Vancouver Whitecaps' "secret ingredient" Ryan Gauld torments ...

Needing a massive road performance at Providence Park in their Wild Card game against rival Portland Timbers on Wednesday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC certainly delivered one.

Fueled by a match – and goal – for the ages from Scottish standout Ryan Gauld, the No. 8 seed Whitecaps stunned the No. 9 seed Timbers 5-0 in Wednesday's Cascadia showdown. The emphatic result sets up a Round One Best-of-3 series clash with No. 1 seed LAFC starting on Sunday (9:45 pm ET | Apple TV - Free; FS1).

“I thought overall as a team performance, we were excellent,” midfielder Stuart Armstrong said afterward. “It’s huge for the confidence – we definitely needed it.”

Vancouver, who entered the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs stumbling, wasted little time jumping all over the Timbers.

Gauld opened the scoring with his first of the night 20 minutes into the contest, completing the hat trick just before the hour mark.

“I knew that we could play a very good game,” Whitecaps manager Vanni Sartini said. “We’re very happy – it was a fantastic game. Everything went in the right direction. In the last two games, everything went in the wrong direction … Today went totally in our direction.”

That turn of fortune was evident on Gauld’s second goal of the game, and Vancouver’s third, which was a highlight-reel lofted half-volley. The strike was assisted by Armstrong – Gauld's Scottish compatriot and recently-signed Designated Player.

“Pure elegance,” Armstrong said. “A wonderful, wonderful goal.”

Special significance

It was a long-awaited attacking explosion, and it came at the expense of their Cascadia rival.

“It’s very sweet,” Sartini said. “I know for the fans, it means a lot.”

Armstrong, who has missed time with injury since his early-September arrival, finished with a goal and two assists. The Whitecaps’ attack was clicking on all cylinders.

“The guys up top did fantastic work,” Sartini said. “It was possible because of the work rate of everyone. It was very hard for them to break us.”

With his three goals and one assist, Gauld became just the third player to have at least four goal contributions in a playoff match, joining Sebastian Giovinco and Landon Donovan.

“We have a secret ingredient, and it’s called Ryan Gauld,” Sartini said. “When Ryan leads the team like he did today, it makes it easier for everyone else. What he did today is astonishing.”

The performance was a stark contrast to the end of their regular season campaign, which saw them go winless over their final seven matches.

LAFC looms

With a difficult road test in Portland, few expected Vancouver to make a dent in the postseason. But this performance could bode well as they set their sights on scoring a massive upset against the Black & Gold.

“We gelled really well tonight,” Gauld said. “It’s been hard coming into this game, the run of results we had … It shows that when we piece it together and play to the level that we know we can, we’re a really good side.”

They’ll have to deal with a juggernaut in first-place LAFC on the road on Sunday, who eliminated them from the postseason in last year’s Round One series.

“The games count double in the playoffs,” Sartini said. “We have a goal as a team to go there, be in their face, and be as aggressive as we can be.”