Whitecaps' impressive start could be put to test by FC Dallas

The Vancouver Whitecaps will look to continue their impressive run to start the 2025 campaign when they clash with FC Dallas on Saturday in Frisco, Texas.

Vancouver (3-0-0, 9 points) has begun the season with a bang, ripping off three league wins while outscoring its opponents 8-2. The Philadelphia Union are the only other MLS team with nine points through three matches.

The Whitecaps' most recent MLS match was a 2-0 home win over CF Montreal on March 8 behind goals from Mathias Laborda and Tate Johnson, in the 32nd and 49th minute, respectively, and the first clean sheet of the season by Yohei Takaoka.

Vancouver then went to Mexico to play Monterrey in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup and earned a berth in the tournament's quarterfinals with a 2-2 draw, advancing by scoring more goals as the road team after the teams played to a 3-3 draw in the two-match aggregate.

"We knew it was going to be tough coming down to Mexico," said Whitecaps striker Brian White, who came off the bench in the 58th minute and scored Vancouver's second goal 20 minutes later. "A tough opponent, so credit to the boys for getting the result that we needed."

Vancouver played without captain Ryan Gauld on Wednesday. Gauld went down with a knee sprain late in the win over Montreal and won't be ready to play against FC Dallas either.

"The good thing is that the players always play with the right intentions," Whitecaps coach Jesper Sorensen said. "Sometimes it works better than others. But I think we are building confidence. And that's a good thing because then we can become a better team."

The Toros (1-1-1, 4 points) remain at home after taking a 3-1 loss to the visiting Chicago Fire on March 8.

Dallas had a 1-0 lead when Logan Farrington made short work of a rebound of a shot by Anderson Julio in the 57th minute. But Chicago rallied with three goals over the final eight minutes and stoppage time, ruining the Toros' home opener after FC Dallas claimed a win and a draw its first two contests.

After the match, Dallas coach Eric Quill apologized to the team's fan base for the unsatisfactory effort.

"This is my responsibility," Quill said. "I've been entrusted with leading this club on a mission. As coaches, we impact the game through our decisions, and this one was on me. The game was in control, and I can do better."

Quill later explained that he opted to substitute possession-based players after Farrington's goal in an attempt to dominate play.

Dallas owns a 11-10 all-time advantage over the Whitecaps, with nine draws. Vancouver earned points in both matches last year, winning 3-1 in Frisco, Texas, in March before the teams played to a scoreless draw in the Pacific Northwest in September.

--Field Level Media