The Vancouver Whitecaps find themselves in a one game do or die situation in the 2024 Major League Soccer playoffs on Friday. The Whitecaps and LAFC are tied at one game apiece in a best of three series in round one of the MLS playoffs.
LAFC won game one by a score of 2-1 at Bank of Montreal Stadium in Los Angeles, California on October 27. That was followed by a 3-0 Whitecaps win over LAFC at BC Place this past Sunday in Vancouver, British Columbia. This was the second time in the 2024 MLS playoffs that the Whitecaps won a playoff game. They also beat the Portland Timbers 5-0 in the Western Conference Wildcard round on October 23.
The Whitecaps playoff run has come with adversity. First, they beat the Timbers in a playoff game that should have been in Vancouver, but was moved to Portland because of a scheduling conflict. Inexplicably, the Whitecaps were unable to host their playoff game on Canadian grass because Vancouver was hosting the World Supercross Championships at the same time. Second, the Whitecaps playoff run has been under the radar in Canada because not all their playoff games are being shown on TSN. Games two and three of their series against LAFC are only on Apple TV and CKNW radio.
It has been an outstanding playoff for Ryan Gauld of Scotland, who has had five goals in three playoff games for Vancouver. The other two Whitecaps playoff goal scorers are American Brian White and Scotland’s Stuart Armstrong. Two of Vancouver’s goals against LAFC were own goals.
The reason why Vancouver’s win over LAFC would be an upset is because of the teams’s regular season records. LAFC was the number one seed in the Western Conference heading into the playoffs at 19 wins, eight losses and seven draws for 64 points. Vancouver finished in eighth place at 13 wins, 13 losses and eight draws for 47 points.
The 5-0 Whitecaps win over the Timbers tied a franchise record for the largest Vancouver playoff win in MLS playoff history. The Whitecaps also beat the San Jose Earthquakes 5-0 in the 2017 knockout round.
The Whitecaps were one of two Canadian teams in the MLS to make the playoffs this season. The other was CF Montreal, who lost 5-4 on penalty kicks after being tied at two against Atlanta United FC in the Eastern Conference wildcard match. The winner of the Whitecaps/LAFC series will face the Seattle Sounders.
