Whitecaps kick off final stretch of MLS season with visit to Austin

VANCOUVER — A trip back to Austin, Texas, has Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed in a reflective state of mind.

It's been more than two years since the 23-year-old Canadian made his Major League Soccer debut in Austin — a game that still holds mixed memories.

“It’s crazy," Ahmed said, noting that he'd just been speaking with Whitecaps teammate Sebastian Berhalter about that game.

"That was probably one of the worst games we’ve both played. And I was joking with him, saying that game, I felt like it was tough — it was hot, we really weren’t on the ball.

"So I told him after that game I was kind of scared. I said, ‘This is what the MLS is like?’ But here we are now.”

Ahmed and the 'Caps (11-8-5) return to Austin (9-10-7) on Saturday to start the final stretch of their MLS campaign. With 10 games left on the regular-season schedule, the Whitecaps sit sixth in the Western Conference standings.

It's been six weeks since Vancouver has played a league match, but the team is coming off a major win.

The 'Caps blanked Canadian Premier League side Pacific FC 1-0 on Tuesday to earn a spot in the Canadian Championship final. They'll look to add a third-straight title on Sept. 25 when they host Toronto FC.

Austin, too, is in form, having resumed its MLS schedule with a 2-0 victory over Nashville SC last weekend.

“(Austin is) a team that, in my opinion, is very dangerous because they can beat you even if they're not in control of the game," said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini.

"So we need to be always very, very, very present. Even if we're going to have some spell of possession, we need to be very present, because in transition, they're lethal. So the organization, both offensively and defensively, will be very important.”

The 'Caps will be without a key offensive weapon on Saturday. Brian White remains in concussion protocols after taking a ball to the face in Tuesday's game. The American striker is the club's leading scorer with 11 goals on the season.

Fellow forward Levonte Johnson is also out of the lineup as he deals with calf tightness, Sartini said, so Ahmed and Berhalter will start against Austin.

Ahmed has been a steady presence for the 'Caps this season, contributing one goal and one assist in 18 MLS appearances. He' also saw action in five Canadian Championship matchups where he added another goal, and missed an extended stretch while playing for Canada in the Copa America.

All the experience has Ahmed feeling like a completely different player than the one who stepped out onto the field in Austin back in 2022.

“Honestly, after every game you feel like you improve," he said. "Now that I have (42 MLS) games under my belt, I think if I look back at my first game, it’s a big difference.”

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (11-8-5) AT AUSTIN FC (9-10-7)

Q2 Stadium, Saturday

HISTORY BOOKS: Vancouver holds a 4-1-2 edge in all-time meetings between the two clubs, including a 0-0 draw at BC Place back on May 4.

ROAD WARRIORS: Away games haven't been a problem for the 'Caps this season. The club boasts a 6-4-3 record on the road, the best in the Western Conference.

GOING INTERNATIONAL: Six Whitecaps have been called up to their national teams for games next month. Ahmed and defender Sam Adekugbe will join the Canadian squad, while star midfielder Ryan Gauld returns to the Scottish team for the first time in 14 years. Striker Fafa Picault (Haiti), midfielder Pedro Vite (Ecuador) and defender Andres Cubas (Paraguay) will also go out on international duty, leaving Sartini short-handed. “I totally welcome that we can have a problem for one or two games if it means for the other 30 we have a really good roster," the coach said. "So I’m really happy.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2024.