- With the victory, Whitecaps FC remain in first place in the overall MLS Supporters' Shield Standings with 21 points (7W-1L-0D) and a league-leading 22 goals and +18 goal difference
- Whitecaps FC became the second team in MLS history to score at least 22 goals within the first eight games, joining the 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy
- The club welcomed a crowd of more than 20,000 fans to BC Place for the 18th straight MLS match
- The 'Caps have scored three or more goals in 21 of 65 matches under head coach Jesper Sørensen (32%)
- Whitecaps FC remain unbeaten in MLS play under Sørensen when scoring the first goal at 24W-0L-4D, and also when leading at halftime at 19W-0L-3D
- Whitecaps FC recorded their seventh clean sheet of the season across all competitions, and fifth in eight MLS matches
- VWFC have yet to concede a goal with Andrés Cubas on the field this season, now going 611 minutes across all competitions
- With a goal and an assist, Emmanuel Sabbi is now up to four goal contributions on the season (2G, 2A). Sabbi also had a goal and assist against Minnesota United FC on March 15
- In his first start, Bruno Caicedo scored his first goal for Whitecaps FC after recording his first assist last match (1G, 1A)
- Brian White recorded his second assist on the season, bringing him to eight goal contributions (6G, 2A)
- In his 100th Whitecaps FC start across all competitions, Mathías Laborda recorded his fourth assist on the season, bringing him to six goal contributions (2G, 4A)
- Tristan Blackmon recorded his first assist of the season, and second goal contribution (1G, 1A)
- Nikola Djordjevic made his Whitecaps FC debut after signing from WFC2 in December
VANCOUVER, BC – It was a complete performance from Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Friday night at BC Place, as they defeated Sporting Kansas City 3-0 to maintain their position at the top of the MLS standings.
The ‘Caps nearly had a dream start in the third minute, when Emmanuel Sabbi got on the end of an Édier Ocampo cross, but his downward header went a whisker wide of the post.
It didn’t take long for Sabbi to get on the scoresheet though. In the 13th minute Thomas Müller threaded a pass in behind for Brian White, who chipped it around SKC ‘keeper John Pulskamp. Mathías Laborda then sprinted on the end of it, getting a touch to it before being tackled, with Sabbi trailing behind to sweep home for 1-0.
Sabbi nearly had a second minutes later, latching onto a through ball in the box but being unable to redirect it past Pulskamp.
The ‘Caps then doubled the lead in the 24th minute through Bruno Caicedo's first goal for the club. The Ecuadorian winger capitalized on a loose pass at the back, drove into the box and side-footed a shot off the far post and in.
The Blue and White were relentless in the first half, scoring their third goal in less than 30 minutes after some fantastic work from Sabbi. The American winger hunted down a ball just before it went past the sideline, sliding to keep the ball in play, and then proceeded to whip in a perfect fizzing cross, right onto the head of Müller to hammer in.
Sabbi almost got his second goal of the match in the 37th minute, cutting inside off the right, leaving his marker sliding on the turf, and crashing a shot against the crossbar. The ball then fell to White, who tried to head it goal-ward but the ball looped over the frame of the goal.
Sebastian Berhalter almost made it 4-0 in added time in the first half, getting on the end of a White headed cross with a header of his own, but his effort smacked the crossbar, denying Whitecaps FC another goal yet again.
The second half saw the 'Caps pick up right where they left off, almost scoring inside the first three minutes after a Berhalter free kick delivery nearly resulted in an own-goal.
A flurry of chances came just 10 minutes later, with Caicedo, Cubas and Berhalter all getting opportunities to score in and around the box. Müller had another headed chance with less than 20 minutes to go, rising highest off a cross but directing his effort into Pulskamp’s hands.
Ocampo tried his luck minutes later, after Sabbi played the defender in behind, but his driven effort towards the far post flew the wrong side of the post.
Rayan Elloumi had one final chance for the 'Caps in the 90th minute. After getting fed by Cheikh Sabaly, the striker fired a shot across goal, but a great save by Pulskamp kept it out.
In the end, Whitecaps FC recorded yet another win to keep their fantastic start to the season going.
The 'Caps are back in action next Saturday, April 25 as they host Colorado Rapids at BC Place in their final home match at BC Place until August 1. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 21,777
Referee: Elijio Arreguin
ERDINGER Man of the Match: Emmanuel Sabbi
Scoring Summary
13’ – VAN – Emmanuel Sabbi (Mathías Laborda, Brian White)
23’ – VAN – Bruno Caicedo
28’ – VAN – Thomas Müller (Emmanuel Sabbi, Tristan Blackmon)
Statistics
Possession: VAN 50.3% - SKC 49.7%
Shots: VAN 25 - SKC 3
Shots on Goal: VAN 6 - SKC 1
Saves: VAN 1 - SKC 3
Fouls: VAN 15 - SKC 16
Offsides: VAN 2 - SKC 1
Corners: VAN 6 - SKC 3
Cautions
32’ – SKC – Calvin Harris
66’ – SKC – Diego Borges
68’ – VAN – Sebastian Berhalter
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo (41.Nikola Djordjevic 82’), 33.Tristan Blackmon, 2.Mathías Laborda, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter (8.Oliver Larraz 74’), 20.Andrés Cubas; 11,Emmanuel Sabbi (7.Cheikh Sabaly 82’), 13.Thomas Müller ©, 14.Bruno Caicedo (17.Kenji Cabrera 64’); 24.Brian White (19.Rayan Elloumi 74’)
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 22.AZ, 29.Mihail Gherasimencov, 59.Jeevan Badwal
Sporting Kansas City
1.John Pulskamp; 13.Justin Reynolds (2.Ian James 51’), 23.Ethan Bartlow, 57.Diego Borges (15.Jansen Miller 70’), 20.Kwaku Agyabeng; 14.Macielo Tschantret (4.Lasse Berg Johnson 51’), 6.Manu García, 16.Jacob Bartlett; 11.Calvin Harris (17.Stephen Afrifa 70’), 9.Dejan Joveljić, 7.Capita (93.Shapi Suleymanov 87’)
Substitutes not used
12.Jack Kortkamp, 19.Taylor Calheira, 99.Jayden Reid