Vancouver Whitecaps beat LAFC 3-0 [Video]

The sting of defeat has lingered for Yohei Takaoka.

It’s been a year since the Japanese goalkeeper and his Vancouver Whitecaps were bounced from the Major League Soccer playoffs by Los Angeles FC. The memory was still fresh as the club prepared to host their rivals in a do-or-die post-season bout again on Sunday.

“We never forgot last year. We lost against them here. We never forget. I never forget,” Takaoka said. “So that’s why I want to show our performance as a team, as a player.”

The Whitecaps exacted some revenge Sunday, beating LAFC 3-0 to level this year’s best-of-three first-round matchup at a game apiece.

Ryan Gauld opened the scoring in the 10th minute, then provided a cross that led to an own goal from LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead four minutes later. An own-goal from Eddie Segura sealed the score at 3-0 in the 68th minute.

Yohei Takaoka stopped three on-target shots for Vancouver and L.A.’s Hugo Lloris …