Vancouver Whitecaps vs FC Cincinnati Prediction (11.06.2023)

Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Cincinnati will collide this week as the Major League Soccer season continues.

They’ve certainly been one of the most dominant forces when it comes to Canadian Championships over the course of the last few years, but there’s more out there to be accomplished for Vancouver. They are currently placed in sixth in the Western Conference, but they don’t feel like a viable threat when it comes to going all the way in the playoffs.

After beating Seattle 2-0 at home, Vancouver were humbled in a 3-1 defeat against St Louis. They returned to form in dramatic and entertaining fashion, though, battering Houston 6-2, before an anticlimactic 1-1 draw with Kansas City.

FC Cincinnati, as has been the case for so many expansion teams over the years, have hit the ground running. They look like a real force of nature as they currently sit eight points clear of anyone else in the East, comfortably positioned in the race to claim the Supporters’ Shield. There’s still plenty of work to be done, but you can feel the momentum building right now.

Since early May, Cincinnati have won six straight games on the bounce in what is turning into a dream season. They have rattled off victories over the following teams in that time: DC United, Montreal, Columbus, Colorado, New York City and Chicago.

Ahmed is the only absentee here for Vancouver and will miss out as a result of concussion protocol.

Arias is injured due to a thigh injury but aside from that, Cincinnati have no other major concerns.

Vancouver will likely try and keep things tight against a team that currently has all the confidence in the world. We think it’ll be a tactical war for long portions of the game and won’t be overly exciting, which is why we’re going to back under 2.5 goals scored.