The Vancouver Whitecaps begin their playoffs against the same opponent they faced to end their season.
Vancouver heads down to California to take on Los Angeles FC on Saturday as part of a best-of-three series in the MLS playoffs.
Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini said his club respects the defending MLS Cup winners, but isn鈥檛 afraid of them.
鈥淪ince June, I think we鈥檝e been one of the top teams in the Western Conference so I don鈥檛 think we need to be scared of anyone,鈥� he said.
Vancouver ended the season with a 1-1 draw against the California side, with two missed Whitecaps penalties proving to be decisive.
鈥淟AFC, in terms of pure talent, is the best team. The depth of players they have, is the top talent,鈥� said Sartini.
The California side features UEFA European Championship winner Giorgio Chiellini as well as Mexican star Carlos Vela and league top goal scorer D茅nis Bouanga.
鈥淲e need to go play our game but be conscious if we want to (continue) we need to win at least once in Los Angeles. The fact we鈥檝e done it once this season, it gives us the confidence to say it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 not out of reach,鈥� said Sartini.
The best-of-three series is new this season after the league previously used a single-game elimination format in previous years.
Vancouver鈥檚 playoff record during its time as a MLS club is mixed. The team has twice made the quarterfinals (2015, 2017) but hasn鈥檛 made it past the first round the other seasons since it joined the league.
The Whitecaps finished sixth in the 14-team Western Conference at 12-10-12, while LAFC finished third at 14-10-10.
Vancouver beat LAFC 3-2 back in June, courtesy of a winner from Whitecaps captain Ryan Gauld.
Gauld was asked about facing off against the California team as well as former teammate and goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
Crepeau denied once Gauld last time out, pushing his first penalty attempt away with the second hitting the bar.
But the Scottish playmaker said he鈥檚 unfazed about coming up against last year鈥檚 champions and his ex-teammate.
鈥淚t is what it is, a team we know well,鈥� said Gauld. 鈥淲e know it鈥檚 going to be a tough two or three games but we鈥檝e shown we can go there and win it 鈥� we need to be confident.鈥�
Vancouver has played LAFC twice in the regular season as well as twice in the CONCACAF Champions League in the spring.
That amount of time spent playing one team has helped the players better understand what they are facing, said defender Tristan Blackmon.
鈥淚 think you start to become more familiar with them if you play a bunch of games,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t definitely helps to have played them this past weekend 鈥� it鈥檚 going to be a good matchup and I think our guys are going to step up for it,鈥� he said.
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo was complimentary to Vancouver after last week鈥檚 1-1 draw, but backed his team heading into the playoffs.
鈥淭hings to improve on for next is to manage your opponent over 90 minutes, not 45,鈥� said Cherundolo. 鈥淰ancouver is a team that鈥檚 quite a scrappy team. if you allow them the time and space, they have the tools that can break you down 鈥� they鈥檙e a much improved side.鈥�
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