Fixtures Gone By: A look at Vancouver Whitecaps MLS streaks and trends‏

Every team has that fixture that they see coming in the schedule that makes them shudder with fear. Games where the ball always seems to be rolling uphill and the goalkeeper has glue on his gloves. For some reason in football, these habits of winning and losing tend to stick around even when staff and personnel move on.

The ‘Caps are entering their 6th year of Major League Soccer. They have played teams in the Eastern Conference 6 times (new boys aside), and teams in the Western Conference 14 times (with the exception of Sporting KC and Houston, both of whom they have met 7 times because they switched conferences, and LA, where it’s been 13 times).

A lot of games in the history books, but who have the Whitecaps failed to beat time and time again since 2011? Who do Vancouver have the best goal difference against? Who has kept the most clean sheets against the ‘Caps in the past five seasons? Let’s find out!

GENERAL STATS

Biggest Win: 4-0 (twice) –
v Chivas USA (BC Place – October 3rd 2012)
v Real Salt Lake (BC Place – August 8th 2015)
Biggest Defeat: 4-0 (also twice) –
v Los Angeles Galaxy (Empire Field – July 30th 2011)
v DC United (RFK Stadium – August 13th 2011)
Most Goals In A Game: 7 (three times) –
Vancouver Whitecaps 4 New England Revolution 3 (BC Place – June 15th 2013)
Portland Timbers 3 Vancouver Whitecaps 4 (Providence Park – June 1st 2014)
Sporting KC 4 Vancouver Whitecaps 3 (Sporting Park – August 15th 2015)
Never Been Beaten By: New York Red Bulls (6 games – 3 Wins, 3 Draws) and Orlando City (1 game, 1 win)
Have Never Beaten: New York City FC (1 Game)

WESTERN CONFERENCE STATS

Most Goals Scored Against: Seattle Sounders and San Jose Earthquakes – 20
Least Goals Scored Against: Los Angeles Galaxy – 10
Most Goals Conceded Against: Portland Timbers and Los Angeles Galaxy – 23
Least Goals Conceded Against: San Jose Earthquakes and Real Salt Lake – 14

Best Goal Difference: San Jose Earthquakes +6
Worst Goal Difference: Los Angeles -11
Most Goals In Games Aggregate: Seattle Sounders – 40
Least Goals In Games Aggregate: Dallas 32

Longest Winning Streak: Real Salt Lake – 4 Games
Longest Losing Streak: Los Angeles Galaxy and Dallas – 3 Games
Longest Winless Streak: Portland – 8 games (2011 to 2013)

Most Clean Sheets Against: Seattle Sounders and Colorado Rapids – 5 games
Team Most Shut Out By: Los Angeles Galaxy – 7 games

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Most Goals Scored Against: Sporting KC* – 12
Least Goals Scored Against: DC United – 4
Most Goals Conceded Against: Sporting KC* – 13
Least Goals Conceded Against: Chicago Fire – 4

Best Goal Difference: New York Red Bulls +5
Worst Goal Difference: DC United -3
Most Goals In Games Aggregate: Sporting KC* – 25
Least Goals In Games Aggregate: DC United – 11

Longest Winning Streak: New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew – 3 games
Longest Losing Streak: Toronto, New England Revolution and Columbus Crew – 2 games
Longest Winless Streak: Sporting KC* – 4 games

Most Clean Sheets Against: Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire, DC United and Montreal Impact – 3 games
Team Most Shut Out By: Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire and DC United – 3 games

* Whitecaps have played Sporting Kansas City 1 more time than other Eastern Conference teams as they switched conferences in 2015. For the purposes of this piece we’re classing them in the East as the majority of their games were played as an Eastern team.