Defender Mathías Laborda scored a first-half goal and netted the decisive penalty in a shootout as the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Los Angeles FC 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Western Conference semi-final on Saturday night. The match, played before a club-record crowd of 53,957 at BC Place, saw the second-seeded Whitecaps advance to their first Western Conference final since joining MLS in 2011.
Vancouver took the lead in the 39th minute when goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka launched a long kick to Emmanuel Sabbi, who finished for his first postseason goal. Laborda doubled the advantage in first-half stoppage time with an unassisted strike, his first playoff goal in seven appearances over three seasons.
Son Heung-min, who scored twice in the second half to pull LAFC level, opened the shootout by hitting the post. Sebastian Berhalter converted for Vancouver, and after Denis Bouanga and Jayden Nelson traded goals, Mark Delgado missed for LAFC. Ryan Gauld made it 3-1 before LAFC equalised, but Laborda sealed the win with his penalty.
LAFC cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 60th minute through Son's unassisted goal, his first in the playoffs after scoring nine in the regular season. Son then equalised in the fifth minute of stoppage time with a free kick. Takaoka made six saves for Vancouver, while Hugo Lloris stopped four for LAFC.
The Whitecaps, who lost in the semi-finals in 2015 and 2017, will face the winner of Monday's match between San Diego FC and Minnesota United in the conference final.
