Regardless of what happens in the Western Conference Finals of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the team will head to the title game for the first time in its history when Vancouver Whitecaps take on San Diego FC. Expansion franchise, San Diego is reimagining what an expansion team can do under manager Mikey Varas and behind hot form Rookie of the Year Anders Dreyerthey will host the Western Conference Finals with considerable star power.
How to watch San Diego vs Vancouver Whitecaps match, odds
- Date: Saturday 29 November | Time: 21:00 Eastern Time
- Location: Snapdragon Stadium – San Diego, California.
- Live broadcast: MLS Season Pass
- Chances: San Diego +140; Draw +250; Vancouver Whitecaps +175
Vancouver and coach Jesper Sorensen have had to deal with injuries and sales of key team players, but Sebastian Berhalter has led the way in midfield and Thomas Muller has been in excellent form since joining the team as a mid-season free agent. Including the playoffs, Mueller has eight goals and three assists in just 10 games for the team, and in a playoffs largely dominated by Lionel Messi in the Eastern Conference, he is looking to make his impact felt as the Whitecaps look to bring Vancouver its first major professional title in the sport.
They won the North American Soccer League in 1979, beating the Tampa Bay Rowdies, but since then, with the exception of the Canada Cup, silverware has been hard to come by. This season, the Whitecaps, led by Sorensen, reached the final of the Concacaf Champions Cup. where they fell on Cruz Azul. This 5-0 defeat will be a thing of the past, but this game will help prepare the Whitecaps for an important away game with a trip to the MLS Cup on the line.
San Diego is only the second expansion team in MLS history to reach the conference finals, and they've handled everything thrown their way. Dreyer's influence was important, but so was Varas's trust in the youth. Remember, 19-year-old Luca Bombino and 20-year-old Manu Dua have been pivotal defensively and will have an important job in containing Brian White and the Vancouver offense. Dreyer also scored four goals and added two assists in the playoffs.
This will be the third meeting between the two, with San Diego winning one and the other ending in a draw. There's a lot at stake: if Inter Miami loses to New York City, the winner of that match will take the MLS Cup.
