Mikey Varas says bad results are good experiences for young players and insists it will help make his young San Diego side stronger ahead of facing the Vancouver Whitecaps.

San Diego are up to 10th in the Western Conference after going unbeaten in their last four matches (W1 D3), but a dramatic finish last time out saw them squander two points in a 3-3 draw with FC Cincinnati.

Having seemingly snatched a winner through Marcus Ingvartsen in the 96th minute, Tom Barlow found a leveller two minutes later for Cincinnati to break San Diego's hearts.

However, ahead of their final game before the World Cup break, Varas says those kinds of results can only help young players to become more street-wise.

"Nothing softens the blow. You still have to be really upset that you lost the points," Varas said of the Cincinnati result.

"You can't microwave development or experience. That's not how it works. You need to live in these experiences. You need to play these experiences. You need to mess up. You need to then be challenged.

"Can you do better? You need that opportunity to show that you can be better. I know everybody wants the finished product very fast in life, but that's not our mentality.

"Our mentality is to make sure we create something that's sustainable."

Vancouver, meanwhile, sit top of the West on goal difference above San Jose Earthquakes, following their last-gasp 1-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo last weekend.

Like San Diego, the Whitecaps conceded late on to drop points, but they will be determined to remain at the summit during the upcoming break.

Vancouver managed just nine shots in that match (worth 0.7 expected goals), and head coach Jesper Sorensen was disappointed with their attacking display.

"We didn't have many shots. I think we were imprecise in the final actions, and we didn't really test the goalkeeper," he said.

"We didn't hit the target enough, and of course, that's what you need to do, but we didn't have the quality. San Diego is the focus, though, and we'll make sure we're fresh."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Diego FC – Marcus Ingvartsen

Ingvartsen scored twice against Cincinnati, bringing his season total to 11 goals and four assists.

His 15 goal contributions are the second most in MLS this season, behind Lionel Messi's 18.

Vancouver Whitecaps – Isaac Boehmer

Yohei Takaoka received the first red card of his career in his 113th regular-season appearance, the third Vancouver goalkeeper to be sent off all-time (David Ousted, Joe Cannon).

Isaac Boehmer came on to replace him in that game, making three saves overall, but also conceding a 96th-minute Dynamo winner.

MATCH PREDICTION: VANCOUVER WHITECAPS WIN

San Diego are unbeaten against Vancouver in the regular season (W1 D1), with a 5-3 win in Vancouver and a 1-1 draw at home. However, the Whitecaps eliminated San Diego on the road in the Conference Finals last November (3-1).

Vancouver lost to the Dynamo 1-0 in Houston on Saturday, their first loss in their last eight road games (W4 D3). It ended a club-record 10 straight road games in the regular season, scoring at least one goal.

San Diego are unbeaten over their last three home games (W1 D2), including a 5-0 win over Austin FC and a 3-3 draw with Cincinnati in their last two. The eight goals scored over their last two regular-season games at home are a club record.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

San Diego FC – 28.5%

Draw – 23.4%

Vancouver Whitecaps – 48.1%