Thomas Müller scored a 97th-minute winner as Vancouver Whitecaps came from behind to snatch all three points at Orlando City.
Orlando took the lead midway through the first half after Dagur Thorhallsson broke free to finish. Vancouver piled pressure onto their hosts, and they eventually found their equaliser as Nelson Pierre notched his first MLS goal for the club, before Müller’s late heroics confirmed the three points would head to Canada.
With both sides suffering a plethora of absences due to respective injury crises and international callups, neither side was able to come into this clash with anything resembling a full-strength starting lineup. This saw some unusual rotation, even for the recent standards of the Whitecaps, as Jesper Sørensen was forced to start young midfielder Jeevan Badwal on the right wing after his impressive cameo from the bench against San Jose.
Having travelled the entire way across the USA, approximately 2,600 miles, to complete this clash, Vancouver started the game under pressure from their hosts. However, after they started to grow into the game, an injury to centre back Robin Jansson saw Orlando change their system up, as they replaced him with striker Duncan McGuire.
The changes paid dividends for Oscar Pareja’s side, as minutes later, they took the lead. A counterattack saw Dagur Thorhallsson go through on goal, and the Icelandic defender made no mistake to prod the ball past Takaoka and hand his team the advantage.
With their backs against the wall, the Whitecaps had to respond if they wanted to get back into the game. They almost found an equaliser as Edier Ocampo’s strike fizzed across the face of the goal, but other than that, they were unable to properly trouble Gallese in Orlando’s net before the half-time whistle.
Knowing that they needed at least a point to have a chance at controlling the top seed in the Western Conference on Decision Day, Vancouver pushed forward in search of an equaliser. However, despite generating 12 shots across the first hour, they were unable to penetrate Orlando’s stout defense.
Given the absence of tricky wingers Ali Ahmed, Jayden Nelson, and Kenji Cabrera, the Whitecaps’ lack of creativity may have been expected. That made it an even more welcome sight that Ryan Gauld came off the bench after 65 minutes in a bid to rescue the game.
The Scotland international’s presence was felt immediately, as Vancouver started to turn the screw. Gallese was forced to make a fierce save to prevent Ocampo’s cross from being turned in, before Thomas Müller fired wide after a spectacular bicycle kick attempt.
It felt inevitable that the Whitecaps would equalise after all of their pressure, and they eventually clawed their way back onto level terms in comical fashion. A strike from Sebastian Berhalter came back off the post, and after Gauld was unable to finish, substitute Nelson Pierre blocked a deflected clearance and diverted the ball into the Orlando net to make the score 1-1.
Having built up all of the momentum over the game, Vancouver continued to push forward in search of a winner. Ralph Priso had a powerful shot that was destined for the top corner blocked, while Ryan Gauld narrowly lobbed the ball over the bar after dinking Gallese, and Sebastian Berhalter had a shot saved that appeared to have crossed the line, but the goal was not given.
That decision mattered little, as on the very next attack, Müller fired the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the area to bring a very deserved three points back to Vancouver.
After this result, the Whitecaps are top of the Western Conference heading into the final matchday, knowing that a victory over FC Dallas on Decision Day would secure the top seed in the Western Conference throughout the playoffs.
Isn’t there goal line technology that is separate from VAR. Wonder why MLS isn’t using it
I love how some of the contributors here were lamenting the loss of Levonte Johnson in the postseason roster reshuffle. Guess what? It’s turns out he was pretty overrated by a number of his champions here. He has been terrible with Colorado in the USL Championship this season.
Another guy that got overrated by too many was Raposo. After his rumoured move to the Chinese league never materialized (and I think it was just cooked up by the agency repping him), his return to MLS with LAFC sees him as the fifth sub during second half stoppage time when he actually makes an appearance.
I am glad we have far better depth replacements taking their place and doing the job.
Johnson, sure, he was probably replaceable, but I think the concern from other people was more about from a roster construction standpoint if it makes sense to replace him, does it make sense to burn some money and an international roster spot on a backup striker?
For raposo, sure he hasn’t done much, but also consider how many players on the caps have outperformed their expectations under Sorenson… Maybe if he had stayed he would’ve been another one… Not saying it would’ve made sense to keep him, but just the fact that he’s a sub in LA doesn’t mean that he couldn’t have been a good fit here (or elsewhere)
Schuster needed to upgrade his team. Was it a miss on Rios? Right now, it looks like it. However, the emergence of the very young Elloumi, an Academy grad, looks like it might pay off down the road. That was an unexpected silver lining.
You can play the game of “if (Raposo) stayed, he would’ve been another one” who outperformed expectations under Sorenson, but we see what the new guys have brought as wingers in the Dane’s system and Raposo wasn’t fit as a 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 winger: not willing to take on guys, predictable cutback onto his stronger right foot to cross when on the left side, recycling possession even when a good 1 v 1 opportunity presented itself.
So, moving on from both of these guys was a good move. And Johnson’s next stop next year might be CPL while Raposo might remain a depth guy in LA or elsewhere. Heck, maybe he gets on as a late sub in a playoff game and either scores or sets a crucial goal. Then good for him.
of all the positive things that have happened this season, i am most amazed by Ralph Priso who I had listed as more suitable for the CPL- the question i have now is- Can you keep him out of the starting line-up? he was dynamic — next Sunday, Cubas is back so i expect Priso to be slotted in at CB
Salty
Simple answer to your question. Yes, he can be withheld from the starting lineup. All you have to do is consider: is Priso better than Cubas, Berhalter, Laborda or Halbouni. The answer is no. But what a player to have coming off the bench. Priso has definately taken his game to a new level. This isn’t the time to tinker with the lineup. Every game from here on is a must win.
DaveM
Gauld comes on and they score 2 (3).
Tate Johnson! What a great effort to keep the ball in our possession for that one more attack. Never been a better throw-in win! Tate backs away from nothing and nobody.
A worry about Ryan Gauld…
Did anyone else notice his very significant limp following Pierre’s goal?
Hopefully, it was not related to his knee.
yup- i saw Gauld limping and with a grimace on his face – if we ever got White, Gauld, Ahmed and Muller playing healthy again and at the same time… well, we can imagine what might be the result
Salty
I like the kid. He has had an impressive rookie season.
I hope ownership is starting to socialize the idea with Müller of staying into 2027 – just one more year. His impact has been incredible – and while the whole team was performing before he came, he has been critical in terms of winning attitude…the extra bit that is literally invaluable. He has time to become an assistant coach for Germany if that is indeed in his future. Come on ownership, let’s lock this guy in while the excitement is palpable.
Maybe, Just Maybe, Muller is a potential new investor– now wouldnt that be great- he is a proven winner and he still wants to win
What the f@#k is 2600 miles?
Yeah really annoyed me too reading that
The desire to go on and win the game after an 81st minute equaliser was so impressive. Pierre picking the ball out of the net and sprinting back to the halfway line to get the game underway again.
The will-to-win of this side and this coach is immense
Great point. Winning mentality for sure
Google says it’s 3220 miles from vancouver to orlando…
unreal game
can anyone ever give up on this Caps Team- they are amazing!! they kept driving, and driving, and driving — and eventually, they came out with a win- i jumped up off my couch with a loud burst
up until Muller’s last gasp goal, i thought Ralph Priso was immense – the best game he has played for Vancouver- Muller grabbed this game by the throat as all great leaders do, so i have to give him POTM
the best thing though is that the entire Team forced the win with a never give up spirit – and that is what winners do
Salty
How about TATE JOHNSON by the way, what a tackle and what a celebration after. Almost like he knew what could come of it.
Have we ever seen a team this winning oriented in Vancouver?? Maybe those who remember 1979 can let me know, but other than that, I’m not sure we have!
The 2011 Canucks looked unbeatable, regularly shrugging off early 2-0 deficits and winning 7-4, until the playoffs started and the rules changed, and then the final started and we discovered that we were up against relatives of the opponents making key decisions in the league office….
The ’79 Caps were regularly beating the league’s best but it was clear that the NASL playoffs were even more of a crapshoot than anything we have today: you could win 5-nil on the road, come home and lose 1-nil in a shootout and then 1-nil in a scoreless 30 minute mini-game shootout and you were out. And while the home playoff dates were legitimately sold out in ’79, it was well known that you could get cheap unsold tickets to games at the local self serve a few days before in the regular season to keep the record crowds and the momentum going.
Even this year is a tall order. To get to the Grey Cup the surging Lions need only to win two playoff games, one of which might be a home game, or they might crossover and play the weaker Eastern teams. Two wins for the Caps leaves them three short of MLS Cup and two short of even getting there. The Caps could win more playoff games than the Lions and watch the Lions parade. It’s a tough market.
LETS CHOOSE TO IMAGINE
Let the fairytale season continue.
Many of us are accustomed to the best of 7. This is like going into the World Cup. You may be able to falter once but that’s it. That’s what makes these games so intense. I know from experience that even those who do not follow soccer/football are drawn into the drama of a one game winner take all
i was there in 1978-1979 when the Whitecaps became immense in the market- the 1979 Soccer Bowl win gripped the imagination of the whole province, a parade of 100K down Granville Street capping it all – we had a great leader in the World Class England MF, Alan Ball, and he did exactly what we see Muller doing- it feels like the Wave is coming back- and i never thought i would see it again- JUST MAYBE…
and it led to the drive for BC Place Stadium which opened in 1983 with a crowd of over 60 000 and the great England player, a young Peter Beardsley, scoring both goals vs Seattle
Salty
There is no excuse for VAR not allowing the Berhalter goal. No excuse for MLS not offering Go Pro a few video board ads to increase the goal line camera angles so VAR can continue to claim “not 100% clear” in cases like this where it *IS* 100% clear. I’m angrier at the refusal of VAR to allow the Berhalter goal than I am happy at the Muller one. This does not bode well for the playoffs and needs to be fixed.
totally agree!
i agree with you- it was a goal… BUT the bigger picture is that the Caps found another- and better- way to win- what a confidence building and energizng VICTORY
Salty
An incredibly fun time to be a Vancouver whitecaps fan – I don’t want the season to end.