MLS shaken as Vancouver Whitecaps and Brian White rewrite history | OneFootball

The Vancouver Whitecaps had breezy work against their adversary, routin' Austin FC 5-1 at BC Place in a contest that was highlighted by Brian White. The striker scored four times, reached club history milestones, and led the win that left the team perched atop the Supporters' Shield standings. Against a defense which had surrendered a mere three goals through the opening seven rounds of play, the Caps dictated the terms throughout. And short even of Ryan Gauld, who has sat out since March with a knee injury, the team was still able to gain complete command over the pitch.

Historic benchmark, stunning numbers, and a name that jumps

Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Austin FC | Derek Cain/GettyImages

White also scored in the 13th, 34th, 59th, and 78th minutes. That left him at six goals for the MLS season and nine overall in 2024. He is tied for the league scoring lead and became the first player in team history to score four goals in an MLS match. The last time this happened was nearly 20 years ago, in 2005, to Jason Jordan.

Besides the record feat, the 29-year-old forward also reached historic milestones for the club marks. He has 64 goals in a Vancouver jersey, a tally one shy of Carl Valentine, the club's fourth-highest goalscorer in all time. With his second goal, White also became the first 'Caps player with 50 regular-season MLS goals on the night. And after scoring to make it 2-0, he extended his own career mark for regular-season game-deciding goals to 17.

Austin's defense could not halt Vancouver's momentum

Before the kickoff, Austin had the second-best Western Conference defense. It was the lone team which did not let in over a goal this year in a contest. The Whitecaps dismissed all that and established control with 26 shots on goal, seven on target. The Canadian squad became the initial team to place more than a goal against Austin in 2024 and they did so five times.

Just five minutes in, goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka came through to prevent what would've been the visitors' first goal. Austin out muscled him with a long pass, but the Japanese keeper came out and used his body to deflect the shot. That was the only real scare of the first half. Vancouver responded in the 10th minute, when White came into the box after a cross by Tate Johnson. His low shot went just wide, but pressure was already mounting.

Three minutes on and the opener came. Ocampo delivered a cross, Daniel Ríos deflected the ball and laid it expertly on for White to hit first-time inside the area. Vancouver took control of the game. Austin tried to answer in the 30th minute, via a shot from Sabovic from outside the box, but it sailed over the bar.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Austin FC | Derek Cain/GettyImages

The second arrived in the 34th. Priso played down the left to Sabbi and he played a low cross over the defense that found White. The No. 24 made easy work of it beyond Brad Stuver's reach. Following this 2-0, Vancouver was most assuredly in control. The third arrived a minute into the second half. A deflected crossfield pass on 47 minutes gave rise to a corner to which Sabbi subsequently shot, not directly but from the side. On the following play, he dived again and scored high in the net. The game was already one-sided, but Vancouver was not yet done.

White completed his hat trick at 59 minutes. Ranko Veselinović had struck the ball off the post, and White, in perfect position, swept up the rebound. Vancouver kept applying pressure — Sabbi cut in from the left and curled a shot to the far post, but Stuver saved it.

Ríos and Berhalter came close at 69 minutes. Ríos tried a tight-angle, then Berhalter from near, but again, Austin's keeper saved the day. On the second corner kick, White was tripped inside the box, and the ref waved to the spot. Ríos took his turn but was stopped by Stuver. White had his second shot blocked and had a volley goal disallowed at 77 minutes. But the night still had room for one more. At 78, off Ali Ahmed's pass, the forward blasted it home to register five.

A milestone moment

Vancouver Whitecaps FC v Austin FC | Derek Cain/GettyImages

This was the first time a player from Vancouver had scored four goals in a game during the MLS era. It was also the third time in White's career with the club that he had scored three or more goals in a single game.

Head coach Jesper Sorensen made few tactical adjustments and, as he described afterward, took advantage of the space in the second half. "The game was more open in the second half and we could create our chances on the counterattack," he said.

The blowout came only a few days after their Concacaf Champions Cup match, proving that the team physically rebounded and saved their energy. Despite the itinerary, the team adapted. The victory keeps Vancouver at the top of the overall MLS standings with six wins, one draw, and one loss. They've scored 17 goals — a league best — and conceded only six, the second-best total in the West.