LOS ANGELES — Hoping a return to MLS play after two weeks at the FIFA Club World Cup would push the LAFC in a positive direction to start the second half of the season wasn’t enough Sunday.

The Vancouver Whitecaps held down LAFC, making a 1-0 lead last through the final whistle as it sought to remain near the top of the race in the Western Conference.

Exiting the Club World Cup after three group stage matches, LAFC returned to BMO Stadium with games in hand and was poised to make a run toward the top of the standings.

But after conceding five goals and the top spot in the West to San Diego on Wednesday, Vancouver (11-3-5, 38 points) reaffirmed its status as the least-scored-upon unit in MLS (19 goals allowed) by preserving the clean sheet.

It was the third time this year in league competition that LAFC (7-5-5, 26 points) failed to connect on a goal.

Instead, for the seventh time in its last eight games, LAFC conceded the opening goal, when, in the 20th minute, Vancouver forward Emmanuel Sabbi cashed in a play he initiated at midfield.

Maintaining his balance with the ball before connecting on a give-and-go with midfielder Jeevan Baldwal, Sabbi moved deep into the box, controlled Baldwal’s driving cross, and in one fell swoop struck his shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper David Ochoa, who received his first bit of playing time in place of Hugo Lloris since joining LAFC last season.

Midway through the MLS regular-season schedule, the Black & Gold is now 1-5-4 when falling behind first.

Vancouver, which drew LAFC 2-2 at home in May, entered the contest missing seven players, including 2025 MLS All-Stars Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter, who are with the U.S. men’s national team at the Gold Cup.

Appearing in his final game with LAFC after Friday’s announcement that they had mutually agreed to part ways, Olivier Giroud joined Denis Bouanga and Javairô Dilrosun in the attack for his first MLS start since April 27.

Giroud tried to make a difference in the game, drilling a left-footed shot over the bar in the 17th and taking a turn-around shot inside the box before halftime, but mostly the 38-year-old French striker’s effort looked like many of his other matches with L.A. — a step slow, a hair off. Just not sharp enough.

Despite delivering well below the difference-making expectations he arrived with last summer, the announced crowd of 22,126 wished him a fond farewell when he was removed in the 60th minute for LAFC homegrown Nathan Ordaz.

LAFC had gone nine unbeaten in MLS matches going back to April 12, including a 4-0-1 run at home.