While FC Dallas is without a top player and rumors build over his potential move to England, there's little room to complain in the short term as the Vancouver Whitecaps try to fill out a roster.
The Vancouver team headed to Dallas for Wednesday night's conclusion of a home-and-home set is a shell of the squad that's put the Whitecaps in a spot to establish a new franchise-record point total.
Dallas (15-10-6) retained the inside track for the top seed in the Western Conference with last Wednesday's scoreless draw in Vancouver (15-12-5). It had already clinched a postseason spot along with Los Angeles, but the point was enough for the Whitecaps to do the same for the third time in their five MLS seasons and match last year's 50 points.
Dallas is three points back of East-leading New York in the chase for the Supporters' Shield, while Vancouver trails Dallas and the Galaxy by a point in the West with Dallas holding a game in hand.
"Having made the playoffs already, I think our goal now is to get a couple wins," Vancouver's Jordan Harvey told the club's official website.
"I don't think we want to just coast into the playoffs. We want to build some momentum. Going in, we're without a doubt going for three points. Are we disappointed if we get a draw? Probably not. But the goal is to get three points and build momentum."
Pedro Morales and Nicolas Mezquida aren't with the team because of hamstring injuries, while Mauro Rosales (adductor), Cristian Techera (hamstring) and Pa-Modou Kah (groin) are considered questionable.
The Whitecaps also figure to be without Kendall Waston (Costa Rica) and Darren Mattocks (Jamaica), as well as Canadians Marco Bustos, Kianz Froese and Sam Adekugbe for international call-ups. All have matches Tuesday, but coach Carl Robinson hasn't yet ruled Waston out after he didn't play in Costa Rica's loss to South Africa on Thursday.
"Everyone that's able to walk is going," Robinson said. "We've probably got 16 or 17 healthy bodies leaving here."
After the draw, Vancouver has two points and two goals on a four-match winless stretch, though Dallas hasn't been much better with a win and a draw out of its last four. It is, however, 11-2-2 at home.
The Whitecaps won the previous meeting 1-0 at home Aug. 22 on a Techera goal, and they've shut out Dallas in three of the last four.
Scoring won't come any easier without Fabian Castillo for a second straight game while the Dallas winger is with Colombia for World Cup qualifiers. The 23-year-old is also rumored to be linked to Premier League side Swansea City, though Dallas is denying interest in any such transfer.
"We have Fabian Castillo signed through 2019 and we are not interested in selling key pieces of this franchise," team president Dan Hunt said. "We are trying to build a champion for many years to come starting with one this year. Fabian is a terrific player and I can promise you this isn't the last rumor we will hear."
Midfielder Kellyn Acosta is questionable due to a hamstring injury.
