The Whitecaps will be headed to La-La-Land to take on the Rojiblancos at the Home Depot Center. This will be the fourth ever meeting between the two clubs in MLS play and so far the Caps are undefeated against Chivas, tying both matches in 2011 and winning both in 2012. The last time the Whitecaps took on Chivas, they brushed them aside at BC Place by a lofty score of 4-0. There will not be a repeat of that scoreline in this years edition of the tie as Chivas will present a much tougher challenge for the Caps.
Chivas USA Statistics
Surprisingly, Chivas USA currently place second in the Western Conference with a record of 2-1-1 and a three game undefeated streak. The Goats defeated FC Dallas in their second game of the season by a score of 3-1. In the following week they came back from a 1-0 deficit, while down a man to tie the LA Galaxy 1-1. In their most recent match, Chivas went into Chicago and knocked them off by a 4-1 scoreline. In the Goats' last three matches, they have scored eight goals while only conceding three, these are great results for a team looking to bounce back from a lowly 2012 season.
Why The Caps Should Watch Out
Majority of MLS fans and people who follow the league immediately wrote Chivas off this year because of their poor results in 2012. The Goats have proved many wrong with their performances this season under new manager Chelís, and they are sitting pretty at second in the Western Conference. Despite the Whitecaps immaculate record against Chivas, they should not take the Californian side too lightly this time around. Chivas have looked a much different side than in the past and they will be high on confidence going into this match.
I suspect that the attendance at the Home Depot Center might be higher than previous Chivas home matches due to the Goats' excellent performances so far this season. From my experience, the Chivas USA supporters who care about their team and will support them no matter what are pretty hardcore fans. This will make a great atmosphere for matches as long as the Goats continue to bring in good results and attract more fans.
Whitecaps' Keys To The Match
The Whitecaps have many things they must improve on from their last match against the Dynamo if they want to get a good result against Chivas. Here are the keys to the game for the Caps:
– Execution in front of goal is the issue that will have to be taken care of first and foremost for the Caps. Poor finishing costed them the game against the Dynamo and going into LA to take on Chivas will be a tough challenge. Having good execution will give them the best chance to win.
– Better defending from the Whitecaps will be required against a potent Chivas USA attack to get a good result. With players like Agudelo and Meija in the Goats' lineup, the Caps backline will have to be at their best in order to stop these skilled Chivas attackers.
– The last key to the match for the Caps is holding possession for longer periods of time. With the likes of Gershon Koffie, Jun Marques Davidson and Nigel Reo-Coker in the lineup, this should be no trouble. The Whitecaps need to be patient on the ball and avoid forcing opportunities when they are not on.
Match Details
The Vancouver Whitecaps and Chivas USA meet on Saturday, March 30th at the Home Depot Center. The match is set to kick off at 7:30pm PST and will be broadcasted on Sportsnet Pacific in Canada and also on MLS Live.
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