Whitecaps Dominate FC Dallas in Playoff Opener
-
By Kaus Pandey
- —
Summary:
- Vancouver controlled Game 1, winning 3-0 and outshooting Dallas 22-0 without conceding a shot on target.
- Goals came from Daniel Rios, Thomas Müller (pen), and Cabrera.
- Ali Ahmed and Rayan Elloumi contributed key assists.
The mood around the Vancouver Whitecaps feels quite different this postseason, and Sunday’s 3–0 win over FC Dallas probably made that clearer than ever.
Ahmed: “A Different Feeling This Year”
From start to finish, Vancouver ruled Game 1 of the best-of-three first-round series, outshotting Dallas 22–0 and fighting off all attempts on target. It was a statement performance that set the tone for their playoff run.
Midfielder Ali Ahmed said.
I just feel like there’s just a different feeling this year, a different belief this year, heading into these playoff matches. The last few years was the guys’ first few times, so we didn’t know what to expect. But this year, just everybody’s confident in every game that the standard is we go in to win every game.
For Dallas, it was a rough night. Head coach Eric Quill admitted.
They outplayed us in every phase of the game. They were honestly very motivated by what happened last week. And they beat us. This was an unacceptable performance that we need to look hard at and be honest with.
The Whitecaps had finished second in the Western Conference with an 18-7-9 record but had lost 2–1 to Dallas in the final regular-season game on Oct. 18. That defeat, Ahmed said, gave them extra motivation.
I think the loss left a little bitter taste. We wanted that first seed. We just used that fuel from that day… to get onto the front foot in Game 1 and set the standard for the rest of these playoffs.
Goosebumps From “the Vibe and Atmosphere”
A packed crowd of 32,066 fans filled B.C. Place, waving the team’s blue-and-white flags and roaring with each attack. Ahmed reflected,
I was getting goosebumps when we were walking out, seeing the flags and everybody. And although it was cold, I’m pretty sure the goosebumps were from just seeing the vibe and atmosphere.
The Whitecaps kept the pressure high all night. Ahmed’s cross in the 43rd minute set up Daniel Rios for the opener, his fourth goal of the year. Early in the second half, Thomas Müller doubled the lead from the penalty spot, celebrating by lifting teammate Emmanuel Sabbi onto his shoulders.
Substitute Cabrera sealed the win in the 83rd minute after a slick setup from academy prospect Rayan Elloumi.
Head coach Jesper Sorensen praised his side’s focus:
Good teams and smart guys, they make mistakes, but they have to learn from it… we looked very solid.
Dallas will host Game 2 on November 1. “We need to show up because we can’t do what we did today and expect to win”, midfielder Christian said. If the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs – Round 1 series goes to a third game, it will go back to Vancouver on November 7.
