Heartbreak For Vancouver Whitecaps As Cruz Azul Claim CONCACAF Crown
Written by Patrick Echatah
On Sunday night, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC were comprehensive beaten by LIGA MX’s Cruz Azul in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
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The match, held at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City, ended with a dominant 5-0 victory for Cruz Azul.
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Cruz Azul’s win was fueled by their clinical finishing on counter-attacks. Early goals from Ignacio Rivero and Lorenzo Faravelli, both scored within the first half-hour, stemmed from midfield turnovers by the Whitecaps, which Cruz Azul expertly exploited.
Vancouver Whitecaps found themselves trailing 4-0 at halftime, largely due to a goal from former LAFC player Mateusz Bogusz just before the break. This came as Ángel Sepúlveda had already scored twice, ultimately earning him the CCC Golden Boot with nine goals.
To address the significant deficit and change their approach, head coach Jesper Sørensen made strategic halftime substitutions, bringing in Emmanuel Sabbi and Mathías Laborda.
Despite the high stakes of a prestigious continental tournament—including a trophy, prize money, and qualifications for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup—the Canadian team was unable to reverse their fortunes, leading to the end of their impressive 15-match unbeaten streak across all competitions.
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Vancouver Whitecaps went into the final full of confidence after their impressive run through the knockout rounds. They secured aggregate victories on away goals against Mexican powerhouses CF Monterrey in the Round of 16 and Pumas UNAM in the quarterfinals.
Their Cinderella story continued when they pulled off a stunning upset against Inter Miami CF in the semifinals. However, their magical run came to an end in the final against Cruz Azul, who claimed their seventh CONCACAF Champions Cup (CCC) title, matching Club América’s record.
Despite their strong belief, Vancouver was decisively defeated in the final. It’s fair to wonder if the outcome would have been different had key midfielders Ryan Gauld (out due to injury) and Sebastian Berhalter (serving a suspension) been available.
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