Dallas has been a friendly host to Vancouver over the past few years, something the fixture-weary Whitecaps hope continues on Saturday.
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Out of the frying pan and into the dryer.
The Vancouver Whitecaps have headed to the dehydrated Texas satellite community of Frisco — where less than an inch of rain has fallen this month — from the tropical climes of Torreón, Mexico, after their mid-week CONCACAF Champions Cup game versus Monterrey. It’s time to resume MLS play.
Their stops in Costa Rica to face Saprissa and in Mexico against Monterrey were experiences of a different calibre. No offence to FC Dallas fans, even if there’s a massive Latino population, their stadium atmosphere just isn’t on the same level.
NEXT GAME
Whitecaps (3-0) at FC Dallas (1-1-1)
Saturday, 5:30 p.m. PT, Toyota Stadium
TV: Apple. Radio: AM730
“It’s like night and day,” said Whitecaps winger Jayden Nelson. “Even when we were in Costa Rica, the atmosphere … it’s a total different atmosphere. It’s a real football hostile environment.”
And it will be even more muted at Toyota Stadium on Saturday. The 20-year-old venue is undergoing a second renovation, part of a US$182 million project to prepare for the World Cup, and capacity is limited to 11,000 seats until completion.
Before this season, the Whitecaps had never started a season 3-0, let alone 4-0, a mark they’ll look to hit against the Toros (1-1-1).
Here’s four more things to watch for Saturday in Frisco:
Tak-tical warfare
While many column inches have been dedicated to the esthetic qualities of the Whitecaps’ offence, the defence has been quietly taking care of business as well.
In three league games they’ve given up just two goals and have the league’s fifth best xG-allowed rating (0.87), even if they’re averaging the most shots on target conceded per 90. Most of those shots are coming from the outside, with just five other clubs averaging a greater distance.
Yohei Takaoka has been solid if unspectacular between the sticks for Vancouver, with one shutout and two goals against in league play. But his passing ability is why he was brought in, and is second only to FC Dallas counterpart Maarten Paes in passing completion over 40 yards.
The Caps switched from the four-man backline to a three-centre-back base against Monterrey, and apart from a rookie moment from Tate Johnson early on, held the Rayados at bay.
“They’ve played very well. I’m very comfortable playing with them,” said Takaoka. “In terms of conceding goals, it’s less than last year. So we’re in good shape.
“Tactically, and the buildup (from the back) is there. (Coach) Jesper (Sørensen) wants us to be involved with the buildup. That’s just my style. When I was in Japan, I play with my feet a lot of times. So I’m used to it — I feel good, and I feel confident.
“We tried new things from the pre-season, we tried (to be) aggressive and how do we possess in their half? You can see a lot of difference from the last year. Vanni (Sartini) gave us a lot of things in terms of defensively. He was a good coach. And Jesper gave us a lot of information on how we possess, how we transition, how we play. I feel (we’re going) in right direction.”
Beware the Lucho-dore
Much like Vancouver, the Toros weren’t given much respect by the league’s pundits, predicted to finish 13th in the West — a spot above Vancouver — after they missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2021 and lost Paul Arriola, Alan Velasco and Jesús Ferreria from their roster.
But then they landed Lucho Acosta.
The 30-year-old is FC Cincinnati’s all-time leader in goals (54) and assists (62), but a very mess and very public locker-room spat with general manager Chris Albright spelled the end of his time there. Dallas sent the ‘Knifey Lions’ US$5 million in cash, with another US$1 million in bonus-based incentives, for the Argentine midfielder.
He won the 2023 MVP after helping Cincy win the Supporters Shield, and made the all-star XI the past three seasons. Combined with Croatian international Petar Musa (16 goals, three assists in 2024), Acosta will give the Toros some goal-scoring fangs.
“They’re very good team — especially the attackers,” said Takaoka. “They have the players up top, Musa and Acosta — and especially Acosta. I think he’s one of the best players in the league. We need to be ready at any moment.”
The end is in sight
Eight games in 23 days. That’s a lot of soccer for any team.
It’s taken its toll, with Sam Adekugbe and Ryan Gauld succumbing to injuries, and Nelson missing basically three straight games, leaving in the fifth minute of the home match versus Saprissa.
One more against Dallas, then it’s a week before they host Chicago. And another week after that before they travel to Toronto.
The injury-time killer from Saprissa in their first competitive game of 2025 was a lesson they took to heart. They kept up the pressure in their CONCACAF first-leg game against Monterrey, netting an 87th-minute equalizer from Belal Halbouni. In the return leg, Brian White spent the first half on the bench before coming on in the second half to score the goal that would put them through to the next round.
Dallas learned the same lesson last week, giving up two goals between the 82nd and 84th minute, and completing the collapse after conceding a 90th-minute penalty in a 3-1 loss to Chicago.
“I think everybody is chipping in,” Sørensen said of his team. “Everybody is, even though it’s been a very tough start for us with all the games … We have to rotate also a lot. I think everybody also gets the opportunity to feel they have the rhythm with the team, so that’s a good thing. I trust the players, they show every day in training sessions, that they want to do their best.”
Dallas has a problem
There was a time when Texas meant the Caps were toast. Houston or Dallas, it didn’t matter.
The Whitecaps have only beaten the Dynamo once on their home turf in 12 games, dating to 2011, and that was seven years ago.
And from 2011 to 2016, Vancouver lost every game in Dallas — including the playoffs — getting outscored 16-3.
But their tides in Frisco changed in 2017 after a massive 4-0 win over the defending Supporter’s Shield champions. Australian legend Bernie Ibini had the winner on a deflected shot, Fredy Montero had a brace and an assist, and Nico Mezquida had the goal-of-the-month with a late-game bicycle.
Since that game, the Caps have lost just once in Dallas, going 3-1-3, including last year’s 3-1 win. Overall, the Toros have come out on top just once in their last 10 meetings, a 2023 home win over Vancouver.
“Vancouver is a great team, obviously. Three-and-oh and a lot of confidence,” said first-year Dallas coach Eric Quill. “We’ve got to be really up. We got to be up for it. They’re really good on set pieces. They’re a physical team. So we can’t lack the physicality and think that we’re going to be able to just play finesse football through lines. We’re not. We’re gonna have to match physicality along with our football ideas.”