A Sebastian Berhalter first-half goal combined with Tristan Blackmon’s stunning stoppage-time belter powered Vancouver Whitecaps to overcome Pumas UNAM in their Concacaf Champions Cup quarter-final second leg match in Mexico City Wednesday.
The last-gasp dramatic goal, which helped the Whitecaps draw 2-2 with Pumas in the second leg, was enough to help the Canadian side progress to the semi-finals on away goals and set up a mouthwatering clash with global superstar Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
“It’s amazing being part of something like this,” said Vancouver head coach Jesper Sorensen, who is enjoying some amazing success after taking over in January this year.
“Getting all this so early on, for me as a new coach is unbelievable. But mostly, I’d say I’m happy for everybody. I’m happy for everybody because a lot of people have been working hard in this club for many years, and getting to this stage in the Concacaf is not normal. And we really have to celebrate and enjoy it.”
Vancouver, who qualified for this season’s Concacaf Champions Cup after sealing their third straight TELUS Canadian Championship last year, will compete in the tournament’s semi-final stage for only the second time in their club’s history – the last being in 2017.
Pumas, Whitecaps play down to the wire
The second leg between Vancouver Whitecaps and Pumas UNAM in Mexico City began with a big shock to the home side when the Major League Soccer (MLS) team took the lead early on courtesy of an immaculate backheel kick by midfielder Berhalter in the 33rd minute.
The American was set up brilliantly deep in the Pumas penalty box by Mexican teammate Daniel Rios, who is with the Whitecaps on loan from another Liga MX team Guadalajara.
Rios’s pass was guided nonchalantly by a jumping Berhalter past Pumas goalkeeper Alex Padilla to give Vancouver a 1-0 lead and lift them to a 2-1 overall lead on aggregate.
However, the LIGA MX side bounced back almost immediately to level the score at 1-1 in the 37th minute when forward Guillermo Martinez capitalized on a parried ball from Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka to strike the ball into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.
- Photo gallery: Canada lose to Argentina in international friendly
- Read: Canada beaten by ‘physical’ Argentina in friendly
With both teams mentally prepared for extra time, the match took a dramatic turn in the 88th minute when second-half Pumas substitute Ignacio Pussetto headed a shot at goal, after receiving a superb cross from the left flank, only to be blocked strongly by Takaoka.
The Argentine forward kept his composure and was able to pop the rebounding ball into the Whitecaps goal, giving Pumas UNAM a 2-1 lead and sending the home fans into a frenzy.
But their happiness was short-lived when Vancouver’s consistent attacks were rewarded in the 93rd minute. Defender Edier Ocampo received the ball on the right wing and crossed it into the penalty box hoping for one of his teammates to make a last-ditch attempt at the net.
The ball found Tristan Blackmon, who made an inspiring run to get some space and score a sweet right-footed one-timer equalizer to help the Whitecaps advance on away goals.
“We just made a move and hoped for the best. There’s not much time to use left on the clock, so we just had to try and do something, and it worked out,” said coach Sorensen. “You have this belief always that you can do something, and then it’s up to the players in the end if it can actually happen. And it did.”
Vancouver braced for Messi mania
Earlier in the day, a Messi double inspired Inter Miami to beat fellow MLS side LAFC 3-1 in their equally dramatic second leg match – helping the Herons advance 3-2 on aggregate.
Miami, the defending MLS Supporters’ Shield champions, who set a league record last season in the MLS with 74 points, came into the second leg 1-0 down on aggregate. Their misery deepened further when LAFC went ahead in the 9th minute through Aaron Long.
However, Messi mesmerized the Fort Lauderdale crowd in the 35th minute with a scintillating left-footed screamer before the Argentine beat LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris once again in the 84th minute from the penalty spot to complete a colossal comeback.
The win means Vancouver Whitecaps will now face Inter Miami in the semi-finals with much attention on Messi’s expected appearance in Canada. The last time that the American team travelled to BC for an MLS match, Messi opted not to travel leaving many fans upset.
“This is an attractive opponent, that there are a lot of superstars is a nice side effect of it, but first come to support the Vancouver Whitecaps in an important match,” said Vancouver Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster ahead of the clash with Messi’s Miami.
“This team deserves to get the biggest crowd possible. This team deserves that the city gets behind it and supports them.”
The Caps will host Miami in the first leg of the semi-finals on April 24 at BC Place before flying out to Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the second leg on April 30.
The winner will face either Cruz Azul or Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup final on June 1, with the victor earning a shot to play in the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and qualifying for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
