Vancouver Whitecaps' Fafa Picault, left, and Portland Timbers' Juan David Mosquera, right, vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns
VANCOUVER – Attacker Brian White scored early and the Vancouver Whitecaps used a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers to clinch a Major League Soccer playoff berth Saturday night.
White scored in the third minute and had another great chance later in the game.
Portland’s Jonathan Rodriguez tied the match in the 44th minute, then the Timbers pressured Vancouver for much of the game.
Vancouver midfielder Andres Cubas came close to winning the match in extra time but his shot hit the post.
Vancouver (13-9-8) sits seventh in the MLS Western Conference with 47 points. The Whitecaps draw, combined with FC Dallas losing 3-1 to Orlando City SC and Austin FC drawing 2-2 with Real Salt Lake, clinched Vancouver a playoff berth for the second consecutive season and the third time in the last seven years.
Portland (12-10-9) holds the ninth and final playoff spot in the West with 45 points.
It didn’t take long for White to give Vancouver the lead. Some of the 25,902 fans at BC Place Stadium were still finding their seats when midfielder Sebastian Berhalter sent a pass from the corner to the front of the net. Levonte Johnson let the ball pass in front of him to White, who beat Portland goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, a former Whitecap.
The goal was White’s 15th of the season, tying the career high he set last year.
A good play by midfielder Santiago Moreno and some bad Vancouver luck resulted in the Timbers tying the game near the end of the opening half.
Moreno threaded Rodriquez a pass through the Whitecap defence. Rodriquez took a left-footed shot from the side of the net that hit the foot of defender Bjorn Inge Utvik, deflecting the ball past the outstretched hand of goaltender Yohei Takaoka.
White had a chance for another goal early in the second half. He had a free path to the net after tracking down a bouncing ball behind the Timber defence. His shot toward the open corner hit the post.
Portland didn’t get its first shot on goal until the 24th minute. A Whitecaps giveaway landed the ball on the foot of defender Juan Mosquera. His left-footed shot from distance was stopped by Takaoka.
Takaoka was tested again just a few minutes later. First, he stopped Moreno’s free kick from distance, then batted a header by attacker Felipe Mora over top of the goal.
NOTES
It was a busy week for the Whitecaps who defeated Toronto FC Wednesday night to win their third consecutive Canadian Championship. Last Saturday Vancouver lost 4-2 to the Galaxy in Los Angeles. “¦ Vancouver played without captain Ryan Gauld (strained knee) and wing back Ali Ahmed (quad injury). “¦ The clubs split their previous two meetings this season with Vancouver winning 3-2 at home March 30 then losing 2-0 in Portland on June 22. “¦ The Whitecaps play three of their remaining four games at home. They end the season on the road against Real Salt Lake on Oct. 19.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps host the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday at BC Place Stadium.
Portland returns home to play Austin FC on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2024.
