s the fourth Whitecaps participant, and first since Blas Perez in 2016, to attain a number of objectives off the bench in a regular-season match.
Actual Salt Lake – Diego Luna
Luna bagged a brace in Actual Salt Lake’s win over San Diego, taking his tally to 5 MLS objectives in 9 appearances this season.
The American (18 objectives, 15 assists) can be one in every of simply six gamers in MLS historical past to report no less than 15 objectives and 15 assists earlier than turning 22.
MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN
Vancouver are the twelfth group in MLS historical past to report no less than 23 factors by means of their first 10 matches of a season. Seven of the earlier 11 have gone on to win the Supporters’ Defend.
RSL, although, have received 4 straight matches in opposition to Vancouver, all by 2-1 scorelines. It equals the longest successful streak by both group in opposition to the opposite in 33 all-time conferences (Whitecaps – 4 straight wins from 2014-15).
They’ve additionally misplaced solely two of their final eight matches in Canada courting again to October 2019 (W5 D1). Previous to that, RSL had made 22 visits to Canada and recorded simply two wins (D3 L17).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Vancouver Whitecaps – 53.8%
Draw – 23.7%
Actual Salt Lake – 22.5%