Preview:Dallas vs Vancouver Whitecaps - prediction, team news, lineups

Dallas would have been confident of defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps last week, but they ended up being swept aside 3-0, making the second game on Sunday, November 2, crucial.

To remain in the MLS post-season, the hosts must register a win somehow this weekend and take the series back to Canada for the final match.

Match preview

Dallas must be extremely disappointed with the performance they put in last weekend against the Whitecaps, more so because they had just won 2-1 at BC Place the week before.

Now, they must play catch-up in the playoffs, if they still want to remain in the competition and in the hunt for the MLS Cup.

The Toros were utterly dominated by the Canadian outfit in the first game, becoming only the second team ever to fail to register a shot on target in the MLS post-season.

Head coach Eric Quill is doing something right at the club, though, especially with a recent record of just two defeats across their previous 11 outings.

The bad news for fans of the Hoops is that they have only beaten the Whitecaps on two occasions across their last nine at home, with the visitors bagging four victories in that run.

On a positive note, the Toros are unbeaten in their last five matches at the Toyota Stadium, winning the previous three on the bounce.

Vancouver should be wary of a very unpredictable Dallas side that can just turn up on their day, like they did on the final day of the regular season.

However, this season has been a record-breaking one for the visitors, and they will surely want to close out their MLS Best of Three Series this weekend with a victory.

The Caps were efficient in game one, keeping 64% of the ball and bombarding the Dallas goal with 22 shots, 10 of them on target.

A repeat of that performance will suit Vancouver boss Jesper Sorensen just fine, and the likelihood of an away victory is high, more so because of their recent history here.

The Blue and Whites have a decent away record as well, as they are unbeaten in their last four road trips across all competitions.

Dallas Major League Soccer form:

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Vancouver Whitecaps Major League Soccer form:

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Team News

Quill was already without Enzo Newman and Geovane Jesus for the first game; they will also sit this one out, but he has a new concern with Patrickson Delgado, nursing a back problem.

Logan Farrington and Petar Musa are the main men for the hosts, the latter bagging 18 goals and six assists in the regular season.

The Caps have a long list of absentees, including Tristan Blackmon (knee), Sebastian Schonlau (Achilles), Ranko Veselinovic (knee), Brian White (hamstring) and Sam Adekugbe, who has had a setback from his Achilles recovery.

Mathias Laborda will be available for selection again after serving a suspension, but it remains to be seen if Sorensen brings him back in place of Ralph Priso, who did an excellent job in marshalling Musa last weekend.

Kenji Cabrera and Ryan Gauld have been incredible for the Canadian team, but the coach may have to leave them on the bench, such is the team’s performance.

Daniel Rios proved his worth to the visitors when he opened the scoring two minutes before the break last week, while Thomas Muller once again got onto the scoresheet with a penalty at the hour mark.

There is no doubt that the former Bayern Munich man will be crucial for the Whitecaps, not only in game two, but for the rest of the post-season.

Dallas possible starting lineup:

Collodi; Moore, Urhoghide, Ibeagha, Abubakar; Ramiro, Kaick, Cappis, Delgado; Musa, Farrington

Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:

Takaoka; Ocampo, Laborda, Halbouni, Johnson; Berhalter, Priso-Mbongue; Sabbi, Muller, Badwal; Rios