Vancouver Whitecaps Dominate Dallas 3-0 in MLS Playoff Opener

The Vancouver Whitecaps secured a dominant 3-0 victory over FC Dallas in the first game of their best-of-three MLS Cup playoff series, continuing their strong postseason performance. Daniel Ríos opened the scoring just before halftime, followed by a penalty goal from Thomas Müller and a late strike from Kenji Cabrera, with the Whitecaps outshooting Dallas 22-0 and keeping a clean sheet. Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka remained unchallenged, while Dallas rookie Michael Collodi made several key saves but could not prevent the loss. The Whitecaps' win highlights their defensive solidity, marking their 14th clean sheet in 35 games this season, and Müller's impressive scoring streak since joining the team. The series will continue in Dallas, where the Whitecaps aim to close it out and prepare for a potential Western Conference semifinal against LAFC. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union advanced after a dramatic penalty shootout against the Chicago Fire, who played with ten men after a late red card.