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The road to get back to MLS Cup will start in Canada, where the last one ended. The Vancouver Whitecaps thrashed the San Jose Earthquakes 5-0 on Wednesday, setting up a Cascadia clash with the Seattle Sounders that will start on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. It was the Whitecaps’ first-ever playoff game victory, with their opening goal coming from Fredy Montero, who had not scored in 830 postseason minutes when he was with the Sounders.
The Sounders and Whitecaps have never before met in the MLS Cup playoffs, but did face off in the 2015 CONCACAF Champions League. The Sounders won one game and tied the other against the Whitecaps in that series.
This year, the Sounders and Whitecaps each won at home. The teams tied their other meeting at BC Place. The Sounders beat the Whitecaps 3-0 at CenturyLink Field in the their most recent meeting on Sept. 27.