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The Whitecaps flew to the Rose City today and the table stakes for the biggest regular-season match in club history are as clear as Waston’s word. A win or a tie against the Timbers gives the Whitecaps first place in the Western Conference and a bye into the second round of the playoffs.

That, at least, is the bottom line and its import speaks for itself. But, more importantly, a result against the Timbers would go a long ways towards legitimizing Carl Robinson’s program, to announcing the Whitecaps as an elite MLS team and not the little brother in the Portland-Seattle-Vancouver relationship. This is the best team in the Whitecaps’ MLS history. It is the deepest, most talented collection of players and all are in form. The Whitecaps have never had an attacking partnership like they have in Fredy Montero and Yordy Reyna. They’ve never had the depth at midfield they have now. With Waston and Tim Parker, they have the best central defence in club history.

For almost four months they’ve also been the best team in West. Now they have to finish the job and they were saying all the right things before flying to Portland.

“We won’t (play for a draw against the Timbers) and the reason why is if you do, you lose,” said Robinson, the team’s architect, its brains and its beating heart. “We’re going there to try to win the game. I want a performance. I want the guys to show me how important it is to play on this club with first place on the line.”

“Listen,” said goalie David Ousted. “If you would have told us at the start of the season we can win the Western Conference on the last day of the season, I think everyone would have been happy with the scenario.”