Whitecaps use late goal to defeat Valour FC, advance to Canadian Championship semis
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CBC
8 hours ago
- CBC
Vancouver Whitecaps draw Houston Dynamo 1-1 in Thomas Müller's MLS debut
Social Sharing Thomas Müller's Major League Soccer debut was almost perfect. Almost. The German soccer icon came off the bench for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday and put the ball into the back of the net just minutes later. Then the offside flag went up. "I think the moment when I scored the goal was amazing. The noise in the stadium and then also the reaction of my teammates, that was a great start for me," Müller said. "In the end, the result was a little bit disappointing. But that's the game. That's the game." The Whitecaps (13-6-7) settled for a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo (7-11-8). Hours before kickoff, hundreds of fans gathered at Terry Fox Plaza outside B.C. Place to welcome Vancouver's newest star. Many in the crowd were clad in crisp new Whitecaps jerseys emblazoned with Müller's number 13, while others wore the red kit he formerly sported at Bayern Munich. At least two people wore lederhosen, a nod to the World Cup winner's Bavarian roots, and several German flags lined the barriers. Müller signed with the Whitecaps on Aug. 6 after playing 17 seasons for Bayern in the German Bundesliga. There, he became a household name, scoring 250 goals across all competitions and helping the club to 33 titles, including 13 league championships. He also excelled on the international stage, winning the 2014 World Cup with Germany and taking home the Golden Boot from the 2010 tournament after notching five goals and three assists. The 35-year-old attacking midfielder joined the 'Caps after his contract with Bayern was not renewed. He will remain with the club through the 2025 season on a deal that includes a Designated Player option for the 2026 campaign. Offside Expectations for Müller were high on Sunday night, said Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen, despite his limited time acclimating to a new team. "First and foremost, it's about blending him together with his teammates," the coach said. "I think he did very well. I think he has a high football IQ so he understands where to position himself and which spaces to attack." The crowd of 26,031 rose to their feet before kickoff Sunday when Müller was introduced on the big screen. He replied by standing and clapping for the crowd before taking his seat on the sidelines. Fans had another reason to cheer early in the game after Vancouver midfielder Jayden Nelson was taken down inside the penalty area by Griffin Dorsey. Referee Jon Freemon pointed at the spot and people rose to their feet as Brian White lined up to take the penalty in the sixth minute. The American striker then rolled a low shot into the bottom right corner of the net as Houston 'keeper Jonathan Bond dove in the opposite direction. The goal was White's team-leading 13th of the season. Boisterous cheers emanated through the crowd in the 61st minute when Muller came on for homegrown talent Jeevan Badwal. Three minutes later, the German soccer legend blasted a shot into the back of the Houston net from the top of the penalty area. The play was quickly whistled down for being offside. "Of course, everybody had hoped for the result of the magic moment that came when Thomas put the ball in the back of the net," Sorensen said. "Unfortunately, it was a very narrow offside. But you know, that's what can happen." Houston spoiled Müller's welcome party in the 91st minute when Amine Bassi slipped a pass to Artur at the top of the penalty area and the central midfielder sailed a shot in past the outstretched fingertips of Vancouver 'keeper Yohei Takaoka to level the score at 1-1. "You have little bit of a feeling that you lost the game even though you didn't," Sorensen said. Muller said the pace and intensity of his first MLS match were high, but there are areas away from the ball where he sees room for improvement. "In the end, we have to take the result, and we have to take our game and improve it in the next couple of weeks," Müller said. "I'm now fresh into this team, I'm new into the league. I need a few weeks to figure out what's right or wrong. But to be honest, I feel very good after this game." Welcome to Vancouver Sunday's game capped a whirlwind week for Müller. Hundreds of fans were on hand to welcome him when he touched down at Vancouver International Airport on Wednesday and on Thursday a crush of media greeted him at an introductory press conference. He got his first taste of Vancouver weather on Friday when rain soaked his first training session with the team. WATCH | Müller begins new chapter with Vancouver Whitecaps: Vancouver Whitecaps' star addition Thomas Müller touches down at YVR 4 days ago German football star Thomas Müller has touched down at YVR. The Whitecaps' newest and most high profile addition to date is signed for the rest of the 2025 season, and has a designated player option for 2026. He may play his first MLS game on Sunday when the Whitecaps take on Houston. "The first days were busy, but in a positive way," Müller said. "I learned a lot about the culture. I met very nice people. I had a very warm welcome in this city, and also to the whole club. I was enjoying it a lot, and I want to continue our way to more. So I'm excited." Life in Vancouver is a change from Munich for the soccer star. Though the sport's popularity continues to boom throughout Canada, Müller is not yet a local celebrity in Vancouver — and he's enjoyed a tiny taste of anonymity in recent days. "When I walk through the city, it's nice to meet some people cheering for the Whitecaps, but it's also nice to go to the supermarket and buy my own stuff. I can relax a little bit between the lemons and the blueberries," he said. "But I'm here to lead this team to something special."
Canada News.Net
17 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
Dynamo earn draw with Whitecaps in Thomas Muller's MLS debut
(Photo credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images) Jose Artur scored in second-half stoppage time, giving the Houston Dynamo a 1-1 draw with the host Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night and tempering the MLS debut of Thomas Muller. Brian White scored on a penalty kick in the sixth minute for the Whitecaps (13-6-7, 46 points). The Dynamo (7-11-8, 29 points), who lost 3-0 at home to Vancouver on July 16, tied it in the opening seconds of stoppage time. Lawrence Ennali dribbled the ball down the left wing and sent a pass back to Amine Bassi at the top corner of the 18-yard box. Bassi spotted Artur joining the play and dropped a pass for him to unleash a shot from 25 yards that made its way through a maze of players and just out of the reach of diving goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka and inside the left post. Muller, the 35-year-old German superstar who scored 250 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich over 17 seasons, received a standing ovation from Vancouver's fans when he came on as a substitute in the 61st minute. Muller sent the crowd into a frenzy less than two minutes later when he appeared to score on a half-volley from 20 yards, but White was ruled to be offside on the initial pass into the penalty area and the goal was disallowed. White's goal came after Jayden Nelson was tripped by Houston's Griffin Dorsey while driving the end line on the left wing. White put the ensuing penalty into the middle of the net as Dynamo goalie Jonathan Bond dove to his right. Houston nearly got the equalizer in the 15th minute. Jack McGlynn played a short corner kick from the right wing, got the ball back and whipped a cross to the far post. The ball deflected off defender Mathias Laborda and Takaoka had to make a kick save to avoid an own goal. The Whitecaps nearly doubled their advantage in the closing minutes of the first half. First, Nelson hit the left post in the 45th minute on a sliding attempt after Edier Ocampo's low cross from the right wing on a counterattack. In stoppage time, Bond made a diving save on a 12-yard shot by White and Emmanuel Sabbi's rebound attempt from 15 yards grazed the top of the crossbar on its way into the stands.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
German soccer star Thomas Muller set for debut with Vancouver Whitecaps
Thomas Muller is set to make his debut for the Vancouver Whitecaps tonight. Hundreds of fans lined Terry Fox Plaza outside of B.C. Place, awaiting the German soccer star's arrival ahead of Vancouver's MLS match against the Houston Dynamo. Many in the crowd were clad in crisp new Whitecaps jerseys emblazoned with Muller's No. 13, while others wore the kit of his former club, Bayern Munich. At least two people wore lederhosen, a nod to the 35-year-old attacking midfielder's Bavarian roots, and several German flags lined the barriers. Muller signed with the Whitecaps earlier this month following 17 seasons with Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga where he scored 250 goals across all competitions and helped the club to 33 titles, including 13 league championships. He's also excelled in international play, winning the 2014 World Cup with Germany and taking home the Golden Boot from the 2010 World Cup after notching five goals and three assists. This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press, was first published Aug. 17, 2025.
