PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Ryan Gauld had a hat trick and added an assist to become the third player in league history with four goal contributions in an MLS playoff game, and the Vancouver Whitecaps knocked off the Portland Timbers 5-0 on Wednesday night.
Vancouver matched the largest margin of victory in a postseason match in club history, joining a 5-0 victory against San Jose in 2017. The Whitecaps advance to a best-of-three series against top-seeded Los Angeles FC.
Vancouver scored three goals in 11 minutes in the first half to take control.
Gauld opened the scoring in the 20th minute by knocking home a rebound after a wild sequence inside the box that included two saves by goalkeeper James Pantemis.
Brian White made it 2-0 in the 24th when he was left wide open at the back post for an easy tap-in of Mathias Laborda’s pass across the goal.
Gauld scored again in the 31st after settling Stuart Armstrong’s pass with his chest and volleying a shot over Pantemis.
Armstrong headed in Fafà Picault's cross in the 51st and Gauld added a sliding finish off another assist by Armstrong in the 59th. Gauld joined Sebastian Giovinco (2016) and Landon Donovan (2014) with four goal contributions in a playoff game.
It was the most goals Vancouver scored in a game all season.
Vancouver's “home” game was played at Portland's Providence Park due to scheduling conflicts at BC Place, giving the ninth-seed Timbers home-field advantage against the eighth-seed Whitecaps. It was the first postseason game at Providence Park since the MLS Cup final in 2021.
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