Nono brace propels D.C. United to 3-3 comeback draw at Vancouver Whitecaps: Match report

Missing big names in their attack, D.C. United was not expected to survive a toe-to-toe battle with a contender like the Vancouver Whitecaps.

However, Saturday's wild 3-3 road draw was no accident, with the Black-and-Red showing real resilience against one of MLS's top sides. Kimito Nono scored goals in each half, helping United come back from two different deficits at BC Place.

With MLS scheduling a round of games during this extended FIFA international window, United kicked off without Tai Baribo and Louis Munteanu, who accounted for 20 of the team's 31 regular season goals coming into the match. Vancouver, missing seven through call-ups and three more to injury, could hardly offer much sympathy.

D.C. got off to a good enough start, but they had to ride their luck in the 10th minute as Brian White headed wide of an empty net after beating Sean Johnson to a Whitecaps corner.

Nono had been a pest going the other way, and his efforts paid off following a 16th-minute corner kick for the visitors.

Keisuke Kurokawa's initial service was crowded out, but given a second chance, the left back picked out Nathan Ordaz at the back post. Ordaz's shot was deflected by Thomas Müller, but had enough on it to carry on into Nono's path, where — despite Mathías Laborda's frenzied efforts from the ground — the Japanese newcomer punched home his first MLS goal.

The Black-and-Red carried on with an aggressive gameplan, but Vancouver were able to equalize from a counter-attack. The Whitecaps quickly moved the ball out to Bruno Caicedo on the left, and the Ecuadorian had eyes for Emmanuel Sabbi with a cutback.

That service didn't work as Sabbi stumbled on a treacherous BC Place turf surface, but the ball bobbled into the path of White, who smashed an equalizer into the roof of the net after his initial bid was blocked.

Play remained stretched. Johnson did well to deny Tate Johnson's 19-yard shot through traffic, while the United goalkeeper's long ball picked Nono out to set up a dicing dribble past two defenders before ripping a shot that slammed into Yohei Takaoka's ribcage.

It had been an even first half, but the Whitecaps showed their class by snatching the lead just before the break. Caicedo initially looked to attack Silvan Hefti 1-v-1, but shifted to play a give-and-go with Müller instead. The ex-Bayern Munich star's return pass was perfect, and Caicedo met it with a clinical shot into the opposite corner.

Nono zipped a half-volley just over the bar after Ordaz's chip picked him out on the counter, but the early stages of the second half saw both teams managing to interfere when their foe looked to get on the attack.

United needed a break, and got one as the Whitecaps coughed up a corner kick out of nothing in the 65th minute. Given the opening, D.C. pounced, with Kurokawa's near-post delivery picking out Lucas Bartlett for a textbook header to level the scores.

Other than his assist, Müller had been kept quiet, but the World Cup winner started to come to life in response. A 70th-minute shot missed the top corner by about a foot, while Brandon Servania's intervention did just enough to prevent a combination between Müller and White from turning into more.

Finally, a 72nd-minute pass found Müller between United's lines, and the veteran wouldn't be denied again. Surging forward, Müller wasn't closed down, and the Whitecaps captain duly picked out the bottom corner with cruel confidence.

It was an intimidating response, but United wasn't scared off. Nikola Markovic's floating header after a 78th-minute corner had to be hacked off the line by Laborda, kicking off a spell of prolonged pressure.

As a result, Bartlett stayed forward after yet another corner, flicking on a Johnson long ball, and suddenly Vancouver were out of shape. Hosei Kijima seized on the resulting hesitation to swing the ball to the back post, where Nono arrived to equalize with a blistering volley.

United managed the game's final minutes with a mix of simplicity on the ball and bravery as Vancouver pumped crosses into the area seeking one last chance. Laborda did get a good look deep into stoppage time, but his first-time shot flashed wide in the game's final seconds.

In the end, United (6-12-8) got an unexpected, and potentially valuable, result over the finish line. Their next match will come in a friendly against Bundesliga side SC Paderborn 07, with kickoff at Audi Field set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Their next MLS assignment is another tough one: an October 10 assignment at Inter Miami.

Box score — MLS regular season (game 26)
9/26/2026

Vancouver Whitecaps 3 (White 25, Caicedo 48+, Müller 72)
D.C. United 3 (Nono 16, 80; Bartlett 65)

Lineups:
Whitecaps (4231): Yohei Takaoka; Rui Modesto (Sam Adekugbe 85), Tristan Blackmon, Mathías Laborda, Tate Johnson; Aleksa Cvetković, Oli Larraz (Johnny Celemani 85); Emmanuel Sabbi (Ryan Gauld 67), Thomas Müller (C), Bruno Caicedo; Brian White

DCU (442): Sean Johnson; Silvan Hefti (Brandon Servania 70), Lucas Bartlett (C), Kye Rowles, Keisuke Kurokawa; Kimito Nono, Jackson Hopkins (Nikola Markovic 46 - CS), Andre Dozzell, Hosei Kijima (Conner Antley 86); Nathan Ordaz (Sean Nealis 86), João Peglow (Jared Stroud 70)

(* denotes concussion substitution)

Bookings:
Whitecaps - None
DCU - Rowles 23

Referee: Fotis Bazakos
Weather: Partly cloudy, 56°
Attendance: 26,080