Mental game crucial as Vancouver Whitecaps embark on road swing

VANCOUVER — Vanni Sartini isn't known for keeping his opinions to himself.

During training, the head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps regularly paces the field, yelling instructions in multiple languages and gesticulating wildly.

His relative quiet at Tuesday's session was noticeable, but as the 'Caps (13-8-6) gear up for a packed stretch of critical matchups — starting with a visit to the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday — Sartini is "biting his tongue."

“I think in this period, the coaching is more the planning than the coaching on the field,” he said Tuesday.

The Whitecaps head to Texas on a four-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, including a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday. The stretch is due to the quality of the players and a schedule that included just one game per week, Sartini said.

“We had time to train each week and, having a lot of quality players, the quality of the training was quite high. And that translated in what we did on Saturday," he said.

“The next few weeks is going to be harder because, basically, you don’t train and you always play and you recover every single time. So it’s hard also to try things. So I think more than the soccer technique and tactics quality itself, the mental part is going to be very important.”

Wednesday's game is the second of seven that the club will play over 21 days.

On Saturday, the Whitecaps will be in California, taking on the conference-leading L.A. Galaxy.

With just seven games to go on their Major League Soccer regular-season calendar, the 'Caps sit sixth in the congested Western Conference where the second-place club and seventh-place club are separated by just four points.

Vancouver is currently a single point ahead of Houston, with both teams jockeying for a top-four spot that brings home-field advantage for the playoffs.

The players know what's at stake for the mid-week matchup, but the standings aren't the first thing they're thinking about, said 'Caps defender Sam Adekugbe.

“I’m sure it’s in the back of your mind, but not necessarily just because it takes away from what you need to really focus on, which is the three points," he said. "And we have a good team. There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to get a result.”

The Whitecaps have already faced the Dynamo once this season, dropping a 4-3 decision at B.C. Place on July 20.

The game was "chaos," said 'Caps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.

“It was kind of a weird game," he said. "They create chaos. So we have to control the game. So if we score or concede a goal, we need to be staying in the game.”

Houston comes in on a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) after posting a decisive 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake last Saturday.

“They're obviously in good shape and good football style, like ticky-tacky," Takaoka said. "So we need to be very patient. We need to be solid for 90 minutes.”

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-8-6) at HOUSTON DYNAMO (12-8-8)

Wednesday, Shell Energy Stadium

INS AND OUTS: Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed will miss Wednesday's game with a quad contusion, but is expected to join the team in L.A. ahead of Saturday's matchup. Midfielder Andres Cubas will return to the Vancouver's starting 11 after missing last week's outing with a shoulder injury and striker Brian White is expected to be on the bench after sitting out three games with a concussion.

HISTORY BOOKS: Vancouver holds a 10-9-5 edge over Houston in regular-season play.

ROAD WARRIORS: The 'Caps are 7-4-3 on the road this season and have a chance to set new club records in both MLS away wins and points. The current highs (seven wins, 24 points) were set in 2015.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press