Ralph Priso equalized in stoppage time, and Belal Halbouni secured the win in a penalty shootout as Vancouver Whitecaps triumphed over FC Dallas in an intense playoff game. The victory, following a 1-1 draw in regular time, saw the Whitecaps sweep the best-of-three first-round series in the MLS Cup playoffs.
As the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Vancouver will host the Western Conference semifinal on November 22 at B.C. Place stadium. They are set to face either third-seeded Los Angeles FC or No. 6 seed Austin in the upcoming conference semifinals.
FC Dallas took the lead with Petar Musa’s first career MLS Cup playoffs goal in the 25th minute, but Priso’s late header leveled the score. The Whitecaps eventually clinched the win in the penalty shootout, with Halbouni scoring the decisive goal after misses from both teams.
Nolan Norris failed to convert the final kick for Dallas, sealing their defeat. Vancouver had previously displayed dominance with a 3-0 victory in Game 1. Yohei Takaoka’s goalkeeping heroics, including two crucial saves, proved instrumental in securing the Whitecaps’ advancement.
