The title dream of Thomas Müller lives on. The former FC Bayern star advances with the Vancouver Whitecaps to the grand final in the MLS playoffs and will face none other than Lionel Messi there.
The dream final is perfect! Thomas Müller and the Vancouver Whitecaps have advanced to the final of the MLS playoffs after a 3-1 (3-0) win at San Diego FC and will face Inter Miami around superstar Lionel Messi there.
The Whitecaps started furiously in the Western Conference Final and took an early lead through Brian White (8′). Shortly thereafter, San Diego keeper Pablo Eduardo Sisniega Fink scored an own goal and it was 2-0 (11′). White increased the lead to 3-0 before the half-time whistle (45.+2).
Thomas Müller and the Vancouver Whitecaps are in the final
Müller substitution causes bewilderment
Former Napoli striker Hirving Lozano scored for San Diego after the restart to make it 1-3 (60′). Immediately after the goal, Müller was suddenly substituted (61′) and replaced by Ryan Gauld.
The ex-Bayern star cheered his team loudly from the sidelines. The commentators at Apple TV+ were quite surprised by Müller’s early substitution.
Müller was not decisively involved in the first goal – but all the more so in the second. The veteran played a dangerous through ball behind the defensive line to the running Emmanuel Sabbi, who laid the ball back. Müller was about to finish, but his teammate Ali Ahmed was quicker at the decisive moment and fired a shot. Sisniega Fink finally unluckily deflected the ball into his own goal.
In the commentary at Apple TV+ there was talk of a “breathtaking first half by the Whitecaps”. Müller remained without his own scorer point, but was the linchpin in the game of the guests until his substitution.
Premature cheering at Müller
The gesture of the 36-year-old before the 1-0 was symbolic: Müller already raised his right arm in jubilation before the ball crossed the goal line.
For San Diego’s goalkeeper Sisniega Fink it was a bad evening: First the own goal, then the goalkeeper also saw a red card (79′) after a completely unsuccessful excursion near the halfway line for a foul on Gauld. As a result, Amahl Pellegrino was substituted and the only 19-year-old Duran Ferree guarded the goal of the hosts.
MLS: Müller vs. Messi – the grand final is coming
This means that the dream final against Inter Miami is coming. The star ensemble around Lionel Messi prevailed in the Eastern Conference Final with 5:1 (2:1) against New York City. Messi’s strike partner Tadeo Allende scored three times (14′, 23′, 89′). Mateo Silvetti (67′) and Telasco Segovia (83′) also joined Miami’s list of goalscorers. Justin Haak scored the temporary equalizer for New York to make it 1:2 (37′).
The grand finale will take place next Saturday, December 6, at 8.30 pm. It is the first time in the 15-year history of the club that the Whitecaps are in the final.
During the week, Müller had criticized the playoff format in the MLS, but that played a subordinate role on the night of Saturday to Sunday. The joy about the final entry was huge for the former star of FC Bayern and his new teammates.
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