Ryan Gauld scored a hat trick for the first MLS Cup playoff goals of his career and the eighth-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps romped to a 5-0 victory over the ninth-seeded Portland Timbers on Wednesday night in the Western Conference wild-card game.
The match was held in Portland because Vancouver’s stadium was unavailable.
Brian White notched a first-half tally and Stuart Armstrong had a goal and two assists in his first playoff appearance.
The Whitecaps’ first five-goal performance of the season sets up a rematch of last year’s West Round 1 series against defending conference champions Los Angeles FC. Game 1 is Sunday in Southern California.
Portland finishes the season on a six-match winless run (0-2-4) after conceding five goals for the third time this year. It was the most goals the Timbers had conceded at home since a 6-2 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in August 2021.
The Whitecaps lost their last four regular-season matches to backslide into the wild-card game.
However, a combination of injuries and a call-up to the Scotland national team limited Gauld — who had 10 goals and 15 assists in the regular season — to only two appearances and one start during that slide.
Without restrictions and in manager Vanni Sartini’s lineup Wednesday, Gauld required only 20 minutes to break through in his fourth career playoff match.
After the Timbers couldn’t clear a Whitecaps corner from the left, both Fafa Picault and Tristan Blackmon forced Portland goalie James Pantemis into reaction saves before Gauld finally guided the ball across the line on the rebound of Blackmon’s attempt.
White doubled the lead four minutes later before Gauld contributed his best moment of the game with his second goal.
He began the sequence by reacting quickly to create a turnover in the Timbers’ end. Eventually Armstrong returned a chipped pass to the right to Gauld, who used his chest to control with his first touch and scooped a second-touch volley over the outstretched Pantemis and inside the left post.
Armstrong made it 4-0 in the 51st minute and Gauld completed his hat trick in the 59th, driving another finish past Pantemis following Armstrong’s entry pass.
–Field Level Media
