- With the victory, Whitecaps FC move into first place in the MLS Western Conference and Supporters' Shield standings. Whitecaps FC also lead MLS with 19 goals scored and a +15 goal difference
- The 'Caps continued their best start in the club's MLS history, improving to 6W-1L-0D
- Whitecaps FC welcomed a second straight crowd of over 25,000, with 25,460 at BC Place, and the club's 17th consecutive MLS home match over 20,000
- The 'Caps scored their 700th MLS regular season goal
- Brian White scored his sixth MLS goal of the season, and seventh goal contribution across all competitions (6G, 1A)
- With his assist, Bruno Caicedo recorded his first goal contribution with Whitecaps FC
- Mathías Laborda scored his second goal of the season, and his fifth goal contribution (2G, 3A)
- Sebastian Berhalter recorded his fifth assist of the season, and ninth goal contribution across all competitions (4G, 5A)
- Andrés Cubas returned to the lineup after recovering from an adductor strain. The 'Caps have yet to concede a goal with Cubas on the field this season, going 521 minutes across all competitions
- Tristan Blackmon made his 150th appearance for Whitecaps FC across all competitions
- Whitecaps FC recorded their sixth clean sheet of the season across all competitions, and fourth in seven MLS matches
VANCOUVER, BC – Top of the table!
Vancouver Whitecaps FC continued the best MLS start in the club's history on Saturday, as they defeated high-flying Eastern Conference side New York City FC 2-0 in front of another raucous crowd of 25,460.
The 'Caps nearly had a perfect start to the match, with Brian White jumping over his marker to meet a Jeevan Badwal cross inside the opening moments, but the striker’s headed effort veered wide of the mark.
White found himself in a prime position to score once again in the 20th minute, after a clever backheel from Badwal put him one-on-one with NYCFC ‘keeper Matt Freese, but a last ditch block kept him from getting a shot on goal.
The 'Caps striker kept pushing for the opening goal as the half wore on, getting another headed effort on target from a corner around the half-hour minute mark. Freese then made a huge save just five minutes later, getting down quick to deny another White chance after the American made a snap shot from just inside the box.
After continued pressure, Whitecaps FC finally got their go-ahead goal in the 45th minute through Mathías Laborda. A Sebastian Berhalter free kick into the box curled perfectly into the defender’s path for him to karate kick the ball into the back of the net, sending the ‘Caps into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Freese again kept NYCFC in the game at the start of the second half, coming to the rescue to deny Thomas Müller’s curled effort from the edge of the box and a Berhalter near post rocket.
Nicolás Fernández came close to scoring off a free kick at the edge of the box but his effort skimmed the crossbar. NYCFC kept pushing for an equalizer, forcing Whitecaps FC to make several big blocks to keep their lead intact.
The White versus Freese show carried on once again in the 78th minute, with White turning his defender and going for a left footed effort at the edge of the box for Freese to push wide. White then had another chance to double the scoreline after Emmanuel Sabbi cut it back for the striker in the six yard box, but his left footed effort went agonizingly wide of the post.
In the end, White would finally get his just reward in the 87th minute. Bruno Caicedo, fresh off the bench, cut inside after bamboozling his marker and chipped a cross towards the back post for White to head home for 2-0.
That goal would seal the deal for Whitecaps FC, giving them the three points to shoot them to the top of the MLS standings.
Whitecaps FC are back in action this coming Friday, April 17 as they host Western Conference side Sporting Kansas City. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 25,460
Referee: Jair Marrufo
ERDINGER Man of the Match: Jeevan Badwal
Scoring Summary
45’ – VAN – Mathías Laborda (Sebastian Berhalter)
87’ – VAN – Brian White (Bruno Caicedo)
Statistics
Possession: VAN 47% - NYC 53%
Shots: VAN 23 - NYC 12
Shots on Goal: VAN 10 - NYC 2
Saves: VAN 2 - NYC 8
Fouls: VAN 16 - NYC 8
Offsides: VAN 2 - NYC 2
Corners: VAN 12 - NYC 5
Cautions
53’ – VAN – Andrés Cubas
80’ – VAN – Oliver Larraz
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo, 33.Tristan Blackmon, 2.Mathías Laborda, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter (8.Oliver Larraz 77’), 20. Andrés Cubas (11.Emmanuel Sabbi 63’); 59.Jeevan Badwal, 13.Thomas Müller ©, 7.Cheikh Sabaly (14.Bruno Caicedo 63’); 24.Brian White (19.Rayan Elloumi 90’+1)
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 17.Kenji Cabrera, 22.AZ, 29.Mihail Gherasimencov, 41.Nikola Djordjevic
New York City FC
49.Matt Freese; 24.Tayvon Gray, 34.Raul Gustavo, 5.Kai Trewin, 22.Kevin O’Toole; 55.Keaton Parks (32.Jonathan Shore 87’), 21.Aiden O’Neill (87.Arnau Farnós 87’), 10.Maxi Moralez; 26.Agustín Ojeda (88.Malachi Jones 77’), 7.Nicolás Fernández, 17.Hannes Wolf (11.Talles Magno 63’)
Substitutes not used
30.Tomás Romero, 2.Nico Cavallo, 15.Kevin Pierre, 19.Strahinja Tanasijević, 99.Seymour Reid