San Diego FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps live updates: West’s best vie for MLS Cup spot against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami

The Whitecaps have plenty of celebrating to do after that first half.

Ali Ahmed outdribbles the San Diego defense and sends a beautiful cross to Brian White, who pops it into goal with his torso for a first-half brace.

Another big missed opportunity in transition for San Diego, as Vancouver is able to serve it out, even as the Whitecaps accidentally give it right back to SDFC.

Overall, that was a very chaotic sequence, with several bodies are hitting the floor before the referee finally blew the whistle, giving San Diego a set piece just inside the attacking third. But even that chance fell flat.

Yohei Takaoka leaps for the save there, as San Diego continues to press towards goal in the final minutes of the first half.

That was some great progression from San Diego, who move the ball down the field. The only thing stopping a goal there was Tate Johnson, who gets a foot on it to send it out of bounds under pressure. San Diego forces a corner kick, and then another — with a shot that hits the post after taking a deflection off Whitecaps keeper Yohei Takaoka.

That leads to another corner kick, before Anders Dreyer’s shot goes over the top. And then there’s another corner, before Vancouver is finally able to clear it.

So that’s four set pieces, and three close calls, in the past several minutes for San Diego. But it stays 2-0 for now.

San Diego midfielder Onni Valakari given a yellow card after a heavy touch.

San Diego gets a dangerous free kick after Jeppe Tverskov gets fouled just outside the box. But SDFC’s first shot is blocked, and their subsequent re-tries are well-defended by Vancouver.

Sebastian Berhalter caps off the chance with a great save to get the ball out of the box. (The San Diego fans wanted a foul called in the box, but the officials rule it clean.)

SDFC’s Luca Bombino strike a shot from distance off a corner kick, but his shot — while well-hit — goes well wide.

Soon after, Sebastian Berhalter tries to make it 3-0 with a sliding shot down the right side, but Sisniega is able to smother it.

The referees officially deem Vancouver’s second goal as an own goal for San Diego goalie Pablo Sisniega.

Keepers own goals are rarer, and while it’s usually unfair to credit a goalie’s attempts to block the ball in the final consequence, that goal would not have gone in if it hadn’t hit Sisniega. As a result, it’s a fair ruling — if a brutal one for San Diego.

Minutes after their first goal, the Whitecaps get a second behind a wild series of rebounds. Emmanuel Sabbi takes the first shot, with Pablo Sisniega getting the save. Then, Ali Ahmed takes a shot off the rebound, and while San Diego’s defense blocks the initial shot, it bounces off the back of Sisniega to give Vancouver a 2-0 lead.

Vancouver capitalizes early, with Brian White fielding a pass from Andres Cubas while deep in the box Cubas set up the play with a great steal and a great assist, and White delivered the final strike.

Very early yellow, as Whitecaps defender Édier Ocampo’s hand drifts back to hit Christopher McVey in the face.

San Diego takes advantage of the chance, with Manu Duah sending a shot outside the box, but Yohei Takaoka is able to easily save it.

Early chance for Vancouver, as Emmanuel Sabbi draws a free kic outside the box, but San Diego is able to clear it despite a few rebounds for the Whitecaps.

And we’re underway in San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium, as Vancouver kicks off the first half.

A notable lineup change for Vancouver: Defender Tristan Blackmon, who received a second yellow card late in the Whitecaps thrilling PK win over LAFC, was suspended for this game by the league for not leaving the field in a timely manner after he was ejected.

As a result, 20-year-old defender Tate Johnson will fill in on the left wing, while Mathías Laborda moves into a centerback role.

With San Diego in its first second, the meetings between the two teams are limited. This season, they met twice. The first game, in June, resulted in a 5-3 San Diego win in Vancouver behind a stunning four-goal haul from Milan Iloski.

The second game, in July, was a 1-1 draw in San Diego, though the Whitecaps’ goal came off a San Diego own goal.

Now that we’ve caught our breath, let’s turn our attention to the Western Conference final, where San Diego FC and Vancouver Whitecaps are set to face off. San Diego dominated the West in its inaugural season, but Vancouver has been up there with them: Both teams earned 63 points, but San Diego took the top spot thanks to a single-game advantage on wins.