TUKWILA, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance defeated Whitecaps FC 2 by a score of 5-3 on Sunday night at Starfire Stadium. After trailing 2-0 in the 63rd minute, Tacoma exploded for five goals after the 70th minute to secure the come-from-behind victory. Second-half substitute Yu Tsukanome scored a hat trick in the win, the first of his career with Tacoma, and now leads MLS NEXT Pro with four goals through three games. Jackson Khoury and Sebastian Gomez also found the score sheet as Defiance defeated its Pacific Division and Cascadia rival.
Tacoma now hits the road for a matchup against LAFC2 on Thursday, April 10 at Titan Stadium (7:00 p.m. PT / Apple TV).
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance 5 – Whitecaps FC 2 3
Sunday, April 6, 2025
Venue: Starfire Stadium
Referee: Iryna Petrunok
Assistants: Eric Krueger, Jordan Price
Fourth official: Kelsey Harms
Weather: 53 degrees and light rain
SCORING SUMMARY
VAN – Jackson Castro (penalty) 60’
VAN – Mateo Clark 63’
TAC – Jackson Khoury (Gallatin Sandnes) 70’
TAC – Yu Tsukanome (Travian Sousa) 74’
TAC – Yu Tsukanome (Danny Robles) 76’
TAC – Yu Tsukanome (Jackson Khoury) 88’
TAC – Sebastian Gomez 90+2’
VAN – Mark O’Neill (Mateo Clark) 90+4’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TAC – Danny Robles (caution) 26’
VAN – Johnny Selemani (caution) 45+4’
VAN – Jackson Castro (caution) 53’
TAC – Cody Baker (caution) 65’
VAN – Cyprian Kachwele (caution) 78’
TAC – Danny Flores (caution) 89’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Jacob Castro; Gallatin Sandnes, Leo Burney (Snyder Brunell 60’), Stuart Hawkins – captain; Charlie Gaffney (Cody Baker HT), Charles Dodzi (Yu Tsukanome 67’), Danny Robles, Birame Diaw (Travian Sousa HT); Edson Carli, Jackson Khoury, Rafferty Pedder (Sebastian Gomez HT)
Substitutes not used: Lars Helleren, Kaito Yamada, Peter Kingston, Joonmo Kang
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 7
Fouls: 16
Offside: 1
Corner-Kicks: 6
Saves: 2
Whitecaps FC 2 – Alexander Milosevic; Nikola Djordjevic (Daniel Russo 63’), Dembo Saidykhan, Mark O’Neill – captain, Deylen Vellios; Jackson Castro, Luca Chen (Danny Flores 77’), Nelson Pierre, Johnny Selemani, Cyprian Kachwele, Mateo Clark
Substitutes not used: Trystan Read, Francesco Troisi, Yuma Tsuji, Kyler Vojvodic
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 14
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 2
