Vancouver Whitecaps blank struggling Sporting Kansas City 3-0
Yohei Takaoka isn't sure if this is the best soccer he's ever played — but the Vancouver Whitecaps goalkeeper believes he and his team are on the verge of something special.
Takaoka stopped all three on-target shots he faced on Saturday and backstopped the 'Caps (13-5-6) to a decisive 3-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City (6-12-6).
The result marked his Major League Soccer-leading 11th clean sheet of the season and came just days after he represented Vancouver at the league's all-star festivities in Austin, Texas.
Asked whether this season marks the best of his career, the Japanese 'keeper hedged.
'It's tough to say. I hope so,' he said, noting that he and his teammates won the J-League title the league playing back in 2022. 'So I think that's one of the best in my career. But this season might be a new one.'
Takaoka was quick to credit those around his success, though.
'I think it's the group, a group performance,' he said. 'I'm in the goal, but the other 10 players are working really hard. Not just the players, but the staff. Everyone's working hard.'
Vancouver's group clicked on Saturday, controlling 54.2 per cent possession and outshooting Kansas City 22-12 with a 5-3 edge in on-target shots.
The visitors challenged the 'Caps early, repeatedly stripping the home side of the ball through the first 10 minutes before Vancouver settled in and took control of the match midway through the first half.
The Whitecaps opened the scoring in the 35th minute when Jayden Nelson sliced a ball across the top of the six-yard box to Emmanuel Sabbi, who slid and poked a shot in past SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp to make it 1-0. The goal was Sabbi's sixth across all competitions this season.
He came close to adding to the tally before the halftime whistle.
The American striker sent a shot up and over the Kansas City net in the 38th minute, then sent a low ball sailing just wide of the post in the 41st.
A rebound helped double Vancouver's lead in the 43rd minute. Sebastian Berhalter nodded a shot toward the net but his attempt was blocked and the ball popped out to J.C. Ngando, who put a right-footed shot in just over Pulskamp's outstretched arm.
His second goal of the season gave the 'Caps a 2-0 lead.
Kansas City pushed to get on the board early in the second half and got a solid chance in the 55th minute.
Left winger Daniel Salloi snuck through the Vancouver defence and unleashed a rocket from the top of the penalty area, but Takaoka dove to make the save.
The 'keeper has been 'very, very good' this season, said Vancouver's head coach, Jesper Sorensen.
'It just gives confidence to the players in front of him. He gives the defensive players a lot of trust in him and there's not a lot happening around him,' Sorensen said.
'So I think he gives a very calm and he has a very calm demeanour, and I think that it spreads to his teammates in front of him.'
The 'Caps appeared to go up 3-0 in the 68th minute when striker Brian White touched a shot into the back of the SKC net, but the goal was quickly ruled offside.
Laborda put away Vancouver's third goal of the night in the 87th minute off a corner kick.
Berhalter floated a ball into the six-yard box and Laborda nodded it in under Pulskamp's arm for his third goal of the campaign.
The Whitecaps are now unbeaten in their last three outings (2-0-1) and sit a single point behind San Diego FC for top spot in the West.
It's been a busy year for Vancouver, which has played 35 games across all competitions.
'Right now is a tricky part of the season, because we are in a good spot, but we also used a lot of energy so far, played 35 games,' Sorensen said.
'And players, now they will get a week off because they need a break. Some of them have played Gold Cup, some of them played Austin this mid-week. So they need some time off also.'
After the break, the 'Caps have 10 games to go on their regular-season schedule, and will look to defend their Canadian Championship title.
'I think that now it's a good time just to get a little bit of rest and then come back fresh,' Sorensen said. 'And then we're ready to really attack the last bit of the season.'
This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published July 26, 2025.
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