LOS ANGELES, CA – Vancouver Whitecaps FC earned a statement victory on Saturday evening, defeating defending MLS Cup and Supporters Shield champions Los Angeles FC 3-2 at BMO Stadium to earn their first road victory of the season.
The ‘Caps came out blazing early on in Los Angeles, opening the scoring in just the third minute off a Ryan Gauld corner. Ranko Veselinović peeled away from his marker and looped his header over John McCarthy to score his third career MLS goal.
The ‘Caps would not stop, and continued to put the pressure on through chances for Brian White and Sergio Córdova.
Gauld then produced another world-class cross to find White, who took a page out of Veselinović’s book and looped his headed shot over McCarthy once more to make it 2-0.
However, LAFC got a goal at the end of the first half, against the run of play. Yohei Takaoka pulled out a great stop initially to deny Ryan Hollingshead at close range, only for Denis Bouanga to tap it in and halve the deficit at the break.
The Blue & White dug deep to hold off a resurgent LAFC in the opening stages of the second half, and were rewarded by getting their third of the night through Gauld after good play from Vite and Córdova.
LAFC then responded quickly, getting their second through Carlos Vela, setting up a tense finish to the game.
In the end, the ‘Caps held strong and saw ought the game to get their first MLS away win of 2023, and their first win over LAFC at BMO Stadium. It was only the 11th defeat for LAFC in 89 regular season home matches.
Whitecaps FC are back in action on Canada Day, continuing their away run as they face-off against Sporting Kansas City, available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and to listen on AM730 radio.
The Blue & White will return to BC Place on Saturday, July 8 vs. Seattle Sounders FC for the 10th anniversary of the club’s annual Pride Night. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
VWFC GE Appliances Player of Quality: Ryan Gauld
Attendance: 22,133
Referee: Jon Freemon
Scoring Summary
3’ – VAN – Ranko Veselinović (Ryan Gauld)
23’ – VAN – Brian White (Ryan Gauld, Sergio Córdova)
45’ – LAFC – Denis Bouanga (Mateusz Bogusz)
63’ – VAN – Ryan Gauld
68’ – LAFC – Carlos Vela
Statistics
Possession: LAFC 62% - VAN 38%
Shots: LAFC 17 - VAN 16
Shots on Goal: LAFC 9 - VAN 9
Saves: LAFC 6 - VAN 7
Fouls: LAFC 14 - VAN 12
Offsides: LAFC 2 - VAN 0
Corners: LAFC 2 - VAN 5
Cautions
25’ – LAFC – Daniel Crisostomo
32’ – VAN – Ryan Raposo
85’ – VAN – Pedro Vite
86’ – LAFC – Ryan Hollingshead
90'+1 – VAN – Luis Martins
Los Angeles FC
77.John McCarthy; 24.Ryan Hollingshead, 2.Denil Maldonado, 6.Illie Sanchez (11.Timothy Tillman 81’), 12.Diego Palacios; 20.José Cifuentes, 17.Daniel Crisostomo (18.Erik Duenas 72’), 19.Mateusz Bogusz (14.Giorgio Chiellini, 72’); 10.Carlos Vela ©, 99.Denis Bouanga, 7.Stipe Buik (22.Kwadwo Opoku 72’)
Substitutes not used
1.Eldin Jakupovic, 21.Christian Torres, 27.Nathan Ordaz, 43.Diego Rosales, 80.Julian Gaines
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 14.Luís Martins; 20.Andrés Cubas; 27.Ryan Raposo (16.Sebastian Berhalter 77’), 8.Alessandro Schöpf, 45.Pedro Vite, 25.Ryan Gauld © (7.Déiber Caicedo 88’); 9.Sergio Córdova (29.Simon Becher 67’), 24.Brian White
Substitutes not used
1.Thomas Hasal, 12.Karifa Yao, 26.J.C. Ngando, 30.Kamron Habibullah, 61.Matteo Campagna, 66.Giovanni Aguilar
