The Vancouver Whitecaps opened their 2025 MLS season account with an emphatic 4-1 win over Cascadia rivals Portland Timbers.
New signing Jayden Nelson made his presence known to ‘Caps fans with a 1-goal, 3-assists performance in his first start for the team.
And after a hellish travel experience coming back from their midweek match in Costa Rica, this was exactly what was needed.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen acknowledged the “tough week” but added that his players were more than prepared.
“I’m more happy than relieved,” Sørensen said of his first win in MLS. “An opener of the season is always very hyped because it’s a long time since we’ve seen the team play last time. And it’s always a big game because the last time the team played in the MLS was back in November. So, everyone is hungry.”
After his impressive mid-week display, J.C. Ngando was unavailable for this match. Ali Ahmed was also relegated to the bench in favour of squad rotation.
This enabled Jesper Sorensen to bring on Pedro Vite and give Jayden Nelson his first start with the club.
The Whitecaps looked promising early on in their new 4-3-3 formation. Nelson and Vite looked to link up on the right side of the pitch, but while the ideas were promising, the execution was still a little rusty.
However, the visitors were given a golden opportunity in the 10th minute. Kamal Miller brought down Brian White on the edge of the 18-yard box, forcing referee Víctor Manuel Rivas to issue a straight red card.
Vancouver, already dominating possession in the match, was finding the new control-based play easy. Forcing a rare error on Maxime Crepeau through Sorensen’s high-press system, Nelson intercepted the goalkeeper’s clearance.
With a quick pass to captain Ryan Gauld, the Whitecaps had an early goal in the 24th minute.
Similarities to Gauld’s goal in the mid-week match against Saprissa were easy to see.
Vite added another in the 33rd minute. The Ecuadorian international played the quick 1-2 pass with Nelson at the right corner of the 18-yard box. Vite found space towards the middle and hit it beyond the outstretched hand of Crepeau in the far corner.
Portland started the second half with new signing David Costa entering the match, and he had an immediate impact, helping his club to their first shot on target. But it was not enough to get past Yohei Takaoka.
But the surge was short-lived. Sam Adekugbe gave the Whitecaps their third goal in the 53rd minute. Nelson’s run up the right side of the pitch added his third assist.
There were questions of handball in the buildup to the goal. Vite had the ball bounce off his hand before dishing it out to Nelson, but VAR deemed it inconsequential.
Nelson added one of his own in the 60th minute before coming off for Ahmed.
“It was really great for [Nelson] and us, having a performance like this,” Sørensen said. “I think that he is doing well every day in training, and now we saw, of course, a performance where the very important things he could contribute to this team.”
However, Portland would not fade away. Antony, jumping on a lapse of concentration from the Whitecaps, added the home side’s first of the season.
Ranko Veselinovic thought he had a fifth for Vancouver. The ball was played into the box after a couple of bounces from a corner. The ball got past Crepeau, but his centre-back partner, Tristan Blackmon was adjudged to have fouled a Portland player.
The Jayden Nelson show
Nelson’s performance has him currently leading the goal-creation race in MLS. However, Sørensen was quick to temper expectations.
“You have to always know that what things are too good to be true, it’s not. And when things are really, when people want things to be bad, they don’t have to be. When you’re a young player and you break through in the way Jayden did in the beginning of his career, then everybody has to build up a hype…and then all of a sudden, it’s difficult to live up to that.”
Sørensen said it’s normal for young players, or any player, to experience ups and downs in their career. But in Nelson, the Whitecaps see potential combined with a work ethic that can help him move far.
“I hope that we can help him grow into a player that can produce and play at a constant high level.”
The quick turnaround
There is little rest for the Whitecaps. They have the return trip for Saprissa this Thursday. It will be their first match at BC Place for the 2025 season.
Currently, they are down 2-1 in that best-of-two series. However, the away-goal rule is still in effect in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Kickoff for the match is Feb. 27 at 7 p.m.
