The Vancouver Whitecaps will be looking for a third straight win on Saturday night when they host Houston Dynamo, who are chasing back-to-back away wins in a potential Western Conference play-off preview.

Fafa Picault scored in the 76th minute to give Vancouver (11-7-5, 38 points) a 2-1 home win over Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday night, moving the Whitecaps into fourth place in the crowded West.

Vancouver are undefeated with four wins in their last five games and are eight points behind West-leading LA Galaxy with two games in hand.

Brian White failed to score against SKC after scoring seven of his team-best 12 goals in the previous five games. And the Whitecaps have played seven of their last 11 league games at home.

“We’re definitely going to finish in the top four if we keep playing like this at home,” Vancouver coach Vanni Sartini said. “We’re already in the top four with games to go. So that’s what we have to do. It’s just tough.”

Houston (9-7-7, 34 points) has also played just 23 games since Wednesday night’s 1-0 win over San Jose, a game decided by a late winner from substitute Daniel Steres.

Dynamo enter the weekend in eighth place and with the highest wildcard position in the West. Ben Olsen’s team has lost just once in its last nine (4-1-4) and will likely see summer signing Ezequiel Ponce make his debut after the competition’s second transfer window opens on Thursday.

Ponce scored 15 goals for AEK Athens in the recently concluded 2023-24 Greek Super League season. Ibrahim Aliyu currently leads Dynamo with six goals.

“To get more points, it’s important that we are greedy and selfish,” Olsen said after Wednesday’s game. “It’s a quick turnaround and we need the depth. Fortunately, we have some options, and one of them is Ezequiel Ponce. We paid a lot of attention to tonight’s game and tomorrow we will work on Vancouver.”

–Field Level Media