Ryan Gauld scored a hat trick for the primary MLS Cup playoff objectives of his profession and the eighth-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps romped to a 5-0 victory over the ninth-seeded Portland Timbers on Wednesday night time within the Western Convention wild-card recreation.
The match was held in Portland as a result of Vancouver’s stadium was unavailable.
Brian White notched a first-half tally and Stuart Armstrong had a aim and two assists in his first playoff look.
The Whitecaps’ first five-goal efficiency of the season units up a rematch of final 12 months’s West Spherical 1 collection towards defending convention champions Los Angeles FC. Recreation 1 is Sunday in Southern California.
Portland finishes the season on a six-match winless run (0-2-4) after conceding 5 objectives for the third time this 12 months. It was probably the most objectives the Timbers had conceded at residence since a 6-2 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in August 2021.
The Whitecaps misplaced their final 4 regular-season matches to backslide into the wild-card recreation.
Nevertheless, a mixture of accidents and a call-up to the Scotland nationwide workforce restricted Gauld — who had 10 objectives and 15 assists within the common season — to solely two appearances and one begin throughout that slide.
With out restrictions and in supervisor Vanni Sartini’s lineup Wednesday, Gauld required solely 20 minutes to interrupt by way of in his fourth profession playoff match.
After the Timbers could not clear a Whitecaps nook from the left, each Fafa Picualt and Tristan Blackmon pressured Portland goalie James Pantemis into response saves earlier than Gauld lastly guided the ball throughout the road on the rebound of Blackmon’s try.
White doubled the lead 4 minutes later earlier than Gauld contributed his greatest second of the sport along with his second aim.
He started the sequence by reacting shortly to create a turnover within the Timbers’ finish. Ultimately Armstrong returned a chipped cross to the fitting to Gauld, who used his chest to manage along with his first contact and scooped a second-touch volley over the outstretched Pantemis and contained in the left put up.
Armstrong made it 4-0 within the 51st minute and Gauld accomplished his hat trick within the 59th, driving one other end previous Pantemis following Armstrong’s entry cross.
–Discipline Degree Media
