VANCOUVER -- Carl Robinsons message was clear enough: Respect your opponents, but dont fear them. Even though the Vancouver Whitecaps (5-2-5) will be playing in a hostile environment at PPL Park, the team will carry a swagger into its Major League Soccer road game Saturday against the Philadelphia Union (3-7-5). "No game is easy," Robinson said earlier this week after the Whitecaps practised at the University of British Columbia. "There is no fear on this squad because they are playing well. "We will make them aware of how good Philadelphia are, because they are a good team. They havent picked up the results they probably want recently. .... But my players will never play with fear as long as Im here. Its important they go out and enjoy themselves. If they enjoy themselves they express themselves. If they express themselves, we play with a freedom and I think you can see an excitement in their football." The Whitecaps looked to be enjoying themselves in their final practice before leaving for Philadelphia. Several players engaged in a water fight which ended with English midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker emptying a cooler of ice water on Ghanian midfielder Gershon Koffie. Robinson looked on with a smile. The Whitecaps have earned the right to feel good about themselves. Their record gives them 20 points, good enough for fourth place in the Western Conference. Vancouver is coming off a 4-3 road victory over the Portland Timber last weekend, the first time the Whitecaps have beaten their Cascadia rivals in MLS play. Vancouver is unbeaten in six MLS games (3-0-3). The Whitecaps have scored 14 goals during that span, and only once managed fewer than two in a game. Vancouver also has two wins and a tie in their last three road games. While things are good, they could be better. The Whitecaps were up 4-1 against Portland but had to hold onto the victory. Vancouver has also allowed 11 goals over the last six games. "I think we can go to another level," said Robinson. "We have to tidy up a few things (defensively). We have to make sure we get back to basics on that and we will, without losing our attacking edge." The Union have struggled this season. They sit eighth in the Eastern Conference with 14 points but snapped a two-game losing skid with a 3-0 win over Chivas USA last weekend. Sebastien Le Toux, the French forward who has missed the last two Philadelphia matches with an injury, believes the team can still turn its season around. "I think its important to stay positive and keep working hard all the time," Le Toux, who could be in the lineup against Vancouver, told the Union website. "We havent had the type of start we were hoping for. "We just need to keep working and get this going in a good direction. We need to work as hard as we possibly can. We just have to find ways to do it on the field. I know we have the guys in here who can do it and we have be determined." One of the Whitecaps enjoying a breakout season is Erik Hurtado. The 23-year-old midfielder/forward scored once against Portland and drew a foul to set up another goal on a penalty kick. He also has scored a goal in the last four of Vancouvers games. Drafted fifth overall in last years MLS SuperDraft, the native of Fredericksburg, Va., struggled during his rookie season. He had speed to burn but sometimes looked like an unguided missile. He also had a heavy second touch on the ball. This year Hurtados play is more directed. Hes able to get open and can feather passes to his teammates. "Im more mature as a player," Hurtado said. "Ive learned in the centre-forward role how to move off the ball, how to get the ball in good places with space to turn, how to play off the defenders back, what runs to make." Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit said Hurtados game is evolving. "Everyone has seen his raw talent over the last year," said DeMerit. "Now hes staring to rein that in a little bit more. "Hes starting to figure out what hes good at and what he can hurt defenders with. When he was able to figure that out, and control his game a little bit more, hes consistently got better." The game against the Union will be the Whitecaps last before the MLS breaks for the World Cup in Brazil. It will also be Vancouvers third road match in four games. DeMerit expects a physical match. "They are a fairly big team," he said. "You might have to do some set pieces and make sure we are tight there. "Its a long way from home so we have to make sure we are up and ready for it and start the game right. A lot of times in these away games . . . sometimes you start a little flat. I think for us its about making sure that doesnt happen, make sure we are ready from the whistle to do combat in our style of game. 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MORITZ, Switzerland - Exceeding expectations in her comeback season, Lindsey Vonn now heads to her hometown world championships injury-free and winning races in style.That is a rare luxury, the Alpine ski star reflected Sunday, after running her womens World Cup wins record mark to 64 with an impressive super-G victory.Vonns mastery of a tricky course setting meant only one racer, Olympic super-G champion Anna Fenninger of Austria, finished within a second of her winning time.This is definitely the healthiest Ive been going into a big event, for sure, said the 30-year-old American, due to arrive home Monday in Vail, Colorado, one week ahead of the two-yearly worlds.Vonns pursuit of Olympic and world titles has often been hampered by injury and crashes in the days before racing.Her three career gold medals are outnumbered by four giant crystal globe trophies won for scoring the most all-around points in the grueling World Cup season.To find Vonn in such good shape is remarkable after she twice blew out her right knee in 2013. First, in her opening super-G race at the previous worlds, held in Schladming, Austria, and a second which kept her from the Sochi Olympics.Its nice to finally feel healthy again, said Vonn, who has won five World Cup speed races this season. After every race I have muscle pain and my knees hurt a little bit, but its nothing new.Still, she just won three times in a stellar eight-day span to prepare for a world championships staged on her local Beaver Creek course.Vonn recalled feeling this good for a gold-medal challenge only before the 2009 worlds, when she took downhill and super-G titles at Val dIsere, France.This being Lindsey Vonn, she lacerated her right thumb on a broken champagne bottle at a sponsors party to celebrate that downhill win and almost jeopardized the rest of her dominating season.On Sunday, a super-G win at St. Moritz repeated her feat of 2010 when it had seemed the perfect send-off in Europe for the Vancouver Olympics where she was expected to shine.Vonn did indeed win her Olympic downhill title five yearrs ago, though only after injuring her right shin in training which added drama and uncertainty.ddddddddddddDont jinx me, Vonn said Sunday when asked about her star-crossed luck. So, hopefully in the next training days nothing happens.Valerie Grenier of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was 13th in her second career World Cup super-G race. Marie-Michele Gagnon of Lac-Etchemin, Que., was 17th.Everything about Vonns latest victory suggests she learned enough to stay safe before her first medal race, the super-G on Feb. 3.Vonn found a fast racing line through a challenging set of gates. A tight turn into the finish tricked several rivals, including double Sochi gold medallist Tina Maze of Slovenia.On crossing the finish line, Vonn raised both arms in the air and bowed to the cheering Swiss crowd who appreciated her impressive run.Fenninger acknowledged being outsmarted higher up the course.It was really good skiing on the last two sections, the 24-year-old overall World Cup champion said. I think that is the way you can beat Lindsey but it has to be for the whole run.Vonn now leads the season-long super-G standings from Fenninger.Sometimes its nice to be a veteran on the tour, said Vonn, who debuted in a World Cup slalom aged 16 in November 2000. I knew a few gates that would cause trouble.Such veteran savvy should help her manage the demands of being a home-team favourite for the two-week championships — the first on American snow since the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.I know the limit and I know how to handle my schedule, said Vonn, who will stay in relative calm at the team hotel. My whole family will be at my house so I want to separate myself.Her father, Alan Kildow, was again course-side to watch. He also attended last Monday at Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy, when another super-G win set a wins record for Vonn which arrived so soon after such serious injuries.She works so hard physically on the rehabilitation that I knew she would be in good shape, Kildow said. But to come that far back, that quickly, is, I wont say its surprising, but ... you know. ' ' '