Whitecaps visit CF Montreal in MLS regular-season finale

MONTREAL – The Vancouver Whitecaps have nothing left to clinch in the MLS regular season, but Saturday’s finale at CF Montreal still carries stakes for both Canadian clubs: a Golden Boot chase for Vancouver’s Brian White and a last-place scramble for the home side.

Kickoff is at 4 p.m. ET (2 p.m. MT) on Apple TV, according to ESPN and the league’s schedule.

The Whitecaps (18-8-7, 61 points) have already locked up the top seed in the Western Conference, which gives them home field against any Western opponent in the playoffs. They open the postseason at BC Place on Nov. 22, as we reported when they clinched.

“We’re out to get three points,” White said, according to The Canadian Press. “Obviously, they don’t have much to play for at this moment, so you don’t know how they’re going to come out. But we have everything to play for.”

White scored twice in Vancouver’s 5-1 win over Seattle on Sunday and has 20 goals this season, third in MLS behind Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi (26) and FC Dallas’s Petar Musa (22). Messi is all but assured of the Golden Boot.

Montreal (6-19-8, 26 points) will finish last in the East and miss the playoffs for a second straight year. A late equalizer from Daniel Ríos at New York City FC last Saturday ended that club’s playoff hopes.

Montreal also has its own table to watch. Sporting Kansas City (23 points) visit San Diego on Saturday night and sit three points behind Montreal at the bottom of the overall table. The Guardian reported that if Kansas City wins and Montreal loses, the clubs would finish level on 26 points. MLS breaks ties on wins rather than goal difference, and Kansas City would then have seven wins to Montreal’s six, which would hand the Wooden Spoon, the fan-created award for the league’s worst club, to Montreal.

Vancouver defender Ralph Priso said a Canadian matchup is never routine. “Any time Canadian teams are playing against each other, it’s always something you get excited for,” the Canadian centre back said.

Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen said he does not expect Andres Cubas or Emmanuel Sabbi to travel, while Thomas Muller could return “if he’s ready to go.” Montreal beat Vancouver 3-2 on aggregate in this year’s Canadian Championship semifinals before losing the final to Forge FC.

Priso will fly to Guatemala after the game to join Canada, which opens its Nations League quarterfinal there on Nov. 13. We have more on that squad.

Toronto FC, already out of playoff contention after a 3-1 loss in Atlanta, close their season Saturday at the Philadelphia Union on Apple TV.

Via The Canadian Press, ESPN, the Guardian and MLS.

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