- Whitecaps FC have secured a spot in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, avoiding the wild card match and clinching the club’s first home playoff game since 2017
- The 'Caps will host defending MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC during Decision Day on Saturday, October 21 at BC Place
- Whitecaps FC are currently in fifth place. The 'Caps could finish as high as third with a victory in their final regular season match, combined with a Houston loss/draw at Portland, a Seattle loss at St. Louis, and one Real Salt Lake loss or two draws in their two remaining matches at Los Angeles Galaxy and at Colorado
- Whitecaps FC recorded a second consecutive clean sheet, and eighth of the MLS season
- The ‘Caps were shut out for only the fifth time out of 33 MLS matches this season. They have scored the second most goals in the Western Conference with 54
- Whitecaps FC, who had already claimed their record-tying seventh Cascadia Cup prior to the match, finish with a record of 3W-2L-1D against Seattle and Portland this season
SEATTLE, WA – Vancouver Whitecaps FC fought tooth and nail to secure a hard-earned point against Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders FC in a scoreless draw at Lumen Field on Saturday.
It was a patient start from Whitecaps FC, maintaining their shape to keep the home side at bay.
The Caps’ would grow into the match and could have had the opener in the 21st minute. Richie Laryea would burst down the right-hand side and pull it back for Canadian national teammate Junior Hoilett to hit it first time, but his shot would go askew.
While there would be plenty of physical challenges and good passing plays from both teams, they would go into the break scoreless.
Whitecaps FC would get their best chance of the night in the 63rd minute, as Sam Adekugbe would find Ryan Gauld in the box with a cross. The Scot would settle the ball beautifully, but his venomous volley would rattle off the bottom of the left post and out.
Seattle pressed with less than 15 minutes to go. Albert Rúsnak would force Yohei Takaoka into a huge save, his sidefooted shot getting blocked by Takaoka’s right wrist, before the follow-up shot would get blocked and cleared.
Cristian Roldan would get a final chance at the death, rising above the rest to meet a cross in the box, but his header would be denied by an outstretched Takaoka. In the end, there would be nothing to separate either side as the referee blew the final whistle.
Whitecaps FC are back at BC Place on Saturday, October 21 for their final regular season match before the playoffs, taking on defending MLS Cup champions Los Angeles FC in a Decision Day clash. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
VWFC GE Appliances Player of Quality: Yohei Takaoka
Attendance: 33,666
Referee: Nima Saghafi
Statistics
Possession: SEA 57.9% - VAN 42.1%
Shots: SEA 17 - VAN 4
Shots on Goal: SEA 5 - VAN 0
Saves: SEA 0 - VAN 5
Fouls: SEA 12 - VAN 12
Offsides: SEA 1 - VAN 1
Corners: SEA 7 - VAN 4
Cautions
34’ – SEA – Cristian Roldan
56’ – SEA – Léo Chú
63’ – VAN – Mathías Laborda
66’ – VAN – Alessandro Schöpf
73’ – SEA – Yeimar Gómez Andrade
90’+1 – VAN – Richie Laryea
Seattle Sounders FC
24.Stefan Frei; 16.Alex Roldan, 28.Yeimar Gómez Andrade, 25.Jackson Ragen, 5.Nouhou; 84.Josh Atencio, 6.João Paulo, 7.Cristian Roldan, 10.Nicolás Lodeiro (11.Albert Rusnák 72’), 23.Léo Chú (19.Héber 72’); 13.Jordan Morris (21.Reed Baker-Whiting 87’)
Substitutes not used
30.Stefan Cleveland, 3.Javier Arreaga, 12.Fredy Montero, 22.Kelyn Rowe, 35.Paul Rothrock, 73.Obed Vargas
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda (23.Javain Brown 70’), 4.Ranko Veselinović, 6.Tristan Blackmon; 7.Richie Laryea, 45.Pedro Vite (22.Ali Ahmed 84’), 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 3.Sam Adekugbe (27.Ryan Raposo 71’); 11.Junior Hoilett (8.Alessandro Schöpf 60’), 25.Ryan Gauld ©; 24.Brian White
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 14.Luís Martins, 28.Levonte Johnson, 29.Simon Becher, 31.Russell Teibert
