Armstrong also shines as Whitecaps put in stunning performance
Scotland forward Ryan Gauld put in an “astonishing” display for Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS play-offs, scoring a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Portland Timbers.
The 28-year-old playmaker was in outstanding form for the Canadian side as they blitzed the Timbers away at Providence Stadium in Oregon, completing his treble by the hour mark and also laying on an assist.
His fellow Scotland internationalist Stuart Armstrong also played a leading role for the Whitecaps, netting his side’s fourth goal and also laying on two of Gauld’s efforts.
Gauld started for the Whitecaps in behind the striker in a 4-3-2-1 formation, while Armstrong played to left of a midfield three.
The Whitecaps opened the scoring on the 20-minute mark when Portland could not clear a corner kick and Gauld was able to scramble the ball home. And the lead was doubled four minutes later when striker Brian White netted from close range.
Gauld then scored a quite spectacular strike on the half-hour mark, taking in an Armstrong dink to the right of the penalty box and scoring a lobbed volley over the helpless keeper Yohei Takaoka.
Armstrong then got in on the act in the 50th minute, scoring with a diving header from 12 yards out.
Gauld wanted his hat-trick and he completed it not long afterwards, with Armstrong slipping him into the penalty box with a sumptuous pass and the in-form ex-Sporting CP man doing the rest with a cute finish.
With their work done, both Gauld and Armstrong were replaced on 63 minutes to be kept fresh for their last-16 clash with Los Angeles FC, while will be played over two legs, the first of which is in the early hours of Monday morning away from home.
While Gauld has scored numerous doubles for the Whitecaps since his move in 2021, this was his first hat-trick for the Canadians, while Armstrong undoubtedly put in his best performance since moving to the MLS in the summer from Southampton.
Gauld won his first caps for Scotland last month and now has four to his name after being involved in the last two international breaks, while Armstrong, 32, has not been picked by national team manager Steve Clarke since last summer’s Euros.
“I thought overall as a team performance, we were excellent,” Armstrong said afterward. “It’s huge for the confidence – we definitely needed it.”
Asked to comment on the goal he set up for Gauld, Armstrong added: “Pure elegance. A wonderful, wonderful goal.”
Gauld also won praise from his manager Vanni Sartini. “We have a secret ingredient, and it’s called Ryan Gauld,” Sartini said. “When Ryan leads the team like he did today, it makes it easier for everyone else. What he did today is astonishing.”
Vancouver went into the match as underdogs but will now turn heads with this result in the MLS play-offs. “We gelled really well tonight,” Gauld said. “It’s been hard coming into this game, the run of results we had. It shows that when we piece it together and play to the level that we know we can, we’re a really good side.”
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