The Whitecaps try to clinch a playoff spot hosting FC Dallas tonight

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A playoff spot is within the grasp of the Whitecaps tonight at BC Place. Vancouver needs just one point to clinch a berth in the MLS postseason. The Caps enter the game in third place in the Western Conference trailing only the LA Galaxy and tonight’s opponent FC Dallas.

Head Coach Carl Robinson said he isn’t surprised there is still team’s fighting for playoff positioning with only a couple of weeks left in the season.

“The league is very tight. I predicted several months ago that it would be right down to the wire and I am proved right. There is a lot of good teams in the Western Conference.”

The Whitecaps are winless in their last three games and goalie David Ousted admits the pressure is mounting to right the ship.

“There is always pressure. There will always pressure on a club that wants to win and that’s what we want. I would hate to be standing here with no pressure on us, just waiting to go on vacation.”

FC Dallas should provide a very good test on home turf. Vancouver has lost eight of its 13 matches against Dallas in MLS play. Ousted says the rivalry continues to build between the two squads.

“I wouldn’t say we don’t like each other. I would say we love playing against each other because we know how competitive it gets. We showed last year that these teams have a little bit of an edge towards each other. It only makes for great games and it makes for great intensity.”

The Whitecaps will be playing a little shorthanded with centre back Kendall Waston and right back Steven Beitashour unavailable. Waston is away on international duty while Beitashour is sitting after collecting too many yellow cards. Robinson says the team will have to make due with what the they have.

“We can’t focus on the guys we don’t have and I won’t do that. We have enough quality in our lineup that we believe we can go out and win the game. If you worry about who is missing you will lose your focus on the game. We will field the best team available, the ones that are hungry and who want to play in a big game because it is going to be a big game.”

Kick off is at 7 p.m. and with a win the Whitecaps will set a club record for the most points in a season.

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