Finally whole, Whitecaps rediscovering dominance after slow summer

Are the Vancouver Whitecaps back? Truth be told, they were never really gone. 

Sure, the Whitecaps had been struggling since MLS resumed following an extended break for this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Going into this past weekend, Vancouver had just two wins across all competitions since July and was bounced from the Leagues Cup after three consecutive losses to Mexican clubs. 

And yes, the Whitecaps dropped down into second place in the Western Conference with a disappointing home loss to the Houston Dynamo last week. 

But you can’t keep a good team down and the Whitecaps reminded everybody across MLS that they are still a preeminent force in the league thanks to a comprehensive 5-0 home win over FC Dallas on Saturday before an announced crowd of 25,398 at BC Place. 

The win lifted Vancouver (12-4-4) back into its rightful spot as the first-place team in the West (and second place in the MLS standings), with American forward Brian White scoring a brace and Japanese goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka earning his ninth clean sheet of the campaign (second best in the league) behind a defence that gave very little away to Dallas. 

It’s been a rough summer for the Whitecaps, to be sure. The team’s long-term future in Vancouver remains up in the air as the club remains up for sale while also trying to secure an improved deal with BC Place to ensure it stays put.

U.S. international midfielder Sebastian Berhalter was sold to English club Middlesbrough in late July for a reported $2 million transfer fee. While the move may be better for Berhalter’s future, it means Vancouver can no longer rely on the services of player who was regarded as one of the best midfielders in MLS. 

Injuries have taken a toll, as well. White’s brace came after he sat out the previous three games with a hamstring issue. Influential Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld only returned to action in July after a year-long absence due to knee surgery. American forward Emmanuel Sabbi has missed time this season with a nagging sports hernia. 

Saturday marked the first time in 2026 that German star Thomas Müller, Sabbi, Gauld and White were together in the same starting 11. The end result? An absolute thrashing of FC Dallas by a rampant Vancouver side that was up four goals at the halftime break and didn’t let up in the second half as it rediscovered its attacking rhythm. 

"As a forward, you just want to play with good quality players and that's what those guys are. And even the guys that didn't start tonight have qualities that make it easy as a forward to play. So, for me, it's a dream situation. And obviously, it was a bit of fun tonight,” White said. 

Indeed, White and his cohorts made it look fun against a heavily rotated Dallas squad — MLS Golden Boot leader Petar Musa (16 goals) started on the bench before coming on at the start of the second half. 

This was the Whitecaps team of old, the team that finished finalists in last year’s MLS Cup final; that dominated opponents in thorough fashion; that scored plenty of goals without conceding. 

Free-flowing and fluent, Vancouver looked as though it could have scored every time it marched up the field. The Whitecaps' impressive combination of intense high pressing, probing attacking play and defensive resoluteness was far too much for Dallas to handle. 

"I hope that that's something that we can carry on. Every game is different, so it's going to be a different thing next time. But I think the team in general is confident," coach Jesper Sørensen said. 

Elsewhere in MLS this weekend….  

• Toronto FC gave its playoff hopes a major boost with a surprising 2-1 road win over Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. Josh Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr. scored three minutes apart in the second half as TFC (5-7-9) moved up one spot to 10th in the Eastern Conference, level on points with Orlando City, which holds the ninth and final playoff berth with 13 games remaining. 

With its next three games at BMO Field, Toronto has an excellent opportunity to climb above the playoff line as the season heads into the home stretch. “I definitely want to carry this momentum," fullback Kobe Franklin said. "This is a massive away win and obviously a massive week for us."

• Prince Owusu might be the best striker in MLS that nobody is talking about. The German was at it again on Saturday, netting a late equalizer to help CF Montreal earn a 2-2 home draw vs. the LA Galaxy. Owusu extended his scoring streak to four consecutive games and upped his overall tally to 13 goals on the season — the same number he scored all last year. 

The stalemate allowed Montreal to extend its unbeaten streak to four games, but the Quebec-based club remains second-last in the Eastern Conference and is winless in seven matches at Stade Saputo (five draws). Only three points out of a playoff spot, Montreal can still get back into contention if it starts to put a string of wins together. 

• It took two months, but Antoine Griezmann scored his first MLS brace as he guided Orlando City to a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over Real Salt Lake. The Frenchman’s goals propelled Orlando into ninth, marking the first time this season that it has held a playoff spot. 

With his brace, the World Cup winner has now scored in three of Orlando’s four wins since arriving from Atlético Madrid, and he has six goal contributions (four goals and two assists) in nine appearances across all competitions.  

• It is Nashville SC’s world, and all the other MLS teams are just living in it. The club from Music City, U.S.A., scored twice in extra time to record a 3-2 home win over the Columbus Crew, solidifying its hold on first place overall. 

With the win, Nashville set an MLS record for the best start to a season in league history with 49 points in 21 games. Incredibly, Nashville is unbeaten at home in 2026 with 10 wins and a draw, outscoring the opposition by a combined 32-12. 

• Still only 16 years old, Cavan Sullivan continues to turn heads this season. The American teenager found the back of the net in the Philadelphia Union’s 1-1 draw away to Austin FC just days after having his one-game suspension lifted for a red card he picked up in his club’s previous outing. 

Sullivan now has six goal contributions across Philadelphia’s last five games, bringing his season total up to five goals and 11 assists in 25 matches across all competitions. 

• Nashville SC sits in first place in MLS, but St. Louis City SC is undoubtedly the hottest team in the league right now. The club from the Midwest began the season with just one win through its first 10 games but has since put together an 11-match unbeaten streak in league play, including a 2-1 home win vs. the Houston Dynamo.