VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Vancouver Whitecaps secured a commanding 3-0 win over LAFC on Sunday night, leveling their best-of-three first-round series for the MLS Cup. A dazzling early strike from Ryan Gauld, along with two own goals from LAFC, set the tone for a match that showcased Vancouver’s resurgence in the postseason. Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka recorded his third clean sheet in five playoff starts, contributing to the team’s strong performance.

Vancouver, positioned as the eighth seed in the Western Conference, quickly established a 2-0 advantage within the first 13 minutes of play. Gauld opened the scoring with a deflected unassisted goal in the 10th minute, marking his fifth goal of the playoffs after facing challenges in his initial three postseason matches. Previously, he had a standout performance during the wildcard round, netting a hat trick in a 5-0 triumph against the Portland Timbers, and he also scored the only goal for Vancouver in their earlier 2-1 defeat against LAFC.

The second half saw LAFC’s challenges continue, highlighted by an own goal from defender Eddie Segura in the 68th minute, just minutes after he took the field as a substitute for Maxime Chanot. This unfortunate blunder added to the Whitecaps’ scoreline as they maintained control throughout the match.

Takaoka made three critical saves for the Whitecaps, while LAFC’s Hugo Lloris managed to stop one shot during his second postseason appearance in the league. Last season, LAFC had swept the Whitecaps in this same round, eventually leading to a conference championship, adding a significant layer of rivalry to the match.

LAFC entered this game boasting a seven-match winning streak across competitions, having outscored their opponents 16-5 during that stretch. However, the Whitecaps flipped the script at home, which had seen them finish the regular season with a 6-7-4 record and winless in their last four matches, including a previous loss to LAFC. In the playoffs, they showcased a different side, shutting out their two opponents with an impressive 8-0 aggregate score.

One key to Vancouver’s success was effectively containing LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, who had scored four goals in his first three playoff outings against the Whitecaps. The drama continues as LAFC prepares to host the decisive game of the series on Friday night, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense showdown.