German veteran Thomas Muller scored a goal from a four-pointer in his team’s win, Vancouver Whitecaps, over its guest, San Jose Earthquakes, 4-1 at BC Place, bringing them closer to the Western Conference title in the American Football League.
The former German and Bayern Munich star scored his team’s second goal in the 57th minute with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, continuing his scoring brilliance since moving to the American League.
Muller, 36 years old, has raised his tally to 6 goals in seven matches in all competitions since joining Vancouver on August 6, coming from the Bavaria giants.
Vancouver, which achieved its seventeenth victory this season, rose to second place in the Western Conference with 60 points, equal to the leader San Diego FC, but with one less match, the door opens for it to seize first place if it wins its last two matches in the regular season competitions.
The Canadian-born striker, who decided to play for Tunisia, Rayan El-Loumi (18 years old), opened the scoring for Vancouver in the 39th minute, before Mueller doubled the lead.
International Sebastian Berhalter settled the result for the hosts with two wonderful shots from a long distance in the 74th and 92nd minutes.
Substitute Bou Leroux scored San Jose’s only goal (89).
With Vancouver’s victory, sixth-placed Austin FC and seventh-placed Portland Timbers ensured qualification to the playoffs.
Los Angeles FC, which secured its qualification to the playoffs, achieved its fifth successive victory, which came at the expense of Atlanta United 1-0, scored by Gabonese Denis Bouanga (86).
With his 24th goal this season, Bouanga equaled Argentine Inter Miami star Lionel Messi as the league’s top scorer.
Los Angeles FC ranks fourth in the Western Conference with 56 points, four points behind the leaders, but it has played two fewer matches than San Diego and one less than Vankov.
