Ryan Gauld scored a hat trick in his first career MLS Cup goals and the eighth-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps cruised to a 5-0 victory over the ninth-seeded Portland Timbers on Wednesday night in a wild-card game.
The game was held in Portland because the Vancouver stadium was not available.
Brian White had a first-half tally and Stuart Armstrong had a goal and two assists in his first playoff appearance.
The Whitecaps’ first five-goal performance of the season sets up a repeat of last year’s West Round 1 series against defending conference champions Los Angeles FC. Game 1 is Sunday in Southern California.
Portland ends the season on a six-game winless streak (0-2-4) after scoring five goals for the third time this year. It was the most goals the Timbers had conceded at home since their 6-2 loss to the Seattle Sounders in August 2021.
The Whitecaps lost their final four games of the regular season to fall back into the wild card game.
However, a combination of injuries and a call-up to the Scotland national team limited Gauld — who had 10 goals and 15 assists in the regular season — to just two appearances and one start during that slide.
Out of bounds and on manager Vanni Sartini’s list on Wednesday, Gauld needed just 20 minutes to advance to his fourth career playoff game.
After the Timbers failed to clear a Whitecaps corner from the left, both Fafa Picualt and Tristan Blackmon forced Portland goalkeeper James Pantemis into saves before Gauld headed the ball over the line on the rebound of an effort by Blackmon.
White scored twice after four minutes before Gauld contributed his best moment of the game with his second goal.
He started a quick reaction sequence to capitalize on the Timbers end. Finally Armstrong played a sharp pass back to Gauld, who used his chest to control his first touch and curled a second touch volley over the outstretched Pantemis and inside the left post.
Armstrong made it 4-0 in the 51st minute and Gauld completed his hat trick in the 59th, driving another goal past Pantemis following Armstrong’s tackle.
–Field Level Media
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