Whitecaps Win the Wild One — and Keep the Dream Alive

All images by Jesse Ilan Kornbluth

Vancouver Whitecaps survived Son, nine-man extra time, and a penalty shootout to earn their first-ever spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference final — and photographer Jesse Kornbluth was there to witness it all.

Jesse Kornbluth spent all of Saturday in Vancouver, walking with supporters, slipping into pubs, photographing the buildup, and then capturing every minute of a semi-final that wouldn’t sit still. The next morning, over coffee and rain-soaked windows, he tried to make sense of it.

The day after the semi-final, Jesse Kornbluth still looks like someone trying to make sense of what he witnessed. He spent Saturday moving through Vancouver, wandering downtown, drifting in and out of pubs, walking with supporters on their way to BC Place, camera in hand, soaking up every detail. Then he was on the pitch, behind the net, along the touchline, photographing a match that stretched all the way to penalties and refused to follow any script.

It’s Wild to Think About

As the rain drummed against the windows and we settled into the warmth of the café, Jesse leaned forward, already smiling, eager to relive it. From the way he talks, you can tell he isn’t just recounting a match; he’s replaying an entire day.

He remembers the streets slowly filling, supporters finding each other in pubs, voices rising as kickoff approached, and the sense that Vancouver was carrying something bigger than a game. Then came the chaos itself: Los Angeles FC fighting back from 2–0 down, Vancouver surviving extra time with nine men and multiple shots crashing off the woodwork, and the weight of 53,957 people refusing to give up. Jesse tells it all like someone who still can’t quite believe he got to witness it.

“It’s wild to think about,” he says, half laughing. “Five or six years ago, I feel as if the MLS and its fans were still trying to figure out what it was.”

He pauses, searching for the right phrasing.

“Last night, it felt fully formed.”

The Heartbeat of a Matchday Across the City

Before the goals, before the madness, there was the build-up, the streets, the voices, the sense that something was gathering. “It could have been a derby day in the UK,” Jesse says. “Pubs were packed with Whitecaps supporters, (friendly) ultras marching to the stadium. The whole city was buzzing.” He loved that the match didn’t exist in isolation. It spilt into sidewalks, crosswalks, and storefronts. That mattered.

“Something that I think detracts from the football culture in North America is that so many stadiums are situated well outside city limits,” he says. “The Whitecaps play in the heart of downtown, you can feel the heartbeat of a matchday across the city.”

The Passion and Dedication of the Fans

Once the game started, Vancouver looked like a team prepared for its moment. In the 39th minute, Yohei Takaoka launched a goal kick three-quarters of the field to Emmanuel Sabbi, who made it 1-0. Then, just before halftime, Mathías Laborda made it 2–0, and BC Place was electric.

When Jesse starts talking about the night, he doesn’t go straight to tactics, goals, or refereeing decisions. He goes to the people. “What impressed me most? Two things,” he says. “First, the passion and dedication of the fans. From the pre-match pub culture to the organised march to the stadium.” Then he shifts to what unfolded on the grass. “Second: the quality and pace of play on the pitch. It’s exciting to see some of the rising ballers like Sebastian Berhalter mixing it up with world-class veterans like Sonny and Müller.” For him, that blend, young MLS players holding their own against global stars, said as much about the league’s growth as the final score did.

The Entire Stadium Stood up and Held its Breath

Son Heung-min, of course, refused to let Vancouver coast, scoring in the 60th minute and again deep into stoppage time, with a sublime free kick that forced extra time and flipped the energy across the stadium from confident to anxious. Then came the red card to Tristan Blackmon, and the injury to Belal Halbouni after all substitutions had already been used. Suddenly, Vancouver had nine players, and more than 50,000 people willing them to hold on. LAFC hit the post three times. Lloris and Takaoka traded saves. It felt like football in its most unfiltered form: desperate, tense, unpredictable.

Jesse smiles when recalling the talent involved. “The last time I saw Sonny in person was lifting the Europa League trophy for Spurs in Bilbao,” he says. “He’s the type of player that no matter who you root for, you’re going to respect. Last night he put on a masterclass, and the Whitecaps fans gave him his flowers.” Müller, too, left an impression. “I’d never seen Müller live,” Jesse says, “but now I understand how he got his nickname, ‘Raumdeuter’ (‘interpreter of space’). Every time he cut towards the middle, the entire stadium stood up and held its breath.”

By the time penalties were reached, nobody in the stadium was breathing normally. Son, who had dragged LAFC back into the match almost single-handedly, stepped up and missed, and suddenly the momentum shifted. It felt like the entire building leaned forward. Then Mathías Laborda, already with a goal to his name, walked toward the spot. One strike, past Hugo Lloris, and it was over — 4–3 on penalties. For a moment, there was silence, a collective exhale of disbelief and relief, and then BC Place exploded. And just like that, Vancouver had reached the Western Conference final for the first time since joining MLS in 2011.

This City Will Never Forget

When the conversation shifts from the match to the city itself, Jesse looks out toward the wet pavement outside. It’s a great place, but it could do with a little less rain,” he says. “A big city with a small town feel: Friendly people, walkable, and sports-obsessed. A perfect city for a football team to be fair.”

And he’s certain the culture is real, not manufactured. “I think football culture in North America varies city-by-city, but Van City has got to be one of the more robust football cities I’ve been to in the US or Canada.”

There’s still another match to play — San Diego FC, but it doesn’t feel like anyone in Vancouver is rushing ahead. The semi-final isn’t fading. The memories of that night are everywhere: in phones, in photos, in group chats, in the soreness of vocal cords. The Whitecaps have been here before, in 2015 and 2017, and didn’t advance. This time, they did. Despite finishing the match with nine players and running on fumes, they did it.

As Jesse finishes his coffee, the rain picks up again. He grins, almost to himself, like someone who knows he got to witness something that this city will never forget.