VANCOUVER — Thomas Muller believes he and the rest of the Vancouver Whitecaps can accomplish something special this season.
On Saturday, the team showed why that belief is so strong.
The Whitecaps (14-6-7) overcame a sloppy start to beat St. Louis City SC 3-2, thanks to Muller's first goal in Major League Soccer.
“We had a great mentality," said the German soccer legend. "I think everybody can see that everyone is doing everything to win. And in the end, it worked out in front of our fans."
The victory marked Muller's second game with the 'Caps.
The 35-year-old attacking midfielder signed with the club earlier this month following 17 seasons with Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. He made his debut in last week's 1-1 draw with the visiting Houston Dynamo, and got his first start on Saturday, wearing the red captain's armband.
Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen said after the game that he has appointed Muller vice-captain, with injured midfielder Ryan Gauld retaining the captain position.
“(Muller's) a great guy, and I think it's very important also to send the message that he's all in for the group," Sorensen said.
"He wants to affect the group from the inside, not standing on the outside. And, he takes it upon himself, the responsibility. That's why he’s come here. He said many times he's here because he wants to try to win something here. He wants to lead.”
Two games into his tenure, Muller feels his new club has potential.
"The whole group is feeling that we are on our way," he said. "We are not there, but we are on our way to maybe get something in the upcoming weeks.”
The World Cup champion added that Vancouver had several good players even before he joined the club.
“I think these players, we want them to shine as well in the last part of the season," he said. "And we don't care what this means for the players and maybe for the club next season. But we want them to shine as bright as we can go for them. So we can do something special, but we have to progress now day by day, week by week.”
Muller clinched the win in the 14th minute of injury time Saturday after Vancouver defender Mathias Laborda was taken down in the penalty area.
Referee Fotis Bazakos paused play and took a long look on a video monitor before awarding the Whitecaps another penalty kick.
Muller took the ball from St. Louis goalkeeper Roman Burki and the crowd pulled out their phones to film the ensuing kick.
Muller ran toward the ball, stutter stepped, then sent it up and in for his first MLS goal.
"It was an amazing moment for me. On one side to have this pressure, because with a (penalty), you have a good chance to score, but what happens if you miss?" he said.
"I like to have this pressure. And my teammates were cheering for me, and that was a very nice feeling to score this goal in front of our fans.”
The strike snapped a 2-2 deadlock.
St. Louis (5-16-6) took advantage of Vancouver's shaky defence in the 14th minute when Conrad Wallem sent a blistering cross into the front of the area and Eduard Lowen used his head to direct it in past Whitecaps 'keeper Yohei Takaoka for a 1-0 lead.
A penalty in first-half injury time proved to be the break the home side needed.
City midfielder Chris Durkin tripped up Tristan Blackmon inside the area and Bazakos pointed to the penalty spot. Discussion ensued and a video review confirmed the call.
Brian White stepped up to take the kick and sent a shot into the bottom of the net as Burki dove in the opposite direction.
St. Louis went up again in the 73rd minute after Sang Bin Jeong made a big run up the field. He dished off to Joao Klauss, who turned inside the area and sent a left-footed shot rolling in past Takaoka to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
Daniel Rios came off the bench in the 77th minute and drew Vancouver even once again off a free kick. In the 79th minute, Sebastian Berhalter floated a ball in from near the corner flag and Rios popped up from the crowd to tick it in off his head.
"Of course, we should have scored and maybe got ourselves up in the game, but when it didn’t happen and we got behind," Sorensen said. "Then, of course, we couldn't have made a better story than how it ended for ourselves. But we dug ourselves into a couple of holes we were able to crawl out.”
NOTES
White left the game after falling to the turf in the 74th minute clutching the back of his left leg. Sorensen said after the game that White had a hamstring issue and the team will determine how serious it is in the coming days. … A sold-out crowd of 26,031 took in the game at B.C. Place, including Florida Panthers' star forward Sam Reinhart, who was shown on the big screen before kick off. … Sebastian Schonlau was on Vancouver's bench. The German centre back signed with the 'Caps on Thursday.
UP NEXT
The Whitecaps host the Philadelphia Union on Sept. 13. St. Louis will entertain the Houston Dynamo on Aug. 30.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2025.
Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press
