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Vancouver Whitecaps: 2020 Preview – Rebuild continues

By Matt Coles

KANSAS CITY, KS - MAY 18: Derek Cornelius #13 of Vancouver Whitecaps FC celebrates with his teammates after scoring the tying goal against Sporting Kansas City during the second half on May 18, 2019 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, KS - MAY 18: Derek Cornelius #13 of Vancouver Whitecaps FC celebrates with his teammates after scoring the tying goal against Sporting Kansas City during the second half on May 18, 2019 at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Peter G. Aiken/Getty Images) /
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MLS, Marc dos Santos
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JULY 17: Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Marc Dos Santos during a match between the New England Revolution and Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 17, 2019, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2020 Outlook

The Vancouver Whitecaps had a six-game preseason slate ahead of the 2019 campaign, facing MLS opposition on away turf in all six matches. They played the Columbus Crew, FC Dallas and LA Galaxy in California, before travelling to Oregon to play the Portland Timbers, the New England Revolution and Minnesota United in a mini preseason tournament.

The club starts their campaign with a home game against Sporting Kansas City on February 29. They must endure a tricky run in the early part of the campaign as they face Eastern Conference champions New York City FC, the record-breaking Los Angeles FC, and MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders in the space of four weeks in March and April, a run that could curtail their hopes very early on.

Their first clash against Canadian opposition comes on May 2 when they face Toronto FC at BMO Field, before hosting the Montreal Impact five weeks later. They do have one of the easier run-ins to end the season, facing just four playoff sides — LAFC, Minnesota United, FC Dallas, and Portland Timbers — from 2019 in their last nine matches. The five non-playoff teams are Orlando City, MLS new-boys Nashville SC, San Jose, Chicago and Houston, the season culminating with the clash with Portland.

Along with the league campaign, the Whitecaps will feature in the Canadian Championship where they will be looking to better their poor performance in 2019. They will face either FC Edmonton or Pacific FC in the last eight in July.

dark. Next. MLS: Top 5 contenders to win MLS Cup

The Vancouver Whitecaps are conducting a rebuild. That is precisely what Marc dos Santos has said from day one. But after a difficult first season, it is now for the rebuild to take shape and progress to be made. Can they display as much in 2020?

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