- Whitecaps FC clinched a third consecutive MLS Cup Playoffs berth for the first time in club history, and the fourth time in five years
- The 'Caps welcomed a third consecutive sell-out crowd of over 26,000 fans at BC Place for the first time in the club's MLS history
- Whitecaps FC scored four goals in the first half for the first time in the club's MLS era
- The 'Caps scored seven goals for the first time in the club's MLS history, and finished with their largest ever margin of victory
- On his 36th birthday, Thomas Müller became the first player in MLS history to score a hat-trick on his birthday, adding an assist. Müller now has four goals and one assist in his first three appearances
- MathÃas Laborda scored his fourth goal of the season in all competitions
- After returning from international duty with the United States men's national team, Sebastian Berhalter recorded his ninth, 10th, and 11th assists of the season in all competitions
- Emmanuel Sabbi scored his seventh and eighth goals of the season in all competitions, second only to Brian White's 20 goals
- Fresh off his first international goal for Canada, Ali Ahmed recorded his seventh assist of the season for Whitecaps FC in all competitions
- After signing an MLS contract on Friday, Whitecaps FC BMO Academy product Rayan Elloumi became the first 'Caps homegrown player to score on his home debut
- Back from national team duty with Canada, Jayden Nelson recorded his 10th and 11th assists of the season in all competitions, tying Berhalter for the team lead
- Returning from international duty with Australia's U-23 national team, Giuseppe Bovalina recorded his second career MLS assist
- Yohei Takaoka recorded his MLS-leading 12th clean sheet of the season, one away from the club record of 13 set by David Ousted in 2015
- With 52 points, the 'Caps are now only one point behind their best season total of 53 points set in 2015
- The 'Caps are one win away from tying their best-ever MLS regular season win total from 2015 (16 wins), and are now one home win away from equalling their best-ever MLS regular season home win total from 2021 & 2022 (10 wins)
- Whitecaps FC are one goal away from tying their most goals scored in an MLS season with 55 from 2023, and now lead MLS with a +23 goal difference
VANCOUVER, BC – It was a historic night at BC Place, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC put in a dominant display, dismantling Philadelphia Union 7-0 in front of a third straight sell-out crowd.
Whitecaps FC started the match strong, with Thomas Müller getting an early chance inside five minutes after his first-time volley was well saved by Union ‘keeper Andrew Rick. Tristan Blackmon came close to opening up the scoreline five minutes later, getting on the end of a flicked header from MathÃas Laborda off a corner kick, but Blackmon’s header went just wide. Daniel RÃos was millimetres away from breaking the deadlock after a slick ‘Caps play, with Édier Ocampo teeing up the striker with a drilled pass across goal, but RÃos was just a fraction of a second behind the play.
After all that pressure, Whitecaps FC finally found the opener through Laborda in the 18th minute. Sebastian Berhalter whipped in a perfect cross from the corner to which Laborda leaped and thundered in the header.
The ‘Caps then made it 2-0 in the 24th minute thanks to a wonderful run from Ali Ahmed. The Canadian international tore down the left side, leaving two defenders in his wake and cut it back for Emmanuel Sabbi to fire it into the roof of the net.
Whitecaps FC made it 3-0 in the 30th minute, after winning a penalty inside the box. Müller stepped up and clinically dispatched his penalty to celebrate his 36th birthday.
Philadelphia thought they pulled one back in the 40th minute, after Alejandro Bedoya squared it for Mikael Uhre, but the play was deemed offside after VAR review.
Ahmed nearly got the ‘Caps a fourth just before halftime, after a scramble in the box, but his toe-poke was picked up by Rick. However, Ahmed did contribute to a fourth goal just moments later, after he was taken down in the box on yet another great run. Up stepped Müller once again to make it 4-0, and the German cooly finished his penalty for his third goal of the season.
The ’Caps went into the break with a cushioned lead and plenty of momentum.
The Blue & White kept that groove going into the second half, with Müller almost getting his hat-trick just five minutes into the second half. Some good give-and-go on the edge of the box played the German in behind. Müller tried to chip it over Rick but the Union ‘keeper did well to close the shot down and put it behind for a corner.
Müller turned provider in the 61st minute, after he flicked a pass on the right for Sabbi to curl first time into the top right corner for 5-0.
Ahmed nearly made it 6-0 two minutes later, after another incredible passing play put Ocampo in behind on the right. The Colombian cut it back for Ahmed, whose first time shot went agonizingly past the far post.
Jayden Nelson came close to extending the ‘Caps’ lead in the 80th minute, bursting past two defenders and bearing down on goal, but his shot was well saved.
Rayan Elloumi, on his home debut, did make it 6-0 after Berhalter curled in a cross for the youngster to flick his header goalwards.
Whitecaps FC made it a record 7-0 in the 89th minute as Müller rounded out his hat-trick. Jeevan Badwal had a brilliant volley saved, but Nelson was there to pick up the rebound and cross it towards the back post. Giuseppe Bovalina got on the end of it and headed it back across goal for Müller to nod the ‘Caps’ seventh goal of the evening.
Whitecaps FC are right back in action this coming Tuesday, September 16 as they host Forge FC in the second leg of the TELUS Canadian Championship semifinals at BC Place. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 26,031
Referee: Allen Chapman
Scoring Summary
18’ – VAN – MathÃas Laborda (Sebastian Berhalter)
24’ – VAN – Emmanuel Sabbi (Ali Ahmed)
29’ – VAN – Thomas Müller (penalty kick)
45’+1 – VAN – Thomas Müller (penalty kick)
61’ – VAN – Emmanuel Sabbi (Thomas Müller, Sebastian Berhalter)
80’ – VAN – Rayan Elloumi (Sebastian Berhalter, Jayden Nelson)
88’ – VAN – Thomas Müller (Giuseppe Bovalina, Jayden Nelson)
Statistics
Possession: VAN 59.3% - PHI 40.7%
Shots: VAN 20 - PHI 9
Shots on Goal: VAN 12 - PHI 2
Saves: VAN 2 - PHI 5
Fouls: VAN 15 - PHI 23
Offsides: VAN 1 - PHI 1
Corners: VAN 9 - PHI 1
Cautions
8’ – VAN – Thomas Müller
16’ – VAN – Tristan Blackmon
68’ – PHI – Milan Iloski
74’ – VAN – Tate Johnson
75’ – PHI – Tai Baribo
87’ – PHI Jovan Lukić
Vancouver Whitecaps FC1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo (28.Tate Johnson 68’), 12.Belal Halbouni, 33.Tristan Blackmon (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 87’), 2.MathÃas Laborda; 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 20.Andrés Cubas (59.Jeevan Badwal 81’); 11.Emmanuel Sabbi, 13.Thomas Müller ©, 22.Ali Ahmed (7.Jayden Nelson 68’); 14.Daniel RÃos (75.Rayan Elloumi 68’)
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 6.Ralph Priso, 17.Kenji Cabrera, 26.J.C. Ngando
Philadelphia Union
76.Andrew Rick; 11.Alejandro Bedoya (27.Kai Wagner 45’+2), 5.Jack Glesnes, 26.Nathan Harriel, 39.Francis Westfield; 33.Quinn Sullivan, 4.Jovan Lukić, 8.Jesús Bueno (21.Danley Jean-Jacques 45’+2), 19.Indiana Vassilev (20.Bruno Damiani 62’); 7.Mikael Uhre (9.Tai Baribo 45’+2), 32.Milan Iloski (44.Neil Pierre 70’)
Substitutes not used
31.George Marks, 6.Cavan Sullivan, 14.Jeremy Rafanello, 15.Olivier Mbaizo
