The Vancouver Whitecaps are heading back to the MLS playoffs for just the second time since 2017.
Brian White’s 15th goal of the season stood up as the match winner as the Caps earned a 3-0 win over St. Louis City SC Wednesday night at BC Place. Sebastian Berhalter and Richie Laryea also scored for Vancouver.
The win combined with a Minnesota United loss sends the Whitecaps back to the MLS playoffs for the sixth time since joining MLS in 2011, and the first time since 2021.
Brian White with goal number 1️⃣5️⃣ this season. #VWFC pic.twitter.com/lyRqD8v3xJ
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 5, 2023
Post-game celebrations were void of goggles and champagne popping. The Whitecaps were all business after the game because there’s more work to be done.
“I remember two years ago when we clinched a playoff spot at home against Seattle,” Ryan Raposo recalled as he talked to Daily Hive post-game. “It was like we won the World Cup, but it just feels like another day at the office. I think our expectations are higher. I think in previous years we were just striving to get into the playoffs. This year we’re focused on going as far as we can go and hopefully winning the MLS Cup.”
The ‘Caps will now turn their attention towards hosting a potential home playoff game. They haven’t hosted a playoff game at BC Place in six years.
Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini becomes the second coach to lead Vancouver to multiple MLS playoff appearances. Carl Robinson coached the Whitecaps to three.
Vancouver has now qualified for the playoffs in two of Sartini’s three seasons in charge.
By clinching a berth in the Audi 2023 @MLS Cup Playoffs this evening, @WhitecapsFC have now made the postseason in two of the last three seasons for the first time since 2015-17. pic.twitter.com/ttgzUVUPBb
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) October 5, 2023
The Whitecaps currently sit in fifth spot in the Western Conference with a 12-10-10 record.
“I think we’re still hungry,” Berhalter told Daily Hive post-game. “It feels good, but also at the same time we see other teams still winning, we want to keep climbing. We’re happy, but we’re hungry and we want to keep going.”
The Whitecaps will now shift into trying to lock up a top-four finish. The top four teams in each conference will host Game 1 and Game 3 in a best-of-three first round series.
Eight points separate eight teams from second to ninth spot in the West. The Whitecaps can finish as high as second, but they can also finish as low as ninth place.
FIVE (5!!!) teams in the Western Conference locked in their postseason birth after these midweek matchups. 🔐 pic.twitter.com/Lye34fhEht
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 5, 2023
Vancouver will want to avoid finishing in eight or ninth spot. Teams that finish in either of those spots will play in a single-elimination wild-card game in order to advance.
If the Whitecaps are going to finish second in the West, they’re going to have to pass both the Seattle Sounders and LAFC. The Whitecaps play both teams in their final two games this season. Vancouver travels to Lumen Field to play Seattle on Saturday night.
The ‘Caps will close out the regular season on MLS Decision Day on October 21 at home to LAFC.
A Whitecaps home playoff game could come as early as October 28 or 29.
A playoff boost in attendance is expected after the Whitecaps had their third-smallest MLS crowd of the season on Wednesday with 13,776 fans at BC Place to watch them qualify.
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