Austin FC aims to make it five consecutive wins against Cascadian opposition this weekend, when the Verde & Black welcome Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Q2 Stadium on Saturday night. The match is set for a 7:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
Tune-In
- Stream: Click here to watch the match on Apple TV or access it through any device compatible with the Apple TV app.
- Radio: The match will be broadcast locally in English on iHeart Radio’s Alt 97.5, and in Spanish on Univision’s TUDN Radio Austin (104.3- HD2, KLQB-FM).
Austin FC Outlook
With five games remaining in the regular season, Austin will know it needs every point possible to close the seven-point gap to the playoff line. The homestretch begins with Saturday night’s tilt against Vancouver, whom ATXFC beat 2-1 on the road back in September with a brace from Christian Ramirez.
While Ramirez leads the team with nine goals this season, a recent bright spot has been the form of his fellow striker Brandon Vazquez. Vazquez has goals in three consecutive games and looks full of confidence.
Since August 1, the Verde & Black have only been held scoreless in one league match. The team will look to continue that trend and put multiple goals past Vancouver to give them the best shot of walking away with three important points.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Outlook
The Whitecaps have seen their lead at the top of the Western Conference shrink recently as they have won just one of their last six matches. Vancouver played to a 0-0 stalemate with second-place St. Louis on Wednesday night to preserve their one-point advantage, but they will know that they’ll need to get back to winning ways soon if they hope to secure the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage.
While the Whitecaps are without talisman Thomas Müller, top scorer Brian White is always a threat from the front. Vancouver likes to control the ball with its average possession of 55.7 percent ranking fourth highest in MLS. The team also averages 2.1 goals per match, making it the third most effective attack in the league behind only Miami and Nashville.
Vancouver’s 23 road points rank third most in the Western Conference, and the Whitecaps ability to pick up results on their travels is a big reason why they find themselves as the top of the West. It will be up to Austin to ensure their visit to Q2 Stadium is not a productive one.
