Whitecaps’ dominance, composure over San Diego FC earns trip to MLS Cup final

Now do you believe in the Vancouver Whitecaps? 

Prior to the start of the regular season, the MLS website convened a special panel of experts — writers, TV commentators and former players — who offered their predictions for the campaign. Eight out of the nine panellists predicted the Whitecaps would fail to make the playoffs, with one of them saying they would end up dead last in the Western Conference.   

The Whitecaps responded by finishing second in the West, setting club records for most points (63) and most wins (18) in a single MLS season.  

Vancouver followed that up by dispatching FC Dallas and LAFC through the first two rounds of the playoffs before besting San Diego FC on Saturday in the Western Conference final to advance to next weekend’s MLS Cup. Vancouver is now just 90 minutes away from being crowned MLS champions for the first time in its history. 

Here’s what you need to know about the Whitecaps’ big playoff win over San Diego.   

THE SCORE     

Vancouver Whitecaps 3, San Diego FC 1: Match report || Match stats  

MAIN TALKING POINTS    

A brilliant attacking display from Vancouver in first half 

Vancouver had the third-best attack in MLS during the regular season with 66 goals. San Diego (64 goals) was just two spots behind them, so you had to figure this was going to be a fairly open game. What wasn’t expected was the manner in which the Whitecaps dominated the expansion club through the first half. Vancouver quite comfortably dealt with San Diego’s pressing game, playing through the pressure and getting to the other side quite efficiently as it seamlessly transitioned from defence to attack.  

The Whitecaps were proactive in controlling the tempo of the match through the first 45 minutes both in and out of possession, and unbalanced the hosts with their quick play down the wings. In particular, Canadian international Ali Ahmed (who put in a man of the match display) down the left side and Emmanuel Sabbi on the right flank were menacing. At the same time, Andrés Cubas and Sebastian Berhalter worked in perfect unison on both sides of the ball in the middle of park, playing starring roles in helping Vancouver to shred San Diego’s back line on countless occasions.  

Vancouver’s opening goal in the eighth minute capped off a brilliant sequence that saw Cubas make a great play to win possession deep inside San Diego’s half and then make two sublime passes before Brian White scored at the far post. An own-goal just three minutes later that padded the Whitecaps’ advantage was the result of a penetrating run into the penalty area by Sabbi who San Diego couldn’t contain all night.  

The crowd at Snapdragon Stadium was stunned into silence, unable to comprehend how the home side, who topped the Western Conference standings at the end of the regular season, could have fallen into such a deep hole so soon. Smelling blood in the water, Vancouver continued to force the issue, rather than sitting back. A third goal in first-half extra time effectively killed off the game as White’s chested attempt off an Ahmed ball whipped across the box stuck the dagger into San Diego’s chest. 

Near flawless game management in second half by Whitecaps 

The Whitecaps looked to be home and dry in last Saturday’s Western Conference semifinal when they surged to a 2-0 lead over LAFC at BC Place before the halftime break. But the visitors fought back and tied things with a pair of goals, including one at the death, before losing a heartbreaker in the penalty shootout. As brilliant as Vancouver was in the first half, its victory owed just as much to good fortune, as there was a wild sequence in extra time where LAFC hit the woodwork three times in quick succession. 

Just as they did last week, the Whitecaps went into halftime on Saturday with a big lead, but this time there was no valiant comeback to be made by their opponent. The second half was a masterclass in game management by Vancouver, who picked up where it left off in the first half by continuing to run at San Diego and force them on to their back foot. 

The hosts saw more of the ball in the final 45 minutes, but the Whitecaps comfortably kept them at arm’s length and managed to snuff out the slightest sniff of danger before it became a problem. Even after Hirving Lozano’s fortuitous goal against the run of play in the 60th minute gave San Diego a lifeline, Vancouver didn’t panic and prevented the match from tilting completely in the home side’s favour. That it kept its head even after German star Thomas Müller was subbed out shortly after Lozano’s goal made the Whitecaps’ second half display all the more impressive. 

San Diego star Danish winger Anders Dreyer, voted the MLS Newcomer of the Year for 2025, was kept quiet by Vancouver thanks to the strong defensive play in central midfield by the duo of Cubas and Berhalter. The great Dane, who was also finalist for the league’s MVP honour this year, managed just a single shot on target.  

GOAL OF THE GAME   

The floodgates opened for Vancouver in the seventh minute of the match when it scored the first of its three goals in the first half. San Diego was trying to play out from the back when Cubas effectively pressed fullback Ian Pilcher and won the ball. The Paraguay international latched onto the return pass from Berhalter before playing a quick give-and-go with Ahmed inside the penalty area. Cubas took a touch when getting the ball back from Ahmed and then slipped it across the box to the back post where he slid to stab it home.  

SAVE OF THE GAME 

Mexican star Lozano came off the bench at the start of the second half and got San Diego on the scoreboard on the hour mark. Three minutes later, Vancouver looked like it was going to restore its three-goal lead off Sabbi’s left-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box with goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega off his line. But San Diego defender Manu Duah came up with a brilliant headed clearance on the goal-line to rob Sabbi of a sure goal. 

THREE STARS OF THE DAY    

1. Ali Ahmed (Vancouver): The Canadian international midfielder caused San Diego all kinds of problems with his probing runs down the right side, and effective link-up play when cutting into the middle. Collected assists on both of White’s goals. 

2. Brian White (Vancouver): The American forward was sensational in spearheading a ruthless Whitecaps attack by bagging a first-half brace, making one key pass and winning three aerial duels. 

3. Andrés Cubas (Vancouver): Two assists on the night from the Paraguay international who was brilliant on both sides of the ball as part of a double midfield pivot alongside Berhalter. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE MLS CUP 

Inter Miami and Lionel Messi rolled to an easy 5-1 home win over New York City in Saturday’s Eastern Conference final. As the top remaining seed, Miami gets to host Vancouver in the MLS Cup at Chase Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 6. (2:30 p.m. ET). It’s the first time both teams have advanced to the championship game in MLS.  

While Messi’s side will have home-field advantage and will be considered the favourite, the Whitecaps can’t be overlooked by the Eastern Conference champions. The Whitecaps beat Miami in both legs of their Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal in April by a 5-1 aggregate score. If Vancouver wins, it will join Toronto FC (in 2017) as the only Canadian team to hoist the MLS Cup since the league’s inaugural season in 1996.