Whitecaps hit four past Real Salt Lake

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:04 am

Brian White, Ryan Gauld and Florian Jungwirth scored second-half goals as the host Vancouver Whitecaps exploded for a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Sunday night.

The Whitecaps also tallied on a Real Salt Lake own goal in the first half while winning their third straight match and stretching their unbeaten streak to nine (4-0-5).

Javain Brown and Gauld added assists for Vancouver (6-7-8, 26 points), which was playing its second straight home contest after going 11 months without playing in British Columbia.

Anderson Julio scored in the 90th minute to prevent Real Salt Lake (7-8-6, 27 points) from being blanked.

Marcelo Silva was responsible for the own goal for Real Salt Lake, which lost its second straight match and fourth out of six.

Both teams were playing their first games under interim coaches.

Vancouver was coached by Vanni Sartini after management dismissed Marc Dos Santos on Friday. Salt Lake was coached by Pablo Mastroeni after Freddy Juarez and the club parted ways on Friday.

Whitecaps goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was called on to make just one save. Salt Lake goalkeeper Andrew Putna had three saves.

Vancouver had an 11-8 in shots and put five on target to Salt Lake's two.

The Whitecaps moved ahead in the 33rd as Gauld took a corner kick and sent it in toward the pack of people in front of the net. As the ball approached, Salt Lake's Nick Besler ducked and it glanced off the thigh of Silva and into the net.

White got the second-half charge going when he made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute.

Cristian Dajome sent what appeared to be a harmless long shot toward the net but Putna failed to catch the ball. White was right in front of the goal to slam a right-footed shot into the net.

The Whitecaps added another goal in the 64th minute as Brown was cruising down the right sideline and sent a cross into the box. The streaking Gauld caught up and knocked a header into the net to make it 3-0.

Just five minutes later, Gauld took a corner kick and sent it toward the net. Jungwirth had good positioning and flicked the ball past Putna.