The final match of the MLS weekend will see the top-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps host a surging Los Angeles FC side on Sunday at BC Place Stadium.
Last Saturday, the Caps defeated Real Salt Lake 2-1 to remain atop the Supporters' Shield standings, while LA are fifth in the Western Conference, beating the Houston Dynamo 2-0 in their previous affair.
Match preview
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Even with the demands of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the league campaign in full swing, the Whitecaps are showing no signs of slowing down.
A few days after ousting Lionel Messi and Inter Miami from the Champions Cup, Jesper Sorensen's group extended their unbeaten run in MLS to six games.
Four of their last five league contests ended in a victory for Vancouver, putting them seven points clear of Minnesota United for second in the West and two points above the Columbus Crew for first overall.
There are plenty of matches remaining, but after 11 in the competition this year, the Caps are averaging 2.36 points per game, putting them on pace for 80 by the end of the regular season, which would eclipse the league record set by Inter Miami in 2024 (74 points).
Vancouver have compiled one of the single-best runs ever for an MLS club, with just one defeat after 11 domestic affairs, while claiming maximum points on eight occasions.
A triumph on Sunday would equal their number of home league wins from last season (six) and extend their MLS winning run at BC Place to four matches, their longest since 2021 (four games).
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Following a tricky month of March, which saw them suffer three defeats in five league games, the Black and Gold seem to have turned things around, currently unbeaten in four successive domestic affairs.
Steve Cherundolo's men have climbed back into a place we are accustomed to seeing, currently two points below Minnesota for second in the Western Conference.
Three of their next four league encounters take place away from home, an area that could use some improvement with LA winning just one of their five MLS road games this year, three of which ended in defeat.
As a team, the Black and Gold have given up 16 goals in 11 league fixtures so far in 2025, 12 of which took place away from home.
The 17 points they have collected in MLS this year are the second-fewest accumulated after 11 matchdays since Cherundolo took charge in 2022, though that is still two more points than they had at this same stage a year ago.
LAFC have won two of their last three visits to BC Place against the Caps across all competitions, losing just one of their previous five trips to Vancouver (3-0 loss in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs).
- D
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
- W
- D
- W
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- W
Los Angeles FC form (all competitions):
- L
- L
- W
- D
- D
- W
Team News
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A hamstring strain kept Vancouver's leading goalscorer Brian White and defender Mathias Laborda on the sidelines against RSL, while captain Ryan Gauld was once again unavailable with a knee injury.
Jayden Nelson netted the winner last weekend after 20 minutes, with Tristan Blackmon adding some insurance 20 minutes from the end, the second goals of the league season for both players.
LA were missing Odin Holm and Lorenzo Dellavalle versus Houston as they were both dealing with leg issues, while Maxime Chanot sat out with a head injury.
Nathan Ordaz put them in front last week after 10 minutes, Jeremy Ebobisse netted 11 minutes from the end and Hugo Lloris did not have to make a single stop, collecting his fourth clean sheet of the domestic campaign in the process.
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Takaoka; Ocampo, Blackmon, Utvik, Johnson; Berhalter, Cubas, Ngando; Vite, Rios, Nelson
Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Palencia, Long, Segura, Hollingshead; Tillman, Jesus, Delgado; Martinez, Ebobisse, Bouanga
We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 Los Angeles FC
Sorensen has built a Whitecaps team that do not rely as heavily on the individual quality of a few players to get by, like we witnessed in years past.
The belief and overall depth that the Caps have shown this season is remarkable and should help them beat an in-form LAFC side this weekend.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
