The Vancouver Whitecaps secured a dramatic victory over FC Dallas in the MLS Cup playoffs with Ralph Priso equalizing in stoppage time and Belal Halbouni clinching the win in a penalty shootout. This triumph sealed a series sweep after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
As the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, Vancouver is set to host the upcoming Western Conference semifinal at B.C. Place stadium on November 22. The Whitecaps will face the winner of the match between Los Angeles FC and Austin in the conference semifinals.
FC Dallas took the lead with Petar Musa scoring his first MLS Cup playoffs goal in the 25th minute, but the Whitecaps fought back with Priso’s late header. The shootout saw goals from Thomas Müller and Sebastian Berhalter for Vancouver, while Musa scored again for Dallas before the decisive penalty by Halbouni.
Nolan Norris missed the final kick for Dallas, securing the victory for the Whitecaps. In the previous game, Vancouver had dominated with a 3-0 win, with goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka making two crucial saves.