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A strange season is about to get stranger for the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Following the MLS is Back Tournament, the Whitecaps played six consecutive games against Canadian rivals Montreal and Toronto, owing to travel restrictions and COVID-19 quarantine requirements.
Sunday night, after road games at Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles FC, the Whitecaps (5-8-0, 15 points) will play host to the Portland Timbers (6-4-3, 21 points) on what will be their home field for the remainder of season — Providence Park in Portland.
"For myself personally, it's not a home game, and that's fine," Vancouver defender Jake Nerwinski said. "We're going to have to deal with that for the rest of the season, especially against Portland. They're not thinking of it as an away game so we're not going to think of it as a home game."
Looking to bounce back in our new #VWFC #VANvPOR | @Return_It pic.twitter.com/XIEdnFlN53
— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) September 26, 2020
Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos said the lack of fans in the stands should help level the playing field against the Timbers.
"Without fans it's going to help us more than it's going to help Portland," Dos Santos said. "We know that energy, that atmosphere that fans bring at that field is one of the best in the MLS, for sure."
The Whitecaps had a two-game winning streak snapped with a 6-0 loss at LAFC on Wednesday night in which they allowed four goals in the opening 14 minutes.
The Timbers, meantime, defeated rival Seattle 1-0 to pull into a tie with the Sounders atop the Western Conference. Yimmi Chara scored for the third consecutive game for Portland and goalkeeper Steve Clark made six saves.
That came after a 6-1 victory at San Jose.
"I think we've been doing a good job the last couple of games," Timbers defender Jorge Villafana said. "Going into Vancouver, we need to keep doing the same. We need to be aware the whole 90 minutes, and plus."
