VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps extended their unbeaten streak Wednesday with a 0-0 draw against visiting Minnesota United.
The ‘Caps (9-1-5) have not lost in their last 15 games (7-0-8) across all competitions and remain atop Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings.
The Whitecaps outchanced their opponents throughout the game, but couldn’t get a ball past Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, who stopped two shots for United (7-3-6) en route to his eighth clean sheet of the season.
At the other end of the field, Vancouver’s Yohei Takaoka made one save for his seventh shutout of the campaign.
The home side dominated 56.5 per cent of possession across the game, held a 21-4 advantage in shots and had seven corner kicks through the match.
The Whitecaps will play one of the biggest games in club history on Sunday when they face LIGA MX side Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final in Mexico City. The team will return to MLS action on June 8 when it hosts the Seattle Sounders.
Vancouver got a flurry of early chances Wednesday before Minnesota settled into the game.
Whitecaps striker Daniel Rios had a prime opportunity off a corner in the 14th minute when Sebastian Berhalter swung the kick into the area. Rios jumped up and sent a header high over the crossbar.
Defensive midfielder Andres Cubas came close eight minutes later when his long-range blast skirted just wide of the Minnesota goalpost.
The Loons nearly headed into halftime when Bongokuhle Hlongwane picked up a loose ball in the 45th minute and fired a shot over the Vancouver net.
The ‘Caps controlled 59.1 per cent of the possession across the first half on Wednesday and outshot the visitors 10-2, though on-target shots were level at 1-1.
The home side continued to press out of the break, unleashing four more shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but none were on target.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen attempted to inject some offensive firepower into his lineup in the 60th minute with a pair of substitutions.
Vancouver’s leading scorer Brian White replaced Rios, and Ali Ahmed, who leads the team in assists, came on for winger Emmanuel Sabbi.
Canadian midfielder Jayden Nelson handed St. Clair — a fellow Canadian — his toughest test of the night in the 80th minute, blasting a right-footed shot from the centre of the box that the ‘keeper had to dive to turn away.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
