Brian White scored his second and third goals of the season and the Vancouver Whitecaps remained perfect with a 4-1 victory over the host Portland Timbers on Saturday night.
Sebastian Berhalter scored his side’s third goal and assisted on White’s first tally for the Whitecaps (3-0-0, 9 points) in their only road regular-season match until early May.
Tristan Blackmon also scored with Berhalter’s help as Vancouver earned a third consecutive victory in Portland between regular season and playoff matches, outscoring the Timbers 13-2 over those contests.
Rookie 18-year-old Eric Izoita scored a late consolation tally for Portland during his MLS debut.
But the Timbers (1-2-0, 3 points) conceded two or more goals for a sixth consecutive match dating back to last year’s opening-round playoff series against San Diego.
White has scored at least 15 goals in his last three MLS campaigns, and is coming off a career-high 16 goals last season.
With a full season partnered with German World Cup-winning attacker Thomas Muller and one of the league’s best crossers in Berhalter, he might be eyeing an even bigger total in 2026.
White got started on Saturday night in the 21st minute.
After Edier Ocampo drove into the right side of the penalty area, he laid a pass back toward Berhalter near the right edge of the penalty box. Berhalter hit a first-time cross with his right foot that White volleyed over the line from close range.
White’s second goal killed off the game 66 minutes later, when he finished off a counter-attack on a chance teed up by Kenji Cabrera to make it 4-1.
Berhalter could’ve had a second assist in the 49th minute when his outswinging free kick found Blackmon alone at the back post.
But Blackmon’s ferocious initial volley hit the post, meaning there was no assist credited when the rebound caromed off Blackmon’s face and then over the goal line to make it 2-0.
Berhalter added his goal in the 63rd minute to give the visitors a three-goal advantage.
But Izoita briefly injected some life into the home side nine minutes later when he unfurled a deceptively powerful, snap shot from the edge of the penalty area that beat Yohei Takaoka to the top-right corner.
–Field Level Media
