The 2025 Vancouver Whitecaps keep writing themselves the season of their dreams.
Tonight continued that dream as they recorded their 10th match undefeated in all competition with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at BC Place.
A missed penalty was not enough to silence the home side as goals from Jayden Nelson and Tristan Blackmon lifted the first-place club to their best-ever start in MLS.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen said, “We are ambitious.”
“I think the players did well,” he said. “I think we got very good flow in our game early on, and we created some chances…got into very good situations. And that got us the upper hand.”
With a hamstring injury to Brian White, Daniel Rios slotted into Sørensen’s starting XI. Pedro Vite was also moved up to the right wing as both Ali Ahmed and Emmanuel Sabbi were given a rest on the bench alongside Sebastian Berhalter
That meant space in the midfield opened for Ralph Priso and JC Ngando.
Bjørn Inge Utvik’s recovery helped to give Ranko Veselinović a much-needed break as the Norwegian took up the centre-back position beside Tristan Blackmon.
Despite the changed lineup, the Whitecaps dictated the early play between the two sides. Édier Ocampo kept finding Nelson with long switches. The Canadian winger was lethal in finding space inside the 18-yard box with crosses to his teammates.
However, it was Nelson who grabbed the first goal with a brilliant run in the 20th minute.
Priso found Nelson with a hard low pass as the winger entered the attacking third. Nelson’s run carried him through Real’s defence. He turned the ball onto his favoured right foot and passed it underneath Rafael Cabral.
RSL thought they had a penalty in the 57th minute. However, referee Malik Badawi was called by VAR to the pitch-side monitor. On review, the penalty was withdrawn.
Nine minutes later, the Whitecaps had their own penalty shout as Ocampo flipped over Cabral. Rios stepped up to take it, but for the second time this season, his effort was saved.
But on the ensuing corner, the Whitecaps found the go-ahead goal. Sebastian Berhalter’s corner was cleared, but the ball was quickly played back up to him.
The midfielder found Blackmon in space at the edge of the 18-yard box. The centre-back hit the ball clean on the turn for his second of the season in the 70th minute.
Real Salt Lake did pull one back late in stoppage time. Diego Luna stepped up for another penalty decided by VAR.
But it was too little, too late. The Whitecaps held on for their eighth win in MLS and a dominant seven-point lead in the Western Conference (a two-point lead in the Supporters’ Shield).
Matches fast and furious, but now a break
Since their season began on Feb. 20, the Whitecaps have played 19 matches. Their opponent, also beginning the season in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, have played 13.
The Whitecaps have not had many weeks without a midweek match, but they are set to have three in a row.
“I think it’s been important for us to not focus on the schedule, not focus on being tired and talk ourselves into being tired,” the head coach said. “I think what has been important for us is that we have pushed all along. And set high demands for the players.”
Sorensen said rotation has been important in how they have played and in their results so far. Of all MLS clubs, the Whitecaps have used 25 players, the third-highest behind CF Montreal (28) and Colorado Rapids (27).
“I think the depth of the squad is what you make of it,” Sørensen said. “If we start playing people and they perform and they do well, all of a sudden, we have a deep roster. I think it’s all about what you make of it.”
Up next
The Whitecaps have a week off! Imagine that!
They will face LAFC at BC Place next week on Sunday, May 11. Kickoff for that match is at 4 p.m.
