The Seattle Sounders defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4-1 at Lumen Field on Saturday night in a Cascadia match, securing a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the 13th straight season. Shane O'Neill pounced on a fantastic Kelyn Rowe pass and scored his first goal of the season with a back-post header to finish a wonderfully executed training ground corner kick.

In the 14th minute, the Sounders increased their advantage on a move that began with a Rowe throw-in to Will Bruin, who played a ball into the box. Nicolas Benezet used a touch to go past Florian Jungwirth before nutmegging Thomas Hasal for his second goal of the season. Benezet came close to scoring his second goal seconds later, but Jungwirth blocked a goal-line clearing and Jimmy Medranda's low effort went wide of the far post. The Whitecaps' first genuine opportunity came in the 17th minute when Deiber Caicedo struck the crossbar with a shot from outside the 18-yard box before Brian White brought the visitors back a goal during first-half stoppage time with a deflected finish from the outside of the six.

In the 55th minute, Bruin scored from close range to restore Seattle's two-goal advantage. Rowe was the trigger once again on a pass to Fredy Montero, who expertly placed it in Bruin's path. With a fantastic kick save to deny Dajome from close range in the 75th minute, Stefan Frei ensured there were no late nerves. The Whitecaps peppered the Sounders with questions in the last quarter-hour, but winger Leo Chu put the icing on the cake by opening his goal-scoring account in the 90th minute.

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Alejandro Sanchez]