Good Friday morning Caps fans — and what a Friday it is.

We’ll skip the pleasantries given the magnitude of last night, though I’m almost hesitant to try and describe what is certainly the biggest statement win in the Caps’ MLS history.

If you’re reading this, you were almost certainly watching or were lucky enough to be there. Before a record crowd, the Whitecaps confirmed their status as the best team in league, comprehensively beating an Inter Miami team that never got its stars into the match. Yes, that includes Messi.

The comparisons to the 1979 Soccer Bowl run are inevitable and apt. Regardless of what happens in the second leg, the Caps have made a statement about who they are in MLS.

Tate Johnson, who pocketed the greatest player of all time, was playing Furman in a college match eight months ago. Sebastian Berhalter, who was the man of the match, came to Vancouver after a failed loan to Austin. Jayden Nelson, who provided the assist, was similarly left for dead. It isn’t an accident that after Berhalter’s goal, he and Nelson immediately pointed to the badge on their kit.

This team is a bunch of talented, if underrated, players who fight for each other. And other players, teams and fanbases take note of that. Berhalter and everyone else on the pitch was remarkable not just because of their attacking performance but because of their intensity, pressure and grit. Seb won the ball off Messi innumerable times and Edier Ocampo and Tristan Blackmon made some massive interventions.

And last night we saw the fans were willing to match that energy to fight for soccer in Vancouver. It was an environment that you don’t often see at BC Place or really anywhere else in MLS and the supporters rose to the occasion. The overwhelming majority of the fans in attendance were fully behind the Caps and those that were not surely were impressed at how Vancouver took it to their heroes. It appears the Caps have some possible options for local owners to buy the team and what better ad for what this club is and can be than Thursday night. And, if Don Garber was watching, he will surely have felt what we all see week in and week out: this is a market MLS needs to be in.

The job is not done. As long as Messi plays on Thursday, anything can happen. But nothing can tarnish the win, the jubilation and the pride that all of us can take away from last night. For the next six days, we are all Brian White, celebrating before the incoming second goal even hits the back of the net.

Shameless Self Promotion

We run down the dream of a night that was Thursday and look at who the standout performers were.

Best of the Rest

An excellent look on the Caps’ hot start and what it means to the club and city — and the aforementioned tidbit about concrete interest from local owners.

A recap of the primary transfer window, which ended with a flurry of activity from Western Conference rivals (but not Vancouver).

The Northern Super League has kicked off and this piece gives a nice deep dive on what to expect.

Vancouver FC makes another signing of their own to round off their roster.