- Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka recorded his sixth MLS clean sheet of the season and eighth across all competitions. The shutout was the 43rd of his Whitecaps FC career, leaving him just two behind David Ousted for the most clean sheets by a goalkeeper in the club's MLS era
- Left back Sam Adekugbe made his first appearance for Whitecaps FC since the Concacaf Champions Cup Final against Cruz Azul on June 1, 2025 - 419 days. Adekugbe suffered a torn right Achilles tendon while representing Canada against Côte d'Ivoire on June 10, 2025, and underwent successful surgery five days later. His last MLS appearance came against Minnesota United FC on May 28, 2025
SAINT PAUL, MN – On a warm night at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Vancouver Whitecaps FC will take home a hard-earned point in a scoreless draw against Minnesota United FC. The result came in the club's seventh and final consecutive Major League Soccer regular season road match before returning home to BC Place next Saturday.
Head coach Jesper Sørensen made three changes to the side that faced FC Cincinnati on Wednesday. Centre back Ranko Veselinović returned to the starting lineup, Mathías Laborda shifted to right back in place of the suspended Édier Ocampo, while Thomas Müller and Cheikh Sabaly came into the lineup for Ryan Gauld and the injured Bruno Caicedo, respectively.
The 'Caps created the first chance of the match in the sixth minute when Brian White got a shot on target, but Minnesota goalkeeper Drake Callender was equal to it.
A few minutes later, Sørensen was forced into an early change just 11 minutes in as Veselinović left the match through injury. Youngster Mihail Gherasimencov entered at left back, with Laborda moving central and Tate Johnson shifting across to right back.
Minnesota threatened in the 20th minute when Mamadou Dieng broke in on goal, but goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka came off his line quickly, made himself big, and produced a key save from the left side of the six-yard box.
Whitecaps FC nearly broke through three minutes later as White found Sabaly inside the area, but Callender denied the forward. In the 30th minute, Oliver Larraz tried his luck from distance, firing just wide.
Minnesota nearly opened the scoring in the 43rd minute. Following a partially cleared corner, the ball fell to Kelvin Yeboah, whose close-range effort sailed over the crossbar, sending both sides into halftime level at 0-0.
Sørensen made two changes at the break, introducing captain Gauld and Nikola Djordjevic in place of Sabaly and Larraz.
The hosts created the first opportunity of the second half in the 55th minute when another Minnesota corner found Dieng, but Takaoka was once again in the right position to make the save.
Whitecaps FC responded in the 63rd minute after a slick passing sequence ended with Johnson finding Gauld at the top of the penalty area. Gauld's clever effort with the outside of his left foot forced another strong save from Callender.
Vancouver continued to push late in the match. In the 76th minute, Müller tested Callender with a strike from the edge of the box before, a minute later, he slipped a pass through for Gauld, whose shot from inside the area was again denied.
Both teams made late substitutions, and just before full-time, Sam Adekugbe made his long-awaited return after 423 days between MLS games. The defender nearly marked the occasion with a late chance, but neither side could find a breakthrough as the points were shared.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC now return to BC Place for a highly anticipated MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference semifinal rematch against Los Angeles FC on Saturday, August 1. More than 33,000 tickets have already been sold for the match, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. PT.
Following the August 1 fixture, Vancouver will turn its attention to Leagues Cup, where the club will look to add an international trophy to its collection.
The 'Caps will host LIGA MX side Atlante FC on Tuesday, August 4 (included for season ticket members), before welcoming FC Juárez on Friday, August 7. Vancouver will then travel to Monterrey, Mexico, to face Tigres UANL at El Volcán on Tuesday, August 11.
For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez
Attendance: 18,845
Scoring Summary
none
Statistics
Possession: MIN 39.7% – VAN 60.3%
Shots: MIN 11 – VAN 11
Shots on Goal: MIN 3 – VAN 5
Saves: MIN 5 – VAN 3
Fouls: MIN 8 – VAN 15
Offsides: MIN 0 – VAN 1
Corners: MIN 5 – VAN 2
Cautions
17’ – MIN – Mamadou Dieng
24’ - VAN - Jeevan Badwal
88’ - VAN - Michael Boxall
Ejection
None
Minnesota United FC
12.Drake Callender; 3.Kyle Duncan (21.Bongokuhle Hlongwane 81’), 28.Jefferson Diaz (67.Carlos Harvey 57’), 15.Michael Boxall ©️, 23.Morris Duggan, 13.Anthony Markanich (2.Devin Padelford 80’); 30.Owen Gene, 20.Wil Trapp (6.Peter Stroud 68’), 26.Joaquín Pereyra; 29.Mamadou Dieng, 9.Kelvin Yeboah (8.Tomás Chancalay 68’)
Substitutes not used
1.Alec Smir, 18.Mauricio González, 22.Marcus Caldeira, 24.Julian Gressel
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda, 4.Ranko Veselinović (29.Mihail Gherasimencov 11’), 33.Tristan Blackmon, 28.Tate Johnson (3.Sam Adekugbe 90’); 8.Oliver Larraz (25.Ryan Gauld HT), 20.Andrés Cubas; 7.Cheikh Sabaly (41.Nikola Djordjevic HT), 13.Thomas Müller ©️, 59.Jeevan Badwal; 24.Brian White (19.Rayan Elloumi 69’)
Substitutes not used
30.Adrían Zendejas, 32.Isaac Boehmer, 26.J.C. Ngando, 63.Johnny Selemani
