Julian Gressel recorded the first two-goal game of his MLS career and the host Vancouver Whitecaps became the first team in MLS history to score within the first 30 seconds of each half while recording a 6-2 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Brian White, Ryan Gauld and Sebastian Berhalter each had a goal and assist and Pedro Vite also scored a goal as Vancouver (5-5-5, 20 points) improved to 5-1-2 at home this season.
The Whitecaps twice set franchise records for quickest goals at the start of a half. Vancouver scored 15 seconds into the game and surpassed that milestone by scoring 10 seconds into the second half. It was the third time an MLS team scored in the opening minute of each half. The Whitecaps also did it in 2011, matching the feat of D.C. United in 1996.
Amine Bassi had a goal and an assist and Corey Baird also scored a goal for Houston (5-6-3, 18 points), which dropped to 0-5-2 on the road this season. The Dynamo played the final 26 minutes — including five in stoppage time — with 10 men after Nelson Quiñónes drew a red card in the 69th minute. The Dynamo remain winless in MLS matches played at Vancouver, falling to 0-9-2.
Steve Clark had one save for Houston while Yohei Takaoka made five for the Whitecaps.
Houston's Steve Clark vs. Vancouver
Got to love MLS
Steve Clark, who let in 6 goals despite only facing 2.3 xG, responded to #VWFC fans who serenaded him with "it's all your fault" chants all night by... flexing his muscles and trying to stunt on them as he walked offVery bold tactic from the #HoldItDown GK pic.twitter.com/XOpHykMpLV
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) June 1, 2023
Goalkeeper flexes on fans after allowing 6 goals #VWFC | #HoldItDown pic.twitter.com/CZE63ivSyZ
— Couch Ultras (@CouchUltras) June 1, 2023
Vancouver moved ahead 3-2 at the outset of the second half with a speedy tally. Gauld's hard left-footed shot caromed off the right post, and White knocked the rebound in with his left foot for his sixth goal just 10 seconds after the restart. Gressel's second goal of the night — and third of the season — came in the 59th minute. Gauld's hard left-footed shot was stopped by Clark, but Gressel slammed the rebound home with his right foot.
The teams combined for four goals in the opening 18 minutes.
Gauld set up the game-opening goal with a long pass, and Daniel Steres' attempt to clear the ball failed. White got the loose ball and fed Vite, who ripped a left-footed shot into the net for his third goal at the 15-second mark. It tied for the sixth-quickest goal in MLS play since 2000. The Dynamo tied the score in the eighth minute. Houston's Adalberto "Coco" Carrasquilla sent a pass to his left and Vancouver's Javain Brown went down to try to clear with his head and whiffed. The ball went right to Baird, who easily knocked in a left-footed shot for his first goal of the campaign.
Houston took a 2-1 advantage in the 16th minute as Steres delivered a long pass toward the Vancouver net. Bassi got the ball in close and tapped a left-footed bouncer past Takaoka for his sixth goal. Vancouver knotted the score two minutes later. Gauld sent a header pass toward Gressel, who sent a right-footed blast into the net.
Later, Berhalter scored his first career MLS goal on a right-footer in the 88th minute, and Gauld sent one home in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time for his first tally of the season.
(Field Level Media)
