Gameday preview: Minnesota United at Vancouver
March 2, 2019 at 2:57AM
Loons look for first opening win
Preview: United is 0-2 in MLS openers after it lost 3-2 at San Jose last season and fell 5-1 at Portland in its first MLS game in 2017. The Loons and Whitecaps split last season's series, United winning 1-0 at TCF Bank Stadium in May and the Whitecaps winning 4-2 in Vancouver in July. … There's no bigger mystery in MLS this season than the Whitecaps, who finished eighth in the Western Conference last season at 13-13-8, missed the playoffs, then completely rebuilt. Gone is star Alphonso Davies and 20 other players, replaced by 15 newcomers and new coach Marc Dos Santos, assistant to LAFC coach Bob Bradley last season … Due to demand, the Whitecaps have opened the full lower bowl at B.C. Place stadium for the season opener. They did so last year as well, drawing 27,837 fans for a 2-1 victory over Montreal.
Players to watch: Loons F Angelo Rodriguez (groin) and F Abu Danladi (ankle) are available. Vancouver MF Michael Baldisimo (ankle), D Jasser Khmiri (knee surgery) and D Brett Levis (hamstring) are out; MF Russell Teibert (ankle) is questionable.
JERRY ZGODA
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Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
