Vanni Sartini isn91裸聊视频檛 known for keeping his opinions to himself.
During training, the head coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps regularly paces the field, yelling instructions in multiple languages and gesticulating wildly.
His relative quiet at Tuesday91裸聊视频檚 session was noticeable, but as the 91裸聊视频楥aps (13-8-6) gear up for a packed stretch of critical matchups 91裸聊视频� starting with a visit to the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday 91裸聊视频� Sartini is 91裸聊视频渂iting his tongue.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淚 think in this period, the coaching is more the planning than the coaching on the field,91裸聊视频� he said Tuesday.
The Whitecaps head to Texas on a four-game unbeaten streak across all competitions, including a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday. The stretch is due to the quality of the players and a schedule that included just one game per week, Sartini said.
91裸聊视频淲e had time to train each week and, having a lot of quality players, the quality of the training was quite high. And that translated in what we did on Saturday,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淭he next few weeks is going to be harder because, basically, you don91裸聊视频檛 train and you always play and you recover every single time. So it91裸聊视频檚 hard also to try things. So I think more than the soccer technique and tactics quality itself, the mental part is going to be very important.91裸聊视频�
Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 game is the second of seven that the club will play over 21 days.
On Saturday, the Whitecaps will be in California, taking on the conference-leading L.A. Galaxy.
With just seven games to go on their Major League Soccer regular-season calendar, the 91裸聊视频楥aps sit sixth in the congested Western Conference where the second-place club and seventh-place club are separated by just four points.
Vancouver is currently a single point ahead of Houston, with both teams jockeying for a top-four spot that brings home-field advantage for the playoffs.
The players know what91裸聊视频檚 at stake for the mid-week matchup, but the standings aren91裸聊视频檛 the first thing they91裸聊视频檙e thinking about, said 91裸聊视频楥aps defender Sam Adekugbe.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 sure it91裸聊视频檚 in the back of your mind, but not necessarily just because it takes away from what you need to really focus on, which is the three points,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd we have a good team. There91裸聊视频檚 no reason why we shouldn91裸聊视频檛 be able to get a result.91裸聊视频�
The Whitecaps have already faced the Dynamo once this season, dropping a 4-3 decision at B.C. Place on July 20.
The game was 91裸聊视频渃haos,91裸聊视频� said 91裸聊视频楥aps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.
91裸聊视频淚t was kind of a weird game,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hey create chaos. So we have to control the game. So if we score or concede a goal, we need to be staying in the game.91裸聊视频�
Houston comes in on a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) after posting a decisive 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake last Saturday.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e obviously in good shape and good football style, like ticky-tacky,91裸聊视频� Takaoka said. 91裸聊视频淪o we need to be very patient. We need to be solid for 90 minutes.91裸聊视频�
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (13-8-6) at HOUSTON DYNAMO (12-8-8)
Wednesday, Shell Energy Stadium
INS AND OUTS: Whitecaps midfielder Ali Ahmed will miss Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 game with a quad contusion, but is expected to join the team in L.A. ahead of Saturday91裸聊视频檚 matchup. Midfielder Andres Cubas will return to the Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 starting 11 after missing last week91裸聊视频檚 outing with a shoulder injury and striker Brian White is expected to be on the bench after sitting out three games with a concussion.
HISTORY BOOKS: Vancouver holds a 10-9-5 edge over Houston in regular-season play.
ROAD WARRIORS: The 91裸聊视频楥aps are 7-4-3 on the road this season and have a chance to set new club records in both MLS away wins and points. The current highs (seven wins, 24 points) were set in 2015.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
