Bryan White, Fafa Picault, Ryan Gauld and Ranko Veselinovic scored and the defense did the rest as host Vancouver rolled to a 4-0 win over Toronto FC on Saturday in an interconference clash between two of MLS’ three Canadian sides.
Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka recorded three saves to earn his first shutout of the season and ninth of his two-year MLS career.
White got the Whitecaps (4-1-1, 13 points) on the board in the sixth minute when he swiped the ball from Toronto midfielder Deybi Flores just outside of the penalty area, dribbled into the box and used his right foot to beat Reds goalkeeper Sean Johnson low to the left corner.
Toronto’s Deandre Kerr had shots on goal in the 18th and then the 27th minute but both chances were stopped by Takaoka.
Vancouver added to its lead in the 29th minute as Alessandro Schopf shrugged off a Toronto defender long enough to hit a splendid crossing pass to Picault at the far post. The Whitecaps striker made short work of the opportunity, beating Johnson with his head to the center into the right side of the net.
Schopf tested Johnson with a shot in the 39th minute but the Reds keeper was up to the task, keeping the margin at two goals.
After halftime White tried to add to the lead in the 74th minute and was turned away by Johnson.
Gauld put the game on ice in the 81st minute, getting away on the break after a long pass from Andres Cubas and beating Johnson with his left foot to the center of the goal.
Johnson managed to save a shot by Ryan Raposo in the 86th minute but then had no answer for Veselinovic just two minutes later after the Serbian defender turned around a corner kick pass from Raposo.
Cassius Mailula tried to sullen the clean sheet with a shot on goal four minutes into second-half stoppage time but Takaoka made an easy save.
The Reds (3-3-1, 10 points) have dropped two straight and three of their past four.
–Field Level Media
