VANCOUVER - Being back on the pitch doing some light training is a step forward for Ryan Gauld, but the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder isn鈥檛 rushing his return to playing.
The 29-year-old from Aberdeen, Scotland, has been sidelined since March 8 with a knee capsule sprain. He was greeted with cheers from some of his teammates when he stepped on the field for a practice this week.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to have the boots back on, be outside,鈥 said Gauld.
鈥淚 still got a long ways to go, but it鈥檚 a step forward.鈥
Gauld was hurt in a March 8 game against CF Montreal. His recovery has been slower than expected and he doesn鈥檛 want to hurry his return.
鈥淚鈥檝e got in my head how I hope things go, what it looks like, but there鈥檚 no point getting too stressed on it,鈥 said the Whitecaps captain who had a career-high 17 goals and led the team with 16 assists in 37 starts and 41 appearances across all competitions last season.
鈥淚鈥檝e got a timeline in my head but I don鈥檛 want to get ahead of myself. I鈥檝e got to make sure I come back at 100 per cent and don鈥檛 suffer any more setbacks.鈥
Two players who will be in the lineup Saturday when the Whitecaps visit the Colorado Rapids in a Major League Soccer match are midfielder Sebastain Berhalter and forward Brian White. The two MLS all-stars had been playing with the United States at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great just seeing the guys again and being back in this environment,鈥 said Berhalter. 鈥淚 realized how much I love playing with these guys.鈥
The Whitecaps (11-4-5) and Rapids (7-10-5) are both looking to shake themselves out of a losing skid.
The Whitecaps head into the weekend second in the MLS Western Conference with 38 points but are 2-3-1 in their last five league games. Vancouver needed a goal in the 90th minute Wednesday night to beat Winnipeg-based Canadian Premier League side Valour 2-1 to win their Telus Canadian Championship quarterfinal.
Colorado sits 10th in the West, tied with two other teams with 26 points. The Rapids are 1-5-1 in the last seven games and have been held scoreless four times in that stretch.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen said playing at altitude and expected heat will be a challenge for his team.
鈥淭he conditions will be a little different than we are used to,鈥 he said. 鈥淐olorado is a good team, they have some good players that can change the game on their own.
鈥淲e have to be ready for whatever faces us.鈥
The Whitecaps play their next three games on the road.
After Saturday they travel to Houston on Wednesday, then San Diego July 19.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tough stretch of away games against good teams,鈥 said White. 鈥淓veryone is going to be locked in, switched on. Hopefully you can come away with as many points as possible.鈥
Sorensen said having Berhalter and White back in the lineup will make a difference for team chemistry.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a little bit frustrating because we haven鈥檛 had them the entire time,鈥 he said.
As for when Gauld might return, Sorensen urged patience.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not important for me when he鈥檚 back, it鈥檚 important for me how he鈥檚 back,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important he has gained the strength he needs to play. It very important that he comes back strong.鈥
White said it was good to see his friend practising.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been difficult not being able to have him out here,鈥 said White, who leads the Whitecaps with 15 goals in all competitions. 鈥淵ou miss a player like Ryan, his quality, the leadership, what he can bring to the team.鈥
听---
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (11-4-5) at COLORADO RAPIDS (7-10-5)
Dick鈥檚 Sporting Goods Park, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. PDT
SHARING THE LOAD: With the winning goal in Wednesday鈥檚 Canadian Championship game against Valour, Bjorn Inge Utvik became the 19th Whitecap to score across all competitions this season.
LENDING A HAND: Defender Ranko Veselinovic became the 17th Whitecap to earn an assist this season on Wednesday.
OFF THE PITCH: Forward Jayden Nelson will miss the game after receiving a second yellow card in stoppage time for kicking the ball into the stands in frustration during Vancouver鈥檚 3-0 loss to the L.A. Galaxy July 4.
SICK BAY: Midfielder Ali Ahmed (sprained ankle) expected return to play in six to eight weeks. Midfielder Andr茅s Cubas (sprained ankle) expected to return in one to two weeks. Defender Giuseppe Bovalina (illness) day-to-day
LAST MEETING: The Whitecaps defeated the Rapids 2-0 at BC Place Stadium April 5.
GOALS AGAINST: The 22 goals Vancouver has allowed in MLS play is tied for second least in the league and best in the Western Conference. Philadelphia has allowed 21 goals while New York City has also given up 22.
NEED A STOP: The Whitecaps have been outscored 10-4 over their last three MLS losses.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2025.