Union 0 - 1 Whitecaps
Final
  for this game

Whitecaps hope to end 14-game skid against Union

Jun 17, 2011 - 11:46 PM Vancouver, BC (Sports Network) - Vancouver is nearing a record that not even the expansion Whitecaps can justify.

After winning its first-ever Major League Soccer match on March 19, Vancouver is winless in 14 straight matches, a single-season league record and just four away from the all-time record of 18 set by Real Salt Lake over two seasons.

The Whitecaps (1-6-8) have managed eight draws during the winless stretch, and amazingly have one more point than Sporting Kansas City in the overall table - although K.C. has played three fewer matches.

Coach Tom Soehn said last week after a 2-2 draw at Seattle Sounders FC "we're heading in the right direction," and Saturday's match at Empire Field against the Philadelphia Union (6-3-4) could be a defining moment for the club.

Philadelphia leads the Eastern Conference, edged Vancouver earlier this season 1-0, and features one of the best defense in MLS. But if there was ever a good chance for the Whitecaps to sneak in under the radar, this is it.

After the tie at Seattle, which included two goals from Eric Hassli - the last a stunning volley from an impossible angle - Soehn thought the good display at Qwest Field was something "we can build off."

Soehn admitted the Whitecaps still need to put together a complete 90 minutes, but anytime you earn a result in Seattle, it's a step in the right direction.

"Any time you come to Seattle," Soehn said, "not just the rivalry between us but the atmosphere here, you know it's going to be difficult. I thought we did a great job first half of keeping our shape and making it hard for them."

Soehn doesn't have forward Atiba Harris (knee) or John Thorrington (calf) this week as both are out with injuries, but otherwise the club should be in great shape to pull off an upset.

Philadelphia took advantage of a red card to Hassli in the team's first match, as Carlos Ruiz scored in the one-goal win. The Union tied Real Salt Lake, 1-1, at home last week, and coach Peter Nowak was upset his club settled for a tie.

"It's frustrating because we know we should still be two points ahead of New York," said Nowak, whose club is level on 22 points with Red Bull New York but has played one fewer match.

"[Real] didn't create anything, just the one shot."

But the Union have scored just one goal or fewer in 11 of 13 matches this year and Nowak knows that will haunt his team if they don't solve the problem soon. Serbian striker Veljko Paunovic was signed Monday to provide more offense.

"We talked in the locker room about pushing for a second goal," Nowak said. "That was my point to the guys. We gave [Real Salt Lake] a chance to come back and in one shot, that's it, the game is over.

"From this perspective, the locker room is pretty disappointed."

Vancouver hopes to send the Union back to Philadelphia that way this weekend.






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