The Whitecaps' <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1382-Thoughts-from-a-tumultuous-Whitecaps-opener">first MLS game</a> last week (pictured above) saw them dispatch Toronto FC relatively easily. Inspired by <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mls/news;_ylt=AgB5Knkb2bvjoqB1o.c5aT1ShgM6?slug=ab-bucholtz_whitecaps_crowd-031911">an incredible crowd</a>, they came away with <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mls/news;_ylt=An6AEhmbKIEgavpnnM_bMa2dbgM6?slug=ro-rogers_vancouver_whitecaps_win_mls_debut031911">a 4-2 victory</a> that could have been even more lopsided. With such a successful debut, it's easy to see their second game as <a href="http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/mls/news;_ylt=AnCxXcpzYaBZvMvYY_5FblSdbgM6?slug=capress-soc_mls_whitecaps_players_sidelined-6322866">a potential letdown</a>; they've had to <a href="http://www.whitecapsfc.com/news/2011/03/whitecaps-fc-make-maiden-mls-road-trip-philadelphia-union">travel across the continent</a> from their fans to face the Philadelphia Union (TV: Rogers Sportsnet One, radio: TEAM 1410, time: 1 p.m. Pacific), and as Ben <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1388-Whitecaps-Depth-Crunch-Becomes-a-Crisis-in-Philadelphia">pointed out earlier</a>, they're going to be <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/story/2011/03/25/sp-whitecaps.html?ref=rss">without a lot of key pieces</a> thanks to injuries and international callups. That doesn't exactly spell a cakewalk.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Fortunately for Vancouver, Philadelphia isn't the strongest team out there. The Union finished <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Major_League_Soccer_season">seventh out of eight teams</a> in MLS' Eastern Conference last year, with 31 points and a -14 goal differential. Unfortunately for Vancouver, they've made some nice offseason moves, and this edition of the Union looks like a more perfect one than their debut squad last year. They're still unlikely to be the class of MLS, but when you compare them <a href="http://www.eightysixforever.com/2011/3/25/2072500/comparing-the-whitecaps-and-the-union-position-by-position">position-by-position</a> with injury-depleted Vancouver, Philadelphia stacks up pretty well.
Reinforcements aren't likely to arrive any time soon, either. The recently-signed Kevin Harmse is with the team and <a href="http://communities.canada.com/theprovince/blogs/backofthenet/archive/2011/03/25/caps-sign-coquitlam-s-harmse.aspx">could potentially be available</a> against Philadelphia, but it seems unlikely he'd be thrown into the fire this early. Meanwhile, Omar Salgado <a href="http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Salgado+cleared+play+Whitecaps/4503426/story.html">may be cleared to play</a> with Vancouver <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1410-Omar-Salgado-Cleared-To-Play-By-FIFA">much earlier than anticipated</a>, but he's off on U-20 duty with the U.S. (Russell Teibert's doing the same for Canada). Joe Cannon seems set to go, but he may be coming back before he's 100 per cent <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Whitecaps+Game+Changes+aplenty+first+road+match+Philly/4506608/story.html">thanks to a shoulder injury to Jay Nolly</a>. Khalfan <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1411-The-Whitecaps-Official-Position-on-Nizar-Khalfan-and-the-TFF">should be available</a>, and he might be able to help, but the depth, injury and international issues could cause significant problems for Vancouver.
Two intriguing players to watch should be the most well-known strikers on each side. Whitecaps' designated player Eric Hassli made <a href="http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/blog/post/807816--whitecaps-make-dream-mls-start">a spectacular debut last week</a>, notching two goals and generally causing havoc amongst the Toronto back line. It's going to be interesting to see how he does against Philadelphia. Meanwhile, the Union can counter with another French striker, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9bastien_Le_Toux">Sebastian Le Toux</a>. He'll be well-known to Vancouver fans from his time with both the USL-1 and MLS Seattle Sounders, and he's certainly got plenty of striking talent. We'll see if the Whitecaps' back four can contain him.
One thing the Whitecaps do have going for them is their coach, though. Teitur Thordarson has always drilled his players into being a force on the road, and last year in Division II play, the Whitecaps put up <a href="http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/standings/">a very respectable 5-3-7 mark</a> away from Swangard Stadium. The Division II Whitecaps generally kept their composure and shape very well on the road, making life difficult for whoever was hosting them. Thordarson demonstrated last week that his system can produce an impressive amount of offence with the right talent and personnel, so I doubt the Whitecaps are just going to defend all day, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a more defensive strategy than what we watched against Toronto FC. Vancouver also has the personnel to start and take advantage of quick counterattacks, and that might serve them well against the Union. We'll see how it plays out, but it's worth remembering that this one's <a href="http://www.canadiansoccernews.com/content.php?1380-Whitecaps-TFC-Preview-For-Vancouver-it-is-and-isn-t-any-other-game">worth just as many points as last week's game</a>. The circumstances are tougher and the atmosphere's more hostile, so it's not going to be easy for Vancouver, but this game matters just as much in the standings, so they'll have to at least put up a good fight.