01-05-2025
Five moments that mark the Whitecaps' path to the Champions Cup Final
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The Vancouver Whitecaps are, depending on your perspective, either a Cinderella or an ogre.
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On one side, you have pundits like TSN's Herculez Gomez saying the Whitecaps qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions Cup final is both a public-relations nightmare for Major League Soccer and a TV ratings disaster.
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On the other, those who recognize this fairy-tale run for what it is — a historic moment for a Canadian franchise that has been battered, bruised and brushed aside for more than a decade.
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'We're dreamers,' said midfielder Sebastian Berhalter. 'Why not (us), right? Why not? We're a small-market club, but why not? Why not win the whole thing? And we've been saying it since Day 1 — we're about trophies. This club wants to win trophies. That's why we're here. That's why we're in the finals.'
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With their thorough domination of the scoresheet in their two-leg semifinal series over Inter Miami, dispatching the reigning Supporters' Shield champs and pre-season favourites, the Whitecaps have booked their spot in the single-game title tilt.
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They will play either Cruz Azul or UANL Tigres, who play their second leg Thursday night. Azul has a nose in front with their away goal scored in their 1-1 first leg in Monterrey last week.
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The final, on June 1, will be either in Mexico or at B.C. Place, depending on the outcome of Thursday's game.
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Like any good story, the Whitecaps CCC run has its moments of triumph, pain, and resilience. Here's a look at the five most critical moments in their tournament this year.
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The Whitecaps are on standby mode to see who they will face in the final, but more importantly, where they'll be playing. In short, Vancouver needs the Liga MX sides to tie, with 3-3 or fewer goals, for the Caps to host the game. Otherwise, the game will be in the victor's home stadium.
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In the round of 16, the Whitecaps found themselves leading Monterrey 2-1 in the game's dying throes. The two goals they'd scored on the road — courtesy of Brian White and Edier Ocampo — had overturned the single away goal they'd conceded to the Mexicans in a 1-1 tie the week before in Vancouver.
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But the VAR gods weren't done with the Caps, with Ranko Veselinovic adjudged to have made a handball infraction in the 97th minute. The call was borderline and arguable, but Sergio Ramos sent the stutter-stepping penalty home to tie the score. It didn't affect the outcome, with the whistle blowing moments later and the Caps advancing on away goals, but it cost Vancouver two points — points that now would have let them clinch hosting the final.
