Miami (AFP) – The Vancouver Whitecaps are aiming to become the first Canadian club to win an international trophy when they face Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Sunday. But if the team, which is enjoying an outstanding season under Danish coach Jesper Sorensen, is to make history they will have to defy the odds yet again.
The two teams will clash at Cruz Azul’s home venue, the Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City, but it is not only home advantage that favours ‘La Maquina’. Cruz Azul have a rich pedigree and can equal Mexican rivals Club America’s record of seven CONCACAF titles with a victory on Sunday. They are part of an elite group of Mexican clubs who have dominated the tournament — in both the Champions Cup and Champions League formats — with 39 titles. Costa Rican clubs have six titles while MLS clubs from the USA have just three.
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The Whitecaps are just the third Canadian team to reach the final, following Toronto in 2018 and Montreal in 2015, and are now hoping to go one better. But they have earned their place after an impressive run in the competition, which saw them beat Costa Rica’s top club Saprissa, upset Mexico’s Monterrey and Pumas, and then outclass Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami to earn a 5-1 aggregate win. Victory would be the first major trophy for the Whitecaps since they entered Major League Soccer in 2011, although the original Whitecaps won the old North American Soccer League in 1979.
The club has gradually built a formidable squad, however, which Sorensen has been able to capitalise on this season.
– Step by Step –
“We had to build this step by step,” Whitecaps CEO and Sporting Director, Axel Schuster, told website onesoccer. “It takes time to build, because in MLS, you cannot change things quickly because of the roster rules that you have,” he added. “Building in MLS takes a little bit longer, but we are feeling good about where we are right now, and I can tell you already, we are already thinking about the next step,” he added.
Striker Brian White is enjoying an excellent campaign and was called into the USA national team by coach Mauricio Pochettino after scoring 15 goals in 21 games this season. But while MLS presents its challenges, it is rare for a team to face the kind of raucous atmosphere that Vancouver can expect to be up against in Mexico City.
Canadian international defender Sam Adekugbe is confident the team can cope, however. “Mexico is a very difficult place to play, I’ve experienced that with the national team, but it’ll be an intense game with a lot of quality, and obviously, the altitude is a big factor, as well, but all we can do is just focus on what got us there and take control of that,” he said.
That task is made harder by the absence of influential midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who is suspended after picking up a yellow card against Miami, although the exciting Ecuadorian international Pedro Vite provides quality in midfield. Cruz Azul will be putting their faith in striker Angel Sepulveda, who is the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals and is ably supported by Poland’s Mateusz Bogusz, who joined from Los Angeles FC in January.
“We’re up against very experienced players with a lot of quality, they’re the best team we’ve faced so far, there’s a reason why they’re in the final,” said Sorensen.
© 2024 AFP
