The March to March – Part 3

Welcome once again to Whitecaps Wednesday – and the 3rd installment of Pucked in the Head’s “March to March” series. If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that the Whitecaps have managed to pull five victories from their first nine games.

Now mired in their busiest stretch of games (but not the most frenzied – we’ll see that in Part 4), we take a look into the third month of the season and forecast the results of their five May matches.

Buckle up quick, as their month kicks off with an away fixture in Portland, the first of two Cascadia matches in a three-week stretch.

Game #10: The Caps start the month off travelling to Providence Park and will be looking to gain some valuable points versus the Timbers on April 2. Portland will be coming off another Cascadia match in Seattle the week prior that will set them up well to face the Whitecaps at home.

Historical Result Table:

* This result correlates to an earlier prediction made in “The March to March”

The Rub: In a previous prediction, I proclaimed the Timbers victorious at BC Place in March. Upholding that narrative, the Caps will be inspired to return the favour in this one. And while that may indeed happen, I’m inclined to believe Portland holds their own at home and despite their best efforts, the Caps have to settle for a 2-2 draw to start off the month. Why? I wish I had a better explanation for you, but really, it’s just what my gut tells me.

Game #11: Vancouver returns home to face the Philadelphia Union in front of supporters on May 9. The Union finished well below Sporting Kansas City for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference last season, however they have proven to be a tough matchup for the Whitecaps historically, allowing Vancouver just a single victory in five games all-time.

Historical Result Table:

The Rub: The last time these two clubs met, the Whitecaps took a 2–0 lead into halftime before seeing it evaporate in a span of eight minutes. Luckily for the Caps, Pedro Morales capitalized on a PK in the 81st minute to salvage a tie at PPL Park. That match proved to be a bit of an anomaly as the six goals scored doubled the output from all other matches between these two teams combined. I anticipate this game to revert back to the standard, and we’ll watch a defensive battle end in a 1-1 draw.

Game #12: Ah, Seattle. It will be nice to see you once again old foe. The Whitecaps welcome the Seattle Sounders on May 16 in the first of two visits to BC Place this season. Despite the varying degrees of flicker vertigo the Sounders’ kits inflict on the Vancouver faithful, this one should be on your “Be Sure To Be There” list.

Historical Result Table:

The Rub: After struggling against the Sounders early on in their MLS existence, the Whitecaps have flipped the switch on the Washington-based squad. After summoning three points in their first six competitions, the Caps have earned thirteen points from the subsequent five matches between these two. Their last match in October saw some heroics (and theatrics) from Kekuta “The Silencer” Manneh, who managed to shake off an injury just moments before, and then suffer another injury while scoring the game-winning goal. The supporters will see the Whitecaps continue their streak over the Sounders as they take this one, 2-1.

Game #13: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park plays host when the Whitecaps travel to Commerce City to face the Colorado Rapids on May 23. The Rapids finished 2014 well down in the standings, but fared well against the Whitecaps last year. There isn’t a whole lot that separates these two teams when they face each other, so this should be an interesting matchup.

Historical Result Table:

The Rub: The Rapids earned two of their eight victories last season over the Whitecaps. Of course, the Whitecaps biggest win of the 2014 season came in their final match versus the aforementioned Colorado Rapids at BC Place. It was Kendall Waston’s 70’ minute miracle goal that propelled the Caps into the playoffs and that may provide some good feels heading into this one. I needed some help on this one so I took to my Magic 8 Ball to give me a hand. The result? “Concentrate and ask again.” Ah, forget it. Let’s just say this one ends up 2-1 in favour of Colorado.

Game #14: The Whitecaps finish off the month when they see Real Salt Lake take to the pitch at BC Place on May 30. It’s the second installment in the 2015 edition of the Whitecaps versus Real Salt Lake trilogy and the Caps final home game before giving way to the Fifa Women’s World Cup. That tournament will force Vancouver to play on the road for the next five weeks.

Historical Result Table:

* This result correlates to an earlier prediction in “The March to March – Part 2”

The Rub: The Caps would love to give their fans something positive to remember them by before they hit the road for an extended period of time. At this point in the season, and with the squad he’s built, Robinson should be enjoying the stability of an incumbent starting XI and seeing some unity in the Whitecaps play. After dropping their last match against Real Salt Lake, Vancouver gives a valiant effort in front of supporters but can only muster a 2-2 draw before packing what one can only assume will be a large number of suitcases.

The End Result: There’s good news and bad news at the conclusion of the month. The Whitecaps manage only a single win, but also suffer just a single loss. The 1-1-3 (W-L-T) record throughout May has them sitting with an overall mark of 6-4-4, which should have them in good stead through the first part of the season. June, however, has been pegged as a different kind of beast since the release of the MLS schedule and will present a real test for the Whitecaps. Stay tuned for next week’s “March to March,” as we’ll take a closer look at their lengthy road trip, and of course give our best guesses in terms of results to expect.