Whitecaps tie Timbers 1-1, clinch playoff berth

Vancouver Whitecaps' Edier Ocampo, left, and Portland Timbers' Kamal Miller, right, vie for the ball during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, on Saturday, September 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

It wasn’t the way the Vancouver Whitecaps wanted to clinch a playoff spot.

The Whitecaps got an early goal from attacker Brian White but missed a couple of scoring chances late in the game to settle for a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers on Saturday night that assured them a spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs.

White opened the scoring in the third minute. Early in the second half he bounced a shot off the post. Midfielder Andres Cubas also hit a post in extra time.

“I think we’re a little disappointed not to come away with three points,” said White, who scored his 15th goal of the season, tying the career high he set last year. “We hit the post twice in the second half.

“We’ll take the point, we’ll move forward, but I think we’re disappointed.”

Portland’s Jonathan Rodriguez tied the match in the 44th minute. The Timbers pressured Vancouver for much of the game.

Despite the result head coach Vannie Sartini was blunt in his assessment.

Sartini said “Portland is a big hype all around the league,” and that some people believe the Timbers “can be a dark horse” come the playoffs.

“We killed them,” said Sartini. “We destroyed them. I’m just (upset) that we didn’t win.”

The early goal might have made the Whitecaps overconfident.

“I’m frustrated because it should have been 3-0 for us,” said Sartini. “We were … too soft. Subconsciously I think we thought it was going to be easier.

“We didn’t go through with the killer instinct we should have.”

Vancouver (13-9-8) sits seventh in the MLS Western Conference with 47 points. The Whitecaps' draw, combined with FC Dallas losing 3-1 to Orlando City SC and Austin FC drawing 2-2 with Real Salt Lake, clinched Vancouver a playoff berth for the second consecutive season and the third time in the last seven years.

Portland (12-10-9) holds the ninth and final playoff spot in the West with 45 points.

White’s goal came before some of the 25,902 fans at BC Place Stadium had found their seats.

Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter sent a pass from the corner to the front of the net. Levonte Johnson let the ball pass in front of him to White, who beat Portland goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau, a former Whitecap.

A good play by midfielder Santiago Moreno and some bad Vancouver luck resulted in the Timbers tying the game near the end of the opening half.

Moreno threaded Rodriquez a pass through the Whitecaps' defence. Rodriquez took a left-footed shot from the side of the net that hit the foot of defender Bjorn Inge Utvik, deflecting the ball past the outstretched hand of goaltender Yohei Takaoka.

With their playoff spot secured, the Whitecaps hope to move up the standings and claim home-field advantage.

Vancouver sits just three points back of fourth-place Colorado and five points out of third place.

“It was always the goal to make the playoffs,” said White. “More importantly, we want to be as high up in the standings as we can. There’s more work to do.”

Sartini would like to see his team finish in the top four, but thinks the conference is up for grabs.

“In the Western Conference, the seventh (place team) can win because there’s not too much different between all the teams,” he said. “We’re going to fight to get in the top four. I think we are setting up ourselves nicely.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2024.