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Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2 LAFC (Whitecaps advance 4-3 on penalties)
VANCOUVER, BC–The largest crowd in Vancouver’s MLS era (53,957) saw an instant classic at BC Place as the Whitecaps survived a Son Heung-Min-powered comeback to advance on penalties following a 2-2 draw. Only three other soccer games have drawn more in the 42-year history of the venue: Vancouver Whitecaps vs.Seattle Sounders in 1983 in the opening event at BC Place (60,372), a 2016 Men’s World Cup qualifier against Mexico (54,798), and a 2015 Women’s World Cup quarterfinal between Canada and England (54,027).
Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe
The Whitecaps dominated the first half and were rewarded in the 39th minute as Yhoei Takaoka’s long ball found Emmanuel Sabbi at the end and Sabbi was able to flick past Hugo Lloris, who was way off his line, for the opening score. Six minutes later, the Whitecaps doubled their lead after Mathias Laborda pounced on a rebound that was spilled by Lloris after making the initial save on Thomas Müller’s header off a corner kick.
Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe
Son and LAFC would answer back in the second half. Son would pull on back at the hour mark after a mad scramble in front of goal where Son’s initial shot was saved by Takaoka, and a second chance cleared off by Laborda. Son would eventually bundle the ball in on the third try. Nine minutes of stoppage time was given and the Whitecaps would find themselves down to ten two minutes in as Tristan Blackmon picked up a second yellow card. On the ensuing free kick, Son would curl one in near post to level the score.
Extra time would take place and the Whitecaps would finish the match with nine after Belal Halbouni went off injured after the Whitecaps had made all their subs. LAFC had chances to win it late in the 122nd minute, but first David Martinez and then Denis Bouanga twice would hit the woodwork.
Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe
It would go to penalties and the Whitecaps would get a quick advantage as Son struck the post with the first kick and Sebastian Berhalter would then score. Mark Delgado then put one over the bar and the Whitecaps had a 3-1 advantage in the shootout. It became 3-3 after LAFC made their next two kicks and Lloris saved on Elder Ocampo. Laborda would score the decisive spot kick to send the Whitecaps to the Western Conference Final for the first time in their MLS history. That match will be on Saturday, November 29th either at San Diego FC or home to Minnesota United.
It marks the end of Steve Cherundolo’s time at LAFC head coach as he had earlier announced a move back to Germany. Cherundolo led LAFC to a Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup in 2022 and the US Open Cup in 2024 in his four years at the helm.
“It’s a tough one to accept. I think we were the better team tonight, but that’s the way football goes,” said Cherundolo. “… That’s the way that this game works sometimes. It wasn’t meant to be tonight, that I think was very clear for everyone to see.
“If you look at the sum of four years with LAFC… we have a lot to be proud of. I’m not sure we’ll cover all that in this press conference, but we have a ton to be proud of.”
For his part, Son vowed LAFC will come back ‘stronger than ever’ in 2026.
“Sometimes football is crazy like this. That’s why we love football,” Son told reporters post-match. “Huge congratulations to Vancouver, and see you next season.
“In the end, I’m here to win trophies for the club. So, today we are not successful. But next year, I will make sure that we are successful.
“Today’s a very disappointing day, but next year we’ll come back stronger than ever.”
Meanwhile, Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorenson could only marvel at the instant classic that saw his team overcome a lot to advance.
“LAFC is the best team we faced in MLS this season, just to make that clear,” Sørensen told reporters afterwards. “It was two very good teams, and I think that it was a game at a high level, with a lot of good individual players. We also saw a great goal from Sonny. It was great individual efforts, two great teams, two teams that really work cohesively on the pitch.
“But the way it turned out and went back and forth? No, I don’t think that I’ve witnessed that in my career.”
One more match stands between the Whitecaps and MLS Cup. It will either be at San Diego or home to Minnesota, next Saturday. It will be hard to match this Saturday’s epic.
Vancouver Whitecaps
LAFC
