Vancouver, British Columbia, 2025 May 03 – There’s no stopping the Vancouver Whitecaps. On Saturday night, they continued their blistering start to the MLS season with a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake at BC Place, a result that further cements their place in league history.
Winger Jayden Nelson was the show’s star, scoring a dazzling individual goal in the 20th minute, and centre back Tristan Blackmon doubled the lead with a clinical strike in the 70th. The win secured the three points and marked a significant milestone for the Whitecaps (8-1-2), who reached 26 points after just 11 games—a feat accomplished by only five other teams in MLS history, the first in 15 years.
The Whitecaps’ only slip-up on the night came in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Real Salt Lake’s Diego Luna converted a penalty kick, breaking Vancouver’s bid for a clean sheet. But that was the only negative in an otherwise dominant performance for the Whitecaps, whose head coach, Jesper Sorensen, remains firmly focused on continuous improvement, no matter the schedule.
Whitecaps is currently on a 10-match unbeaten streak (6-0-4) across all competitions. Just days earlier, they secured a 3-1 road victory over Inter Miami CF, propelling them into the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time in club history.
Vancouver now sits atop the MLS standings with 26 points, two clear of the Columbus Crew, who played to a 1-1 draw with Seattle. The Whitecaps also lead the Western Conference by seven points, with Minnesota trailing behind.
The loss marked another setback for Real Salt Lake (4-7-0), which dropped to 11th place in the West.
Nelson’s Opening
Nelson’s opening goal was a moment of beauty. After receiving a well-weighted pass from midfielder Ralph Priso, Nelson used his pace to sprint past two defenders and then calmly slotted the ball into the corner of the net with his right foot. It was a stunning individual effort that demonstrated the 21-year-old’s growing confidence.
“It’s all about mentality for me,” said Nelson. “I just try to stay a threat whenever I’m on the ball. Today, everything came together perfectly.”
Nelson was involved in another promising moment just minutes later. After receiving a pass from Jean-Claude Ngando, Nelson found himself in a clear 1v1 situation with only the goalkeeper to beat. However, he opted to pass to Edier Ocampo on the far wing, but Real Salt Lake’s goalkeeper Rafel Cabral made a crucial sliding save to deny the Whitecaps.
Blackmon’s Ice-Cool Finish
Blackmon’s goal came at a crucial moment, just after Salt Lake had created some pressure. The central defender latched onto a perfectly placed ball from Sebastian Berhalter and made no mistake, drilling the ball past Cabral with power and precision. Berhalter, who has been in excellent form recently with three goals and three assists in his last four matches, played a key role in the buildup.
The match also had its share of drama in the form of penalties. Vancouver’s Daniel Rios had an opportunity to extend the lead after being awarded a penalty, but Cabral pulled off a spectacular one-handed save to deny him. Rios had earned the spot-kick after Berhalter was adjudged to have fouled Justen Glad in the box.
Key Absences and Controversial Calls
The Whitecaps were missing their top scorer, Brian White, who had been named MLS Player of the Month for April after scoring eight goals in just seven appearances. White sat out due to hamstring tightness, but the Whitecaps could manage without him.
Real Salt Lake also thought they had earned a penalty in the 59th minute when Andres Cubas was called for a foul in the box. However, after a quick review, it was clear that Cubas hadn’t contacted Gozo, and the referee overturned the decision.
The Road Ahead
The Vancouver Whitecaps’ busy schedule continues with their recent 5-1 aggregate win over Inter Miami CF and a 3-1 road victory over Minnesota United. There’s no slowing down for the Whitecaps, who are making a push for both domestic and international glory.
Notes:
- A moment of silence was observed before the match to honour the victims of the recent tragedy at the Lapu-Lapu Heritage Festival in Vancouver on April 26, 2025.
- The Himig Kabataan Cultural Society Choir, Western BC’s first and only Filipino youth choir, performed Canada’s National Anthem. At the same time, Filipino-Canadian artist Arielle Tuliao from Vancouver sang the National Anthem of the United States.
- Vancouver will play three of their next five MLS matches at home.
- The Whitecaps are set to face LIGA MX’s Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final on June 1.
- Vancouver remains unbeaten on the road in MLS play this season (3-0-2).
- Real Salt Lake was missing several key players, including midfielder Matthew Bell (hamstring), goalkeeper Zac MacMath (back), and defenders Javain Brown (knee), Kobi Henry (hamstring), and Bode Hidalgo (suspended for yellow card accumulation).
(With reports from The Canadian Press and CTV News Vancouver.)
MBB
By Bella Balisi-Bevilacqua
