Whitecaps rout Sounders 5-1, knocking Seattle out of playoff race
A five-goal outburst in Vancouver eliminates the last mathematical hope for Seattle to secure a postseason berth in the Western Conference.
By Rafael Delgado ·
The Vancouver Whitecaps dismantled the Seattle Sounders with a 5-1 victory on Sunday, effectively ending Seattle's season. The defeat left the Sounders with an 11-12-10 record, a result that eliminates them from contention for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Vancouver improved its own record to 18-8-7, having already secured first place in the conference earlier in the week.
The game turned quickly in Vancouver's favor. Brian White opened the scoring in the first minute with a header, assisted by rookie Bruno Caicedo. Ryan Gauld extended the lead to 2-0 in the ninth minute, finding the net on a pass from defender Édier Ocampo. By halftime, the Whitecaps had built a 3-0 cushion. Defender Mathias Laborda headed home his fifth goal of the season in the 43rd minute, matching his career high from last season.
Vancouver continued its offensive pressure in the second half. White scored his second goal of the match in the 53rd minute, his 19th of the season. That goal marked his 102nd career goal in 214 matches. Tate Johnson provided the assist, which stood as his career-high fifth of the season. The Whitecaps maintained control of the game, with goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka making four saves to protect his lead.
Seattle found a goal in the 62nd minute to pull within reach of a comeback, though it remained out of stride. Jordan Morris scored his second goal of the season, assisted by Albert Rusnák and Hassani Dotson. Andrew Thomas made five saves for the Sounders, but he could not stop Aleksa Cvetković from scoring seven minutes later. Cvetković, in his second goal in his first eight MLS appearances, finished the game with a 5-1 margin. Cheikh Sabaly and Ranko Veselinović provided the assists for the final goal.
The Sounders entered the match holding the ninth and final playoff position in the West. Their October record of 2-2-2 proved insufficient to survive the Vancouver visit. This loss completes a season sweep for the Whitecaps, who also defeated Seattle 2-0 in August. The margin of victory represents the largest difference in goals between the two teams in their recent matchups.
Seattle will host Los Angeles FC on Saturday to close out its regular season schedule. The Sounders will play with no further stakes after the Vancouver loss. San Jose will conclude its own season at Minnesota United on the same day.
The Whitecaps will rest their squad following the clinching of first place. The Sounders will look to close the year with a win before the offseason begins.
