Vancouver Whitecaps forward Brian White and Seattle Sounders midfielder Kelyn Rowe tussle during the second half at Lumen Field in Seattle on Oct. 9.Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
Shane O’Neill scored his first goal since 2014, Will Bruin added a goal and an assist and the Seattle Sounders beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 4-1 on Saturday night to clinch their 13th straight playoff berth.
Western Conference-leading Seattle (17-5-6) has won four games in a row.
Kelyn Rowe played a one-touch ball from the right side to the far post where O’Neill headed home a side-netter – his second career goal in MLS – to open the scoring in the fifth minute.
Nicolas Benezet took a pass from Bruin, turned and blasted a right-footer into the net in the 14th before Brian White scored in first-half stoppage time for Vancouver.
Bruin scored in the 55th minute and Léo Chú, a 21-year-old Brazilian who signed with Seattle on Aug. 5, subbed on in the 85th minute and netted his first MLS goal in the 90th to cap the scoring.
Vancouver (9-9-10) had its four-game unbeaten streak snapped.