Vanni Sartini has backed Vancouver Whitecaps to finish high up the table at the end of the season and is targeting a win over high-flying Houston Dynamo.

The Whitecaps currently sit sixth in the Western Conference on 45 points, but only three points separate them and second-place Los Angeles FC.

They are on a three-match unbeaten streak in MLS, though their last defeat in the competition did come against Wednesday's opponents.

Sartini believes his team can continue to challenge for a place at the top given their impressive record this season.

"I think I count two games out of 36 where the other team was better than us and where we didn't play well, and it tells us that we do well," Sartini said.

"We are having a really great season. The times of hiding ourselves is over. We need to really say we are here until the end and try to shoot for the highest position.

"We might not make it, but we have the quality to do it."

Meanwhile, the Dynamo sit just one place and one point below Vancouver in the table.

Houston have lost just one of their last seven league matches and go into this game on the back of an impressive 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake. Head coach Ben Olsen is ready to use that result as a springboard.

"It's time to turn it on. This is where we're at in the season," he said.

"It's collectively showing up and playing our best. A lot of these teams that we're going to play are above us. It means they're good, but hopefully, that lights a fire in us that we want to move forward and move up."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Houston Dynamo – Ezequiel Ponce

The Dynamo have scored 14 goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this season, including Ezequiel Ponce's goal on Saturday.

Only Colorado Rapids (15) have more goals after the 75th minute in 2024.

Vancouver Whitecaps – Fafa Picault

Fafa Picault has scored six goals against the Dynamo, more than against any other opponent in his MLS career, including scoring braces in each of his last two matches against Houston.

The last player to score multiple goals in three straight matches against a single opponent was David Villa vs. Toronto in 2015-16.

MATCH PREDICTION: HOUSTON DYNAMO WIN

The Dynamo have won back-to-back matches over the Whitecaps, scoring four goals in each win. This is the first time Houston has recorded consecutive wins over Vancouver (24 all-time meetings).

Indeed, the Dynamo have won six of their last 10 regular season matches (D2 L2), including a 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday, after they had recorded just three wins in their previous 13 league matches (D5 L5).

Meanwhile, Vancouver are unbeaten in six straight away matches in all competitions (W4 D2), equalling the club's longest road unbeaten run in all competitions since joining MLS in 2011 (W1 D5 in July-August 2021).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Houston Dynamo – 50.7%

Draw – 25%

Vancouver Whitecaps – 24.3%

Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini wants his team to put out a statement when they host Houston Dynamo in MLS on Saturday.

The Whitecaps are flying high this season after a five-match unbeaten streak in MLS has seen them move up to fourth in the Western Conference, just eight points off top spot with two games in hand.

While many did not expect to see Vancouver sitting so high in the table, Sartini is keen to prove why there should not be any doubts about his team's capabilities.

"If we do a great job, and we win, I think it's a huge statement to tell everyone we are a top-four team, and we are not there accidentally but because we deserve it," Sartini said.

"I think that should be one of the things to ignite us for a good performance because one of the criticisms of us is we're a good team, but we botch the important games.

"I don't agree, but it's a chance to show people it's not true."

Houston have lost just one of their last nine matches, bouncing back from two without a win to beat struggling San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 on Wednesday.

They sit eighth in the tightly packed table, but head coach Ben Osborn has challenged them to rise up the rankings by extending their recent impressive run.

"We've got to be selfish. Be greedy," Olsen said.

"Try to get more [points]. It's a quick turnaround, but we've fortunately got the depth, and we've got guys champing at the bit to get involved right now."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Vancouver Whitecaps – Fafa Picault

Fafa Picault, who scored Vancouver's winner against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday, has scored four times in six career matches against the Dynamo, for whom he played in 2021-22.

Picault only has more career regular-season goals against Orlando City (five).

Houston Dynamo – Amine Bassi

Amine Bassi recorded his team-leading eighth assist of the season, setting up Daniel Steres for the lone goal in Houston's win on Wednesday.

In the nine matches that Bassi has recorded a goal contribution this season, Houston's record is six wins, two draws and one loss, compared to three wins, five draws and six defeats when he does not.

MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN

The Whitecaps have never lost a home match against the Dynamo (winning nine and drawing two, excluding neutral-site home games). The Whitecaps have scored in all 11 of their matches against the Dynamo in Vancouver.

Vancouver have also won three straight home matches after winning just two of their previous 11 at BC Place in all competitions (five draws, four defeats). The Whitecaps last won four in a row at home in September-October 2021.

As for Houston, they earned their fifth road win of the season on Wednesday with a 1-0 victory at San Jose Earthquakes. It is the first time Houston have won five road matches in a single regular season since 2013 (also five), while they have not won more since 2007 (seven).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Vancouver Whitecaps – 45.9%

Draw – 26.7%

Houston Dynamo – 27.4%