'Caps move back into first in the West

• Whitecaps FC moved back into first place in the Western Conference, and sit atop MLS in points-per-game (2.00)
• On 16 points, the 'Caps equaled their best ever MLS start through the first eight matches
• The 'Caps remain atop the Cascadia Cup standings with a perfect two wins from two matches against Portland and Seattle
• With his goal, Brian White equaled the Whitecaps FC MLS era record with 43 goals in all competitions, tying Camilo Sanvezzo. White also became only the sixth player in MLS history to score 50 career goals without attempting a penalty kick
• Ryan Gauld, a 2023 MLS MVP candidate, has now recorded a goal or assist in five straight matches (three goals, two assists)
• Whitecaps FC earned their first win in Seattle since March 19, 2016
• The ‘Caps have the best road record in MLS in terms of points percentage since June 24, 2023 (7W-3L-3D, 61.5%). They are second in road points (24) in that time span, behind only FC Cincinnati (25 points)
• The ‘Caps have won three consecutive road matches in league play for the first time since 2015. The ‘Caps did win three straight away matches in 2023, including a 2-1 Leagues Cup win at Los Angeles Galaxy on July 30
• Making his first start of the season, Sam Adekugbe recorded his first assist of the season
• Andrés Cubas recorded his second assist of the season. After being shown his fifth yellow card of the season, he will be suspended for next Saturday’s road match at New York Red Bulls due to yellow card accumulation
• Yohei Takaoka and the ‘Caps recorded their third clean sheet of the season
• Ryan Raposo made his 100th MLS regular season appearance
• Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) forward Jay Herdman, a product of the Whitecaps FC BMO Academy System, made his MLS debut as a second half substitute for Gauld

SEATTLE, WA – It was a feisty affair in Seattle on Saturday, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC reclaimed first-place in the Western Conference with a comfortable 2-0 victory over their long-time rivals Sounders FC.

The match started with intensity from both sides. Yohei Takaoka was forced into an early save when a deflected cross came across him, but he managed to drop down and smother it.

Later in the half, a slick team move gave Pedro Vite a great chance to open the scoring, as Ali Ahmed cut it back across the edge of the box from the left for Vite to hit, but his shot was parried away by Stefan Frei.

Seattle would go down to 10 men in the 43rd minute after video review caught Jackson Ragen stepping on the back of Ryan Gauld's calf.

Already looking the better side in the first half, the red card saw Whitecaps FC seize control of the match.

Alessandro Schöpf had a great opportunity to give Whitecaps FC the advantage in the 56th minute, with his shot just outside the box curled high and wide. But just a few minutes later, Gauld would be the one to open the scoring, pouncing on a pull-back by Sam Adekugbe on a late-run and firing a shot past Frei that was too powerful to stop.

The 'Caps then doubled their lead in the 71st minute, as Brian White dispossessed Josh Atencio at the back, and calmly slotted it past the onrushing Frei to make it 2-0 on the night.

In the 75th minute, Alex Roldan was shown the second red card of the match for Seattle after a reckless studs up challenge on Ahmed.

Just a few minutes later, Damir Kreilach, coming off the bench, nearly made it three goals to the good after getting on the end of a Ryan Raposo cross, but his headed effort was clawed out of the air by a diving Frei with White unable to get to the rebound.

White was then denied once more in the 84th minute, after Sebastian Berhalter managed to cut it back for White inside the six-yard box but his shot was blocked by a diving defender.

Takaoka would get called into action one last time, saving a point-blank volley by Atencio at the death to preserve the third clean sheet of the season for the ‘Caps.

Moments later, the referee would call an end to the match, confirming a third consecutive road win.

Whitecaps FC are back in action against New York Red Bulls in New Jersey next Saturday, April 27 at 4:30 p.m. PT. They will then return to to host Austin FC on Saturday, May 4 for the club's 50th Anniversary Celebration match, with more than 27,500 fans already expected at BC Place. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MATCH DETAILS

VWFC GE Appliances Player of Quality: Ryan Gauld
Attendance: 30,550
Referee: Ramy Touchan

Scoring Summary
58’ – VAN – Ryan Gauld (Sam Adekugbe, Andrés Cubas)
71’ – VAN – Brian White

Statistics
Possession: SEA 38.8% - VAN 61.2%
Shots: SEA 9 - VAN 9
Shots on Goal: SEA 2 - VAN 4
Saves: SEA 2 - VAN 2
Fouls: SEA 8 - VAN 12
Offsides: SEA 2 - VAN 2
Corners: SEA 6 - VAN 3

Cautions
45’+6 – VAN – Ranko Veselinović
70’ – SEA – Danny Musovski
79’ – VAN – Brian White
85’ – VAN – Andrés Cubas

Ejections
43’ – SEA – Jackson Ragen
75’ – SEA – Alex Roldan

Seattle Sounders FC
24.Stefan Frei; 16.Alex Roldan, 28.Yéimar Gomez Andrade, 25.Jacksen Ragen, 5.Nouhou; 18.Obed Vargas, 6.João Paulo (8.Josh Atencio 63’); 7.Cristian Roldan, 11.Albert Rusnák (17.Danny Musovski 63’), 13.Jordan Morris (33.Cody Baker 82’); 9.Raúl Ruidíaz (3.Xavier Arreaga 45’+1)

Substitutes not used
26.Andrew Thomas, 15.Jonathan Bell, 23.Léo Chú, 75.Danny Leyva, 99.Dylan Teves

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 6.Tristan Blackmon; 8.Alessandro Schöpf (16.Sebastian Berhalter 73’), 20.Andrés Cubas, 45.Pedro Vite (7.Ryan Raposo 74’), 22.Ali Ahmed (23.Javain Brown 81’); 3.Sam Adekugbe (19.Damir Kreilach 63’), 24.Brian White, 25.Ryan Gauld © (92.Jay Herdman 81’)

Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 2.Mathías Laborda, 13.Ralph Priso, 28.Levonte Johnson