Whitecaps extend unbeaten run to 10 in scoreless draw with Minnesota United

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Vancouver's Yohei Takaoka saved the only shot he faced in a scoreless duel with Minnesota United's Dayne St. Clair on Wednesday night as the Whitecaps upped their unbeaten run to 10.

The Whitecaps (9-1-5) have not lost in 15 straight matches through all competitions.

Vancouver heads to the biggest match in club history on Sunday against LIGA MX powerhouse Cruz Azul in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final in Mexico City.

Takaoka posted his seventh clean sheet of the season — one behind St. Clair, the league leader who finished with three saves.

The Whitecaps fall a point behind Philadelphia for first place in the Supporter's Shield race after the Union rallied to beat Toronto FC 2-1 on the road.

Vancouver is 4-0-3 on the road this season and that includes a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United. The Whitecaps' only loss was a 3-1 setback at home to the Chicago Fire on March 22. They've gone 5-0-5 during their run.

Minnesota United improves to 3-2-4 on the road and travels to play the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.

Vancouver will host the Sounders when it returns to MLS action on June 8.

The Whitecaps advanced to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Final at Mexico's Estadio Olímpico Universitario by eliminating three-time champion Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica followed by five-time champion CF Monterrey. Three-time champion Pumas UNAM was sent packing in the quarterfinals and MLS rival Inter Miami and Lionel Messi were ousted in the semifinals.

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Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair (97) grabs the ball out of the air away from Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White (24) during the second half of an MLS soccer match in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Whitecaps' Ranko Veselinovic, back left, uses his head to get the ball on net as Minnesota United's Carlos Harvey defends during the second half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Whitecaps' Ranko Veselinovic, back right, watches the ball after using his head to direct the ball on net during the second half of an MLS soccer match against Minnesota United, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Whitecaps' Jayden Nelson, back centre, attempts a shot against Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair (97) as Michael Boxall, back left, and Nicolas Romero, front left, defend during the second half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Whitecaps' Jayden Nelson, right, leaps over Minnesota United's Michael Boxall as he has the ball taken away during the second half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Whitecaps' J.C. Ngando, front right, and Minnesota United's Robin Lod vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Minnesota United's Bongokuhle Hlongwane, right, stumbles while vying for the ball against Vancouver Whitecaps' Tate Johnson during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Minnesota United's Carlos Harvey, front left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)/The Canadian Press via AP)

Minnesota United's Bongokuhle Hlongwane, left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' J.C. Ngando vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

Vancouver Whitecaps' Bjorn Inge Utvik, front left, defends against Minnesota United's Robin Lod during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

AP Media Writer (AP) — An internal CBS News battle over a “60 Minutes” story critical of the Trump administration has exploded publicly, with a correspondent charging it was kept off the air for political reasons and news chief Bari Weiss saying Monday the story did not “advance the ball.”

Two hours before airtime Sunday, CBS announced that the story where correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi spoke to deportees who had been sent to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison, would not be a part of the show. Weiss, the Free Press founder named CBS News editor-in-chief in October, said it was her decision.

The dispute puts one of journalism's most respected brands — and a frequent target of President Donald Trump — back in the spotlight and amplifies questions about whether Weiss' appointment was a signal that CBS News was headed in a more Trump-friendly direction.

Alfonsi, in an email sent to fellow “60 Minutes” correspondents said the story was factually correct and had been cleared by CBS lawyers and its standards division. But the Trump administration had refused to comment for the story, and Weiss wanted a greater effort made to get their point of view.

“In my view, pulling it now after every rigorous internal check has been met is not an editorial decision, it is a political one,” Alfonsi wrote in the email. She did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Alfonsi said in the email that interviews were sought with or questions directed to — sometimes both — the White House, State Department and Department of Homeland Security.

“Government silence is a statement, not a VETO,” Alfonsi wrote. “Their refusal to be interviewed is a tactical maneuver designed to kill the story. If the administration's refusal to participate becomes a valid reason to spike a story, we have effectively handed them a ‘kill switch’ for any reporting they find inconvenient.”

“Spike” is a journalist's term for killing a story. But Weiss, in a statement, said that she looked forward to airing Alfonsi's piece “when it's ready.”

Speaking Monday at the daily CBS News internal editorial call, Weiss was clearly angered by Alfonsi's memo. A transcript of Weiss' message was provided by CBS News.

“The only newsroom I'm interested in running is one in which we are able to have contentious disagreements about the thorniest editorial matters with respect and, crucially, where we assume the best intent of our colleagues,” Weiss said. “Anything else is completely unacceptable.”

She said that while Alfonsi's story presented powerful testimony about torture at the CECOT prison, The New York Times and other outlets had already done similar work. “To run a story on this subject two months later, we need to do more,” she said. “And this is ‘60 Minutes.’ We need to be able to get the principals on the record and on camera.”

It wasn't clear whether Weiss' involvement in seeking administration comment was sought. She reportedly helped the newscast arrange interviews with Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff this past fall to discuss Trump's Middle East peace efforts. Trump himself was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell on a “60 Minutes” telecast that aired on Nov. 2.

Trump has been sharply critical of “60 Minutes.” He refused to grant the show an interview prior to last fall’s election, then sued the network over how it handled an interview with election opponent Kamala Harris. CBS’ parent Paramount Global agreed to settle the lawsuit by paying Trump $16 million this past summer. More recently, Trump angrily reacted to correspondent Lesley Stahl’s interview with Trump former ally turned critic Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“60 Minutes” was notably tough on Trump during the first months of his second term, particularly in stories done by correspondent Scott Pelley. In accepting an award from USC Annenberg earlier this month for his journalism, Pelley noted that the stories were aired last spring “with an absolute minimum of interference.”

Pelley said that people at “60 Minutes” were concerned about what new ownership installed at Paramount this summer would mean for the broadcast. “It’s early yet, but what I can tell you is we are doing the same kinds of stories with the same kind of rigor, and we have experienced no corporate interference of any kind,” Pelley said then, according to deadline.com.

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

FILE - The CBS logo at the entrance to its headquarters, in New York Dec. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)