VANCOUVER, BC – Major League Soccer announced on Monday that Vancouver Whitecaps FC defender MathÃas Laborda and midfielder J.C. Ngando have been named to the MLS Team of Matchday 27 after their performances in the 'Caps emphatic 3-0 home win over Sporting Kansas City at BC Place on Saturday.
The 'Caps enter the Leagues Cup break one point back of San Diego FC for first place in the Western Conference, but with a game in hand. They next play at San Jose Earthquakes on August 9, then head to Hamilton, Ontario to face Forge FC in the first leg of the TELUS Canadian Championship semifinals on August 13. Whitecaps FC are next at BC Place to face Houston Dynamo FC on August 17. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
Laborda earns his second MLS Team of the Matchday selection of 2025 (Matchday 3) after another outstanding match on both ends of the pitch. The Uruguayan not only helped the 'Caps to a league-high 11th clean sheet of the season, but also rose up high on a corner kick and scored his third goal of the year for the final dagger.
Ngando earns his first ever selection to the MLS Team of the Matchday after recording a goal and an assist. The former MLS SuperDraft pick helped set up the opening goal from Emmanuel Sabbi, then scored his first goal at BC Place for the second of the evening.
In total, 10 different Whitecaps FC members have now been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday this season. In addition to Laborda and Ngando, head coach Jesper Sørensen (Matchday 4, Matchday 8), defenders Tristan Blackmon (Matchday 4, Matchday 7, Matchday 12) and Édier Ocampo (Matchday 9), midfielders Sebastian Berhalter (Matchday 4, Matchday 25) and Pedro Vite (Matchday 1, Matchday 10), as well as forwards Jayden Nelson (Matchday 1), Emmanuel Sabbi (Matchday 8, Matchday 21) and Brian White (Matchday 2, Matchday 8, Matchday 12, Matchday 15).
