Match Preview - Vancouver Whitecaps
Game Info
Kickoff: 7:40pm CT
Watch: Apple TV
Location: Q2 Stadium - Austin, TX
All-Time H2H Record
Austin FC has a 2W-3D-6L all-time record against Vancouver Whitecaps.
These two teams met for the first time this season just over a month ago, a 2-1 upset victory for Austin FC on the road behind a brace from Christian Ramirez, the club’s first ever victory at BC Place.
Vancouver Whitecaps Recent Form
With the return leg of this Western Conference matchup happening in such quick succession, there’s not a ton we need to do but discuss what the Whitecaps have been up to since we saw them on September 13. However, if you want to go back and read what we had to say about the ‘Caps prior to that match you can do so here.
Vancouver’s midseason stranglehold on the rest of the Western Conference has evaporated, now sitting just one point above the surging St. Louis City SC, who just set the MLS record with a 21-game unbeaten streak. As we talked about on Thursday’s Episode 342, the last team to beat STL just so happens to be Austin FC.
Those two teams played to a scoreless draw in St. Louis on Wednesday night, which followed another (more impressive) road draw against LAFC last weekend where the Whitecaps went down a man early on thanks to a red card shown to centerback Tristan Blackmon, who was sent off in the 7th minute.
In fact, Vancouver has just one win from their six matches across all competitions (they also lost the Canadian Championship Final to CF Montreal after dropping points to Austin) since these two teams last met. They’ve also taken on a few injuries, the most notable of which is a hamstring issue for Thomas Müller, which will keep him sidelined for Saturday’s match. Austin FC being able to avoid the legendary German midfielder in both meetings with the ‘Caps this season is certainly a stroke of luck in favor of the Verde & Black.
Despite Müller’s absence, this is still a loaded squad. Their best-in-the-West defense will get Blackmon back for this one and they’ve still got Ryan “Scottish Messi” Gauld pulling the strings amongst a talented attacking front headlined by striker Brian White.
Speaking of White, he’s been a menace for Austin FC since these teams first met back in the 2021 expansion season, where Gauld assisted White for the first time as teammates in a 2-1 Vancouver victory. White has six career goals against Austin FC, with four of them coming in a 5-1 drubbing last season at BC Place.
Vancouver will be looking to get things back on track as they attempt to hold on to the top seed in the Western Conference with just three weeks remaining in the regular season. Fortunately for them, Austin FC has been the “get right” spot for teams needing a boost in 2026.
Austin FC Recent Form
The past two results have me in a negative mood, but the reality is that Austin FC is just a week removed from being on the club’s longest unbeaten streak in franchise history. They spent the better part of two months in league play decidedly not being the “get right” spot for teams like Seattle, Portland and even this Vancouver side.
There are also some positives that the sickos can latch on to during this brutal week of the schedule, the most obvious one being the form of DP striker Brandon Vazquez. Austin’s number nine has now scored in three straight games after going goalless in his first 15 appearances of the season. These haven’t been fluke goals either and it’s been encouraging to see some of his trademark athleticism return both in the open field and on set pieces.
This is also a team that just went to BMO Stadium on short rest and had a desperate LAFC team on their heels momentarily before Brad Stuver’s blunder out of the back allowed Denis Bouanga an easy second goal to suck the life out of ATX just as Vazquez had energized them with his equalizer.
Austin FC was also shorthanded on Wednesday, as Mikkel Desler popped up on the injury report with a lower body injury and ultimately did not dress. He’s listed questionable again for Saturday and he would be sorely missed if he had to miss a second straight game.
We’ll see some rotation at Q2 for the home team when lineups are announced as ATX plays their third match in eight days. I expect Myrto Uzuni to rejoin the starting unit after two straight bench appearances, and would not be shocked by another change or two in the defensive midfield or on the back line.
Another thing to watch if you’re still tuned in and clinging to the mathematical hope of a wild card berth is the yellow card accumulation warnings for both Besard Sabovic and Uzuni. Both players are one caution away from a suspension, however, they’ve also each played four straight clean games. One more and they’ll both get the “good behavior” bonus, which will knock a yellow card off their total and stave off that potential suspension.
With Austin FC likely needing at least three wins (and then some) over their last five games, the team can ill afford to have more starting caliber players suspended. It’s an uphill climb for the Verde and Black, but we’ll be there cheering them on until the end.
Injury Report
ATX:
Mikkel Desler (Questionable - Lower Body)
Žan Kolmanič (Out - Hamstring)
VAN:
Thomas Müller (Out - Hamstring)
Sam Adekugbe (Out - Hamstring)
Kenji Cabrera (Out - Foot)
Belal Halbouni (Out - Knee)
Jeevan Badwal (Out - Hamstring)
Vancouver Whitecaps Players to Watch
Yadaly Diaby - The 26-year-old French midfielder arrived to MLS in the summer transfer window. While he hasn’t made a huge statistical impact quite yet, with one goal and one assist in his seven appearances, Diaby was a huge threat in last month’s first leg between these two teams as the Whitecaps attempted to battle back late in the match. He’s the type of athletic attacking player that can give Austin FC’s back line fits, especially if Mikkel Desler can’t go again on Saturday.
Austin FC Keys to the Game
Put On The Crown - Unfortunately for fans of the Violet Crown kit, Saturday’s match will be the last time that Austin FC wears their tertiary kits before they’re retired and lost to time. I think this is a terrible decision by the league. Not only do I really like Austin in the violet, but all of the other 29 “throwback” kits have been awesome. While the team will “put on the crown”, I also think it’s time for Myrto Uzuni to find his goal scoring form again. He had a brilliant read and subsequent assist to create Austin’s lone goal in the midweek, but his last league goal came in the July 22nd win over Seattle at home. It’s time for Uzuni to get back on the scoresheet and hit us with his trademark “crown” celebration (that he dedicates to his son, Prince). If he can put on the crown, while wearing the crown, underneath the crown, maybe Austin fans leave Q2 with smiles on Saturday night.
Predictions
ZG - 2-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
E - 2-1 Austin FC
