PORTLAND, Ore. — Ryan Gauld recorded a hat trick and added an assist to become the third player in league history with four goal contributions in a MLS playoff game, and the Vancouver Whitecaps knocked off the Portland Timbers 5-0 on Wednesday night.
Vancouver matched the largest margin of victory in a postseason match in club history, joining a 5-0 victory against San Jose in 2017. The Whitecaps advance to a best-of-three series against top-seeded Los Angeles FC.
Vancouver scored three goals in 11 minutes in the first half to take control.
Gauld opened the scoring in the 20th minute by knocking home a rebound after a wild sequence inside the box that included two saves by goalkeeper James Pantemis.
Brian White made it 2-0 in the 24th when he was left wide open at the back post for an easy tap-in of Mathias Laborda’s pass across the goal.
Gauld scored again in the 31st after settling Stuart Armstrong’s pass with his chest and volleying a shot over Pantemis.
Armstrong headed in Fafà Picault's cross in the 51st and Gauld added a sliding finish off another assist by Armstrong in the 59th. Gauld joined Sebastian Giovinco (2016) and Landon Donovan (2014) with four goal contributions in a playoff game.
It was the most goals Vancouver scored in a game all season.
Vancouver's “home” game was played at Portland's Providence Park due to scheduling conflicts at BC Place, giving the ninth-seed Timbers home-field advantage against the eighth-seed Whitecaps. It was the first postseason game at Providence Park since the MLS Cup final in 2021.