Top of the West!

• With the victory, Whitecaps FC move back into first place in the Western Conference with one match remaining. The 'Caps are top of the West for the first time since June 25
• The 'Caps have now scored 93 goals this season across all competitions, the most in one season in club history dating back to 1974
• Whitecaps FC extended their unbeaten run to 11 matches across all competitions (7W-0L-4D)
• Whitecaps FC remain unbeaten since Thomas Müller arrived, 7W-0L-3D across all competitions
• The 'Caps set a new club record for MLS away victories in a season with eight, breaking the previous high of seven from 2015 and 2024
• Whitecaps FC have now earned 11 points when the opponent scores first
• Nelson Pierre scored his first career MLS goal. He is the 20th different goalscorer for Whitecaps FC in league play this season, tying an MLS record. In all competitions, the 'Caps now have 23 different goalscorers
• Müller scored his seventh goal of the season across all competitions. He now has 11 goal contributions, all coming in his past six appearances (7G, 4A)
• Ryan Gauld recorded his third assist of the season (3G, 3A)
• Yohei Takaoka recorded his 18th win of the season, the most among goalkeepers in MLS

ORLANDO, FL – It was a dramatic evening in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC came from behind to defeat Orlando City SC 2-1 with a Thomas Müller goal in the dying seconds.

Both teams came out with a lot of energy, trying to get an early goal.

Müller came close to opening the scoring in the 10th minute, after being teed up by Daniel Ríos on the edge of the box, but his shot was well-saved by Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Ríos had his own chance moments later, after he found some space in the box, but the forward was tackled before he could pull the trigger.

Orlando City broke the deadlock in the 25th minute, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson fired a shot inside the box to make it 1-0. Müller almost got Whitecaps FC back on level terms just after the half-hour mark, with his half-volley on the edge of the box skipping off the floor and forcing Gallese to make a full stretch save.

Édier Ocampo had a great cross into the box minutes later, trying to find Emmanuel Sabbi who was coming across the face of goal, but the cross was cleared before it could find the American. Ocampo had another chance to create an equalizer, with another drilled cross into the six-yard box that just skipped past Sabbi. Soon after, Ríos was found in-behind the Orlando defence outside the box, but Gallese did well to come out and smother the ball before the Mexican could get an effort on goal.

Whitecaps FC were camped in Orlando’s end throughout the first half, but had to go into the break with some work to do.

The 'Caps kept battling hard in this second half, pushing Orlando further and further into their own half. The ‘Caps increased the pressure, with Ocampo nearly creating an own goal with 20 minutes to go. The Colombian drilled a cross that went off an Orlando defender and smashed against the crossbar, with Müller then trying to go for an acrobatic bicycle kick in the ensuing play, but his effort went just wide of the mark.

J.C. Ngando tried his luck fresh off the bench in the 75th minute, firing from distance but Gallese was equal to it with another stretching save.

Whitecaps FC finally scored their equalizer through Nelson Pierre in the 81st minute. Berhalter fired a vicious strike that ricocheted off the post, before Ryan Gauld tried to follow-up. An Orlando defender got in the way but his clearance bounced off the thigh of Pierre and into the back of the net.

With the tying goal in hand, the ‘Caps searched for the winner, with Ocampo firing a low shot towards goal that was smothered by Gallese.

Gauld then tried to chip the ‘keeper from the right side of the box after being found in space, but his shot ended up over the net.

The 'Caps came agonizingly close to scoring the winning goal after Berhalter lasered a ball towards the near post, but Gallese collected the ball and seemingly rolled over the line, but it was deemed to be no goal from the officiating crew.

However, the ‘Caps would not stay down and would score an incredible winner through Müller. The German slalomed his way to the edge of the box before he drilled a powerful low shot into the bottom right corner, giving Whitecaps FC a vital three points and putting them back into the top spot in the Western Conference.

Whitecaps FC are back in action for their final regular season match on MLS Decision Day, battling FC Dallas on Saturday, October 18 at BC Place for a chance to finish the season at the top of the Western Conference. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets. Playoff tickets are also now on sale. For more information, go to whitecapsfc.com/playoffs.

MATCH DETAILS

Attendance: 23,465
Referee: Sergii Boiko

Scoring Summary
25’ – ORL – Dagur Dan Thorhallsson
81’ – VAN – Nelson Pierre
90’+7 – VAN – Thomas Müller (Ryan Gauld)

Statistics
Possession: ORL 35.1% - VAN 64.8%
Shots: ORL 3 - VAN 23
Shots on Goal: ORL 2 - VAN 9
Saves: ORL 7 - VAN 1
Fouls: ORL 8 - VAN 13
Offsides: ORL 2 - VAN 2
Corners: ORL 1 - VAN 6

Cautions
15’ – ORL – Rodrigo Schlegel
77’ – ORL – Iván Angulo
90’+9 – ORL – Kyle Smith

Orlando City SC
1.Pedro Gallese; 17.Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 15.Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.Robin Jansson (13.Duncan McGuire 18’) (96.Zakaria Taifi 86’), 21.Adrian Marín; 11.Nicolás Rodríguez (23.Shakur Mohammad 90'+1), 24.Kyle Smith, 20.Eduard Atuesta, 77.Iván Angulo; 9.Luis Muriel, 10.Martín Ojeda

Substitutes not used
99.Carlos Mercado, 36.Titus Sandy Jr., 68.Thomas Williams, 95.Favian Loyola

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo, 12.Belal Halbouni, 2.Mathías Laborda, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 6.Ralph Priso; 59.Jeevan Badwal (26.J.C. Ngando 74’), 13.Thomas Müller ©, 11.Emmanuel Sabbi (25.Ryan Gauld 66’); 14.Daniel Ríos (42.Nelson Pierre 74’)

Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 50.Max Anchor, 27.Giuseppe Bovalina, 53.Mark O’Neill, 97.Liam Mackenzie