Needing a massive performance in their Western Conference Wild Card game at rival Portland Timbers, Vancouver Whitecaps FC certainly delivered one.
Fueled by a match – and goal – for the ages from Scottish standout Ryan Gauld, the No. 8 seed Whitecaps stunned the No. 9 seed Timbers 5-0 in Wednesday's Cascadia showdown.
The emphatic result sets up a Round One Best-of-3 Series clash with No. 1 seed LAFC starting on Sunday (9:45 pm ET | Apple TV - Free; FS1, FOX Deportes; TSN, RDS).
“I thought overall, as a team performance, we were excellent,” midfielder Stuart Armstrong said afterward. “It’s huge for the confidence – we definitely needed it.”
Vancouver, who entered the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs on a seven-game winless streak, wasted little time jumping all over the Timbers. Gauld opened the scoring 20 minutes into the contest, then completed his hat trick just before the hour mark.
“I knew that we could play a very good game,” Whitecaps manager Vanni Sartini said. “We’re very happy – it was a fantastic game. Everything went in the right direction. In the last two games, everything went in the wrong direction … Today went totally in our direction.”
That turn of fortune was most evident on Gauld’s second goal, a looping volley over Timbers goalkeeper James Pantemis. The strike was assisted by Armstrong, Gauld's Scottish compatriot and Vancouver's midsummer DP signing.
“Pure elegance,” Armstrong said. “A wonderful, wonderful goal.”
Great Scot!
Armstrong, who has missed time with injury since his early-September arrival, finished with a goal and two assists. The Whitecaps’ attack was clicking on all cylinders.
“The guys up top did fantastic work,” Sartini said. “It was possible because of the work rate of everyone. It was very hard for them to break us.”
With his three goals and one assist, Gauld became just the third player to have at least four goal contributions in a playoff match, joining Sebastian Giovinco and Landon Donovan.
“We have a secret ingredient, and it’s called Ryan Gauld,” Sartini said. “When Ryan leads the team like he did today, it makes it easier for everyone else. What he did today is astonishing.”
Armstrong, who played with Gauld at Scottish side Dundee United, praised Vancouver's captain.
“When I knew him 10-11 years ago, he was a player of quality, producing assists and goals that were just different from others," Armstrong said. "Seeing him now, he’s grown as a player and as a person. He’s very mature, makes great decisions, and is a leader of a team on and off the pitch."
LAFC next
With a difficult road test in Portland, few expected Vancouver to make a dent in the postseason. But this performance bodes well as they set their sights on scoring a massive upset against the Black & Gold.
“We gelled really well tonight,” Gauld said. “It’s been hard coming into this game, the run of results we had … It shows that when we piece it together and play to the level that we know we can, we’re a really good side.”
Vancouver will have to deal with a juggernaut in first-place LAFC, who eliminated them from the postseason in last year’s Round One Best-of-3 Series.
“The games count double in the playoffs,” Sartini said. “We have a goal as a team to go there, be in their face, and be as aggressive as we can be.”
