MLS Round 7: LAFC

Home Game Day Info

Wednesday, April 17th, Kickoff 7:00pm

It’s another round of David versus Goliath. An undefeated, top of the league LAFC come to BC Place to face off against our yet-to-be-feated not-quite-bottom-of-the-league-but-close Whitecaps.

Please forgive the brevity and less than usual amount of jokes in this game day preview. There’s a vitally important issue we need to discuss.

Abuse and bullying scandal surrounding the Whitecaps and Canada Soccer

For those who haven’t seen the many articles and public statements made on the scandal kicked off by Ciara McCormack’s February 25th blog post (https://ciaramccormack.com/2019/02/25/a-horrific-canadian-soccer-story-the-story-no-one-wants-to-listen-to-but-everyone-needs-to-hear/), please take a look at this timeline of relevant links we’ve put together:

https://vancouversouthsiders.ca/2019/04/a-horrific-canadian-soccer-story-recent-timeline-and-links/

On Monday April 15th, some of our members met with Ciara McCormack and Eden Hingwing, spokesperson for the 13 former Whitecaps Women’s Team and Canadian U20 Women’s National Team Members who put out a joint statement April 1st. Their statement can be found here: https://2008u20statement.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/statement/

We ask that everyone pay particular attention to the three requests in the statement linked above. It is vital that we as the larger soccer community all think on how we can support those aims, and follow up to see the needed change enacted.

We wish to express our support and solidarity with those who have come forward. As part of expressing our solidarity, we will be inviting everyone who feels that the Whitecaps executives have not acted properly on their duty of care to young athletes to join us in an in-stadium protest.

In-stadium protest details for April 17th

Our members who feel compelled to act and those of the Curva Collective joining us in our section for the match who feel similarly will be walking out of our section in the 35th minute to watch the remainder of the half on the concourse. We invite all those who wish to join us, regardless of where you sit or stand, to do the same. The second half will resume like any other game day and support will continue through to the end of the match uninterrupted.

This is not a protest aimed at our players, nor the technical staff, nor the many earnest and hardworking employees of the Whitecaps. Our dissatisfaction is aimed squarely at the executives who were in charge of the club in 2008 through to the present day. Their silence and lack of accountability in this scandal, as well as the urgent need for better protection for young athletes in all sports compels us to act.

Referee Assignments

REF: Ramy Touchan
AR1: Frank Anderson
AR2: Jeremy Hanson
4TH: Joe Dickerson
VAR: Allen Chapman
AVAR: Rene Parra
http://proreferees.com/2019/04/16/2019-mls-assignments-week-8/

Previous Results

Vancouver Whitecaps FC: 0W – 2D – 4L, 2 pts, 10th place MLS West
Whitecaps form: L-L-D-L-D
LAFC: 6W – 1D – 0L, 1st place MLS West
Beach boys form: D-W-W-W-W

Pre-Match At

Library Square Public House, 300 W Georgia St – all ages on Whitecaps game days!

Southsiders Itinerary

Note: No march Wednesday! Use the extra time to feed and water yourselves, but don’t forget the potential for increased delays due to change security measures.

5:00pm – Membership table opens
6:00pm – Membership table closes
7:00pm – Game kicks off
Game time: 35:00 – protest walkout until half-time
9:00pm – Whatever will be, will be