Vancouver Whitecaps v Seattle Sounders: Sorensen eyes response after Champions Cup disappointment

Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen urged his team to dust themselves down from their humbling Champions Cup defeat to Cruz Azul.

Liga MX side Cruz Azul cruised to a 5-0 victory in last week’s showpiece match, clinching a seventh CONCACAF title having led by four goals heading into half-time.

The Whitecaps were without 2024-25 talisman Sebastian Berhalter, who was out due to yellow card accumulation, and the rout continued in the second half.

It ended Vancouver’s admirable run to the final, coming up short in their quest to become the first MLS team to win the competition since the Seattle Sounders back in 2022.

But with the Whitecaps two points clear at the summit of the Western Conference, Sorensen is hopeful his team will have more trophies to fight for at the end of the season.

“Contrary to other teams playing a game like this, we are in the mid-season,” Sorensen said. “We are not at the end of the season, and we have a huge task ahead of us.

“We have to pick ourselves up after a huge disappointment, and we have to do that. It is one thing to be champions of football, it is another thing to be champions of life.

“It’s about our behaviour and how we react after adversity. It’s about how you show resilience when things get tough. Until now, I have only seen those things from the players.

“It is going to be tough, no doubt about that. This is a disappointment. We are not at the end of the season, so we have a long season, and hopefully more big games to come.”

LAFC punch their ticket to #FIFACWC 2025! pic.twitter.com/l6ZkSm4SrG

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 1, 2025

Vancouver return to MLS action against the Seattle Sounders this weekend, who are playing in their final MLS game before the upcoming Club World Cup.

The Sounders were beaten 3-2 by Minnesota United in their last MLS fixture, with three goals in the space of seven second-half minutes the difference at Lumen Field.

Indeed, all three goals Seattle conceded against the Loons were the fastest any team has scored three times against the Sounders in the club’s MLS history.

They face a different proposition in Vancouver this time around, though, with five of their first-team players all on international duty for the Gold Cup.

“We had a good record against Minnesota up until the other day,” head coach Brian Schmetzer said. “Some of that stuff always evens out.

“We understand they are going to be without a considerable number of players, but for us to go there and get a positive result, we need to expect a tough game.

“It doesn’t matter if they are missing six starters, Jesper is going to have his team ready for us.”

Schmetzer was also on hand to give an update on Jordan Morris, who has suffered a setback in his recovery and is likely to miss their Club World Cup campaign.

“He’s not ready to go,” Schmetzer told reporters. “I’ll let you know more next week, but I’m not going to risk anything.

“But he wants to play, he’s desperate to play, he’s been out for a long time. But we are going to make sure he is 100% ready to go before he steps out on the field.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vancouver Whitecaps – Emmanuel Sabbi

With top scorer Brian White on international duty with the United States national team, the Whitecaps will look to rely on Sabbi to provide a spark in the attacking third.

He has four goal contributions (two goals, two assists) in 11 MLS appearances this season, and will aim to try and fill the void left by White.

Seattle Sounders – Albert Rusnak

Rusnak has been key to the Sounders’ success this year, scoring five league goals in his last seven appearances in the MLS.

He shone in their defeat to Minnesota, creating a team-high total of four chances, taking his tally to 47 for the season, more than any other Sounders player.

MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN

Vancouver are unbeaten in 10 straight regular-season matches (W5 D5) dating back to the end of March, equalling the longest streak in club history (also in 2021). The Whitecaps (W9 D5 L1) are the 12th team in MLS history with fewer than two losses in their first 15 games of a season.

Seattle, meanwhile, have won their last two visits to Vancouver, recording a 3-2 win in 2023 and a 3-0 win in 2024. The only three-match away winning run by either team in the MLS era of the rivalry was a run of three straight wins for Vancouver in Seattle from 2013 until 2015.

However, the Sounders’ 3-2 defeat to Minnesota was just their second loss in their last 10 regular-season matches. Seattle have not lost consecutive league matches since April 2024, with one of the two defeats coming against Vancouver.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Vancouver Whitecaps – 48.1%

Draw – 26%

Seattle Sounders – 26%