The well-rested Vancouver Whitecaps can match their longest winning streak in club history.
A matchup with a D.C. United side with the fewest points in MLS, however, is far from a guarantee they'll accomplish that.
Vancouver goes for a third consecutive victory Saturday night when host United try to extend their best run of the season.
The Whitecaps (6-5-4) haven't played since Camilo - the MLS player of the week - netted two goals and Jordan Harvey scored his third in four matches in a 3-1 victory over Chivas USA on June 19.
"I think the break is good to have some time to prepare for the next run of games," coach Martin Rennie told the Whitecaps' official website.
The Whitecaps, winners of three straight from April 21-May 5, 2012, open a stretch of three matches in eight days with a 1-5-1 road record. Vancouver's 4-0 loss in its only previous match at D.C. on Aug. 13, 2011, matched the club's most lopsided defeat.
"Vancouver's coming in from a long road trip cross country - ideally it's hot, it's humid. It's something that they won't be used to and we want to put a lot of pressure on them throughout the game on both sides of the ball," United goalkeeping coach Preston Burpo told the team's official website.
D.C (2-11-3) hasn't put much pressure on teams - scoring a league-worst eight goals - but it has matched that total while winning three of four across all competitions.
United ended a franchise-worst 13-game winless stretch last Saturday, with Chris Pontius converting a penalty kick - his first goal of the season - in a 1-0 victory over San Jose.
"Our goals in the beginning of the season weren't to win two games in MLS,'' said captain John Thorrington, a former Whitecap. "So hopefully this is just a stepping stone.''
It was Wednesday when D.C. advanced to next month's U.S. Open Cup semifinal against Chicago with a 3-1 victory over New England.
Dwayne De Rosario netted the eventual game-winner a day after being bypassed for Canada's CONCACAF Gold Cup roster.
"(I'm) disappointed," the 35-year-old De Rosario told MLS' official website. "... But it is what it is. The coach made that decision and I'm going to continue what I do here, and that's putting the ball in the net, creating chances."
Harvey has seen his chances increase since Alain Rochat was traded to United earlier this month for a pair of future draft picks, but Camilo is as hot as anyone in the league, netting six goals and three assists in the last five matches.
All six of midfielder Russell Teibert's assists - which rank second in MLS - have come in four games this month.
The Whitecaps, among the league leaders with 25 goals, will likely face Bill Hamid, who has recorded two of his four shutouts in the last four matches.
"The confidence has always been high, we know we have the talent,'' Hamid said. "It's just finding the final touch, that's all it's been.''
These teams played to a scoreless draw in their only meeting last season.
