Brian White scored four goals and the Vancouver Whitecaps manhandled visiting Austin FC 5-1 on Saturday night.
Emmanuel Sabbi added a goal and one assist for Western Conference-leading Vancouver (6-1-1, 19 points), which has allowed one goal over its last three matches (2-0-1).
Dani Pereira scored for Austin FC (4-3-1, 13 points), which had allowed just three goals in seven matches before being exposed by White and the rest of the Whitecaps.
Brad Stuver made six saves in defeat for Austin.
Vancouver outshot Austin 26-11 and put 11 shots on target to Austin’s four in a relentless offensive outing.
Yohei Takaoka made three saves for Vancouver.
White, who became the first Whitecaps player with four goals in one MLS game, scored goals in the 13th and 38th minutes to give the Whitecaps a two-goal cushion.
The first goal was set up by a cross from Edier Ocampo. Daniel Rios flicked the ball with the back of his leg right to White, who sent a right-footed shot into the net.
Later in the half, Stuver’s kick was intercepted in the midfield. Vancouver quickly countered with Sabbi passing the ball to White, who sent a left-footed shot that hit Stuver on its way into the net.
Sabbi made it 3-0 in the second minute of the second half when his right-footed shot eluded Stuver.
White finished the hat trick in the 59th minute. Ranko Veselinovic hit the left goal post and the rebound went back to White, who ripped a shot that hit the head of a defender at the goal line en route to making it 4-0.
Vancouver had three more good changes over a seven-minute span later in the half. Rios took a penalty kick in the 72nd minute and Stuver made a stellar save.
White put the ball into the net in the 77th minute but it was nullified by an offside call on Giuseppe Bovalina. One minute later, he ripped a hard blast that went just wide to the left.
But White got goal No. 4 in the 83rd minute when he and Ali Ahmed broke in toward the net. Ahmed slid the ball to White, who used his right foot to boot it past Stuver.
Austin avoided the shutout when Pereira sent a right-footed shot into the right corner in the 90th minute.
–Field Level Media
