It was a result even the Vancouver Whitecaps hadn91裸聊视频檛 dared to dream of.

With their season on the line, the 91裸聊视频楥aps posted an emphatic 5-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in a wild-card matchup Wednesday 91裸聊视频� and earned a spot in Major League Soccer91裸聊视频檚 playoffs in the process.

91裸聊视频淚 think we were all confident of coming here and being able to win, but I don91裸聊视频檛 think many of us were expecting a result like that,91裸聊视频� said captain Ryan Gauld. 91裸聊视频淛ust a really good performance overall and good to get the five goals.91裸聊视频�

Vancouver will now face the Western Conference91裸聊视频檚 top seed Los Angeles FC in a best-of-three first-round series starting Sunday.

The 91裸聊视频楥aps came into Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 game sitting in eighth place after going winless in their last seven MLS matches and with losses in four straight.

The win proved the club is better than their recent form, said Gauld, who led Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 explosive attack with three goals and an assist.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been off a bit for the past few weeks, but (this performance) shows that when we piece it together and play to the level that we can, we91裸聊视频檙e a really good side,91裸聊视频� said the Scottish attacking midfielder.

Brian White and Stuart Armstrong also scored and 91裸聊视频榢eeper Yohei Takaoka made four saves for the first post-season shutout of his career.

Portland91裸聊视频檚 head coach Phil Neville opted to start netminder James Pantemis over his usual No. 1, Maxime Crepeau. Pantemis stopped three on-target shots.

The game was played at the ninth-place Timbers91裸聊视频� home stadium despite the Whitecaps finishing the regular season higher in the standings. Vancouver ceded home-field advantage due to a scheduling conflict at B.C. Place.

A hostile crowd didn91裸聊视频檛 stop the 91裸聊视频楥aps from pressuring early on Wednesday.

Gauld opened the scoring in the 20th minute, moments after Armstrong swung a ball into the penalty area off a corner.

Vancouver striker Fafa Picault got a shot off and Pantemis punched it away, but Portland failed to clear. The ball bobbled around until it reached Gauld91裸聊视频檚 foot and the attacking midfielder fired off a right-footed shot, pinging it in off Timbers defender Claudio Bravo on the goal line.

91裸聊视频淲hen Ryan Gauld leads the team like he does today, everything becomes easier for everyone else,91裸聊视频� said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini.

91裸聊视频淭he performance that he put on today? It91裸聊视频檚 massive. I don91裸聊视频檛 know in the history of the Whitecaps if there91裸聊视频檚 a performance better than this. 91裸聊视频� What he did today is astonishing.91裸聊视频�

The 91裸聊视频楥aps struck again in the 24th minute when defender Mattias Laborda chipped a pass across the top of the six-yard box to White. The American striker deftly picked it up and blasted a shot in past Pantemis to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Vancouver took a three-goal lead into the locker room after Armstrong dished off to Gauld at the right side of the box and the Scotsman unleashed an arching shot that sailed in over the Portland 91裸聊视频榢eeper in the 31st minute.

The offensive onslaught continued early in the second half.

The 51st minute saw Picault float a ball into the penalty area for Armstrong, who dived for a header, putting the ball just inside the post to give the 91裸聊视频楥aps a 4-0 lead.

The Scottish midfielder blew a kiss to the crowd as he ran to celebrate with his teammates.

The Whitecaps91裸聊视频� other Scot struck again in the 59th minute.

Armstrong tapped a pass to Gauld, who took a couple of steps and blasted yet another shot into the Portland net to complete his hat trick. He then held a finger to his lips to quiet the crowd.

While Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 attack was impressive, a big part of Wednesday91裸聊视频檚 win came from holding the Timbers91裸聊视频� offence in check, Gauld said.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檝e had one of the best goal-scoring records in the whole league,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd to keep them mostly quiet for the 90 minutes is a big thing we can take from it.91裸聊视频�

The Whitecaps will now meet LAFC in a rematch of last year91裸聊视频檚 first-round playoff series, which saw L.A. dispatch Vancouver in two games.

After faltering at the end of the regular season, a decisive victory gives the 91裸聊视频楥aps a confidence boost heading into a tough matchup, Armstrong said.

91裸聊视频淲e knew we were a good team full of potential, but the more you say it without actually giving the results and performances, then the effect starts to wear off,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淪o to have such a big performance when it matters and now propelling us into the playoffs, the timing is great.91裸聊视频�

NOTES: Vancouver is the last remaining Canadian MLS club in this year91裸聊视频檚 playoff race after CF Montreal dropped its wild-card game to Atlanta United on penalties Tuesday. 91裸聊视频� Gauld is the third player in MLS playoff history to record three goals and an assist in a single match.