Vancouver Whitecaps rally, beat LAFC in penalties to win conference semifinal

Vancouver Whitecaps' Emmanuel Sabbi, left, flips as he celebrates his goal with Ali Ahmed, centre, and Brian White during the first half of the MLS Western Conference semifinal playoff soccer match against Los Angeles FC, in Vancouver, on Saturday, November 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

VANCOUVER — All year, the Vancouver Whitecaps have battled adversity.

They leaned on the lessons they’ve picked up from all of the injuries, all of the tough travel, all of the close games during a crucial playoff matchup Saturday when, yet again, hardship struck.

Down two bodies in extra time, the ‘Caps continued to battle their playoff nemesis Los Angeles FC to a 2-2 draw and were rewarded with a 4-3 win on penalties.

The victory secured the club’s first-ever appearance in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference final.

“I think we showed that we have grit and we have a team that can play football,” said midfielder Emmanuel Sabbi. ”And we have the best fans in the league. So I think we took a great step today and we’ve just got to continue.”

The ‘Caps will face the winner of Monday’s Western Conference semifinal matchup between San Diego FC and Minnesota United on Nov. 29.

The Whitecaps finished the regular season sitting second in the Western Conference standings with a 18-7-9 record and beat FC Dallas in a first-round playoff series to advance.

LAFC went 17-8-9 to finish in third spot, then ousted Austin FC to set up Saturday’s battle.

Vancouver dominated the first 90 minutes of Saturday’s game and took a 2-0 lead into the locker room, thanks to goals from Sabbi and defender Mattias Laborda.

L.A. came into the second half with renewed vigour, and South Korean superstar Heung-min Son gave the visitors life with a goal in the 60th minute.

Tension mounted in second-half injury time when Whitecaps defender Tristan Blackmon was sent off with his second yellow card of the night for a foul on sniper Denis Bouanga.

Vancouver tried to shore up its defence, bringing on centre back Belal Halbouni for striker Rayan Elloumi, but couldn’t contain Son.

The prize forward lined up for a free kick just above the penalty area and sent a shot curling in between the post and the outstretched hand of ‘Caps ‘keeper Yohei Takaoka level the score at 2-2 to force extra time.

Vancouver took yet another blow midway through extra time when Halbouni suffered an apparent lower-body injury and had to be helped off the field by medical staff. Because the ‘Caps used all their substitutions in regulation, and with Blackmon sent off, they were forced to play out the game down two bodies.

The home side got some luck, with L.A. sending shots inches wide of the post and off the crossbar as time ticked down, sending the game to penalties.

By the time the whistle was blown, LAFC had outshot Vancouver 23-9 and were up 7-6 in on-target shots.

“We had good belief. Everybody chipped in. It’s not just me, also the players. They had good belief and said, ‘OK, we’re gonna do this,’” said Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen.

“And we believed in ourselves, and we have faced so much adversity this year, with injuries and with players away. So, we just talked about who to focus on, and how we could try to maybe survive a little bit.”

Laborda played hero in the penalty shootout, firing a shot past LAFC ‘keeper Hugo Lloris to seal the win.

“I was thinking about all the weeks before we train with the team. We train the penalties, too. So just tried to do the same,” the defender said of his shot.

“I’m so proud of this team, all the staff that work around us. It’s a really special moment with … all the people. Was really amazing.”

It was the third year in a row the two sides have met in the playoffs. L.A. ousted Vancouver the two previous seasons.

“It’s football. It’s crazy,” Sabbi said of the game. ”We were coasting in the first half and they had special moments and tied it up. And we continued playing like how we are, tried at least — it’s hard when you’re (down two players) or whatever it was.

“Our job was just trying to get to penalties. And that’s what we did.”

Sorensen said the game was unlike anything he’s experienced in his career.

LAFC is the best team Vancouver has faced in MLS play this season, he said, and Saturday’s tilt was full of individuals playing at a high level on both sides of the field.

“The players, they did everything. And sometimes you just have to put everything you’ve got on the pitch and see what happens,” the coach said.

“If you’re two men down, normally, it’s not possible to get through 25 minutes. But the players did it. They’re extremely disciplined. They’re extremely unselfish. Everybody put everything out on the pitch. And then a little bit of luck in the end.”

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published Nov. 22, 2025.