VANCOUVER —
Bruno Caicedo wasn't about to be deterred by a questionable call on Saturday night.
Just minutes after having a goal called back, the Ecuadorean winger set Brian White up for his second goal of the night -- a tally that vaulted the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids.
"Of course, it was a big disappointment for (Caicedo) that he didn't get the goal. But we can't dwell with that," Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen said.
"We have to move on, and then we have to, we have to continue going. … Of course, it's a great mentality from him that he can leave it and not carry on with that disappointment and carry that one throughout the game. Shake his feathers a little bit and then fly on."
The 'Caps (8-1-0) were quick to open the scoring Saturday, getting on the board before some fans had filtered to their seats.
Emmanuel Sabbi sent a cross into Thomas Müller, and the German superstar ticked a quick pass to Cheikh Sabaly at the top of the six-yard box. The Senegalese midfielder directed a sliding shot in past Colorado 'keeper Zack Steffen to give the Whitecaps a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute.
The home side kept up the pressure through the early part of the game and capitalized when Steffen came well off his line.
Defensive midfielder Andres Cubas sent a ball to White from the midfield, and the striker put a bouncing right-footed shot past the Rapids netminder and into the bottom of the net. White's 23rd-minute goal gave Vancouver a 2-0 cushion.
Colorado (4-5-1) clawed a tally back 10 minutes later when Rafael Navarro dove over a mass of bodies inside the six-yard box and sent the ball up and over Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.
A replay on the big screen at B.C. Place appeared to show the ball going in off Navarro's forearm, and referee Lorenzo Hernandez signalled that the video assistant referee would check the play. A review determined the goal would stand, with officials saying the ball went in off Navarro's knee. The goal cut Vancouver's lead to 2-1.
Vancouver came close to regaining the two-goal lead in the 73rd minute when Caicedo sent a ball across the box to White, who slid, putting his shot just wide of the post.
Caicdeo, who came in off the bench for Sabaly in the 68th minute, got a breakaway in the 77th minute and steamed up the field before getting tripped up inside the penalty area. He popped up and sent a right-footed shot in past Steffen.
His celebration was short-lived, though. The play went to VAR for a possible handball, and after a lengthy review, Hernandez ruled the ball hit Caicedo's elbow.
Caicedo made good in the 85th minute, slicing a pass to White to set him up near the penalty spot. White made quick use of the ball, sailing it in past Steffen to give Vancouver a 3-1 advantage with his team-leading eighth goal of the season.
"Ever since Bruno's come into the games, he brings this spark," White said. "He's so fast, he just gets by guys. He wants to get by guys every time he gets the ball. And as a striker, it makes it kind of easy, because you know what he wants to do. So you just have to try and find spaces in the box."
Colorado controlled 55 per cent of possession across the game, but Vancouver outshot the visitors 20-13 and held an 8-3 lead in on-target shots.
The result capped a season-high five-game homestand that saw the Whitecaps go 4-1-0, with four straight victories.
"It was huge," defender Tristan Blackmon said of the win.
"(The Rapids are) a really good team. I think they've done really well so far, identifying a good way of playing, a really confident team. So we knew coming in here they were gonna be on the front foot. And I think we combated that really well."
NOTES
Whitecaps centre back Ranko Veselinovic was in the lineup as a substitute for the first time since July 19, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury. … A sold-out crowd of 27,589 fans took in the game at B.C. Place. … Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter registered an assist on White's second goal of the night for his 50th goal contribution (17 goals, 33 assists) with the Whitecaps.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps play their next five games on the road, starting with a visit to the L.A. Galaxy next Saturday. The Rapids will host USL Championship side Colorado Springs in U.S. Open Cup play on Wednesday before facing the Houston Dynamo in MLS action next Saturday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2026.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
