CONCACAF Champions Cup Semi Final: Herons Looking to Wade Through the Whitecaps
by Bradley Gibbs | by Bradley Gibbs
What happened in the first leg?
The first leg of this semi-final tie took place in Canada a week ago. At BC Place, a star-studded Inter Miami side went in search of a positive result ahead of the return leg in Fort Lauderdale, though there was no positive result to be had.
Call it a failure to fire on Vancouver’s artificial surface or chalk it up as nothing other than a below-par effort, but Javier Mascherano’s men struggled to get going in the first leg. Clear-cut opportunities were hard to come by for the Herons, who carved out just two shots on target, creating a rather disappointing expected goals total of 0.46.
In contrast, the hosts created some very promising openings, first when the ever-reliable Brian White nodded home from a delightful Pedro Vite cross, before Sebastian Berhalter hammered home from close range late in the day, with the Whitecaps once again forging a decent opening on the counter.
Having laid quite sturdy foundations in the first leg, the Whitecaps, who’ve only tasted defeat once since the beginning of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, will be looking to finish off the job, and you know what? I wouldn’t be surprised if they did just that.
Both teams looking to make history
One of these teams is poised to make history, there's no doubting that. For both the Herons and the Whitecaps, this game represents a huge opportunity, the chance to play in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final for the first time.
In general, MLS teams have struggled to cut the mustard in this competition, with Mexican teams thriving time and time again in recent years. The Sounders lifted the trophy in 2022, becoming the first Major League Soccer team to achieve continental glory since the LA Galaxy won this competition back in 2000.
Making the final has typically proved beyond most MLS teams in recent years, let alone going all the way. Only three Major League Soccer teams have reached the final of this competition, so one of Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps is about to join a rather exclusive club.
Who are the second-leg danger men?
For the hosts, it’s quite clear that Lionel Messi, who for many is the greatest player ever to grace a soccer field, is the key man. Now very much into the twilight of his career, Messi still pulls the strings for Inter Miami, and he pulls them well, providing ten goals and assists in 12 appearances this season.
If Mascherano’s men are to turn this around, and that's not impossible, they need Messi on the ball as much as possible, so we can expect to see the Argentine in the thick of the action from the word go at Chase Stadium on Wednesday night, that’s for sure.
As far as the visitors are concerned, Pedro Vite and Brian White were the keys to success in the first leg and that won’t change here. Sure, the Whitecaps probably won’t look to be too expansive, but they cannot simply rely on defensive strength, oh no. Instead, Jesper Sorensen’s men must look to make the most of the break, much like they did in the first leg, and just as FC Dallas did when scoring four at Chase Stadium last weekend.
Both White and Vite had their fitness levels preserved at the weekend, with both starting on the bench as the Vancouver boys continued to build momentum by beating the Loons on the road. Therefore, both should be well rested and raring to go from the start in Fort Lauderdale, where the pair that has delivered nine goals and assists in recent weeks could very easily do some deadly damage.
