The Vancouver Whitecaps finally broke through the barrier that had been holding the club back in recent years. The penalty shootout win over Los Angeles FC, after a 2 2 draw in front of 53,957 fans at BC Place, sent the team to the MLS Cup Western Conference final for the first time. It’s a step that changes the team’s standing in the league and builds a new level of expectation for the November 29 matchup against either San Diego FC or Minnesota United.
The emotional turnaround of a club
The night started with the Vancouver Whitecaps feeding off the stadium’s energy. The team controlled the tempo, found openings and watched Emmanuel Sabbi put them ahead after a pinpoint long ball from Yohei Takaoka. The goalkeeper made history as one of the few in MLS to record a primary assist in the playoffs. Moments later, Mathías Laborda showed up in the box to double the lead and send the crowd into a frenzy.
But LAFC didn’t fade away. In the second half, Son Heung Min drove the attack, found pockets of space and pulled the game level with two goals that tightened the atmosphere at BC Place. Tristan Blackmon’s red card, in his first game back from injury, pushed the tension even higher at a moment when every detail mattered. Vancouver dropped deeper, held on as best it could and watched Takaoka step up with a string of saves that kept the team alive through the end of extra time.
LAFC kept pushing, hit the post several times and created chances that, on another night, would’ve decided the match. Not this time. The Whitecaps held firm, something that hadn’t happened in recent playoff meetings between the two.
A penalty that wrote an entire chapter in the club’s history
In the shootout, Son hit the post on LAFC’s first attempt and gave the Whitecaps some breathing room. Berhalter, Nelson and Gauld converted for Vancouver, while Delgado sent his over the bar. Ocampo’s miss brought the pressure right back, but Frankie Amaya kept LAFC alive for the moment.
Laborda was the one who closed the night. He set the ball down, took a deep breath and struck it cleanly to send the Vancouver Whitecaps to the Western Conference final at last.
Now the team waits for the winner between San Diego and Minnesota. If San Diego advances, the final will be played at Snapdragon Stadium. If Minnesota moves on, BC Place will host another historic match. Either way, Vancouver arrives with something it hadn’t felt in years, the confidence to fight at the top.