Vancouver Whitecaps on Verge of Concacaf Champions Cup Final: "We’re Close"
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC are on the brink of making history as they prepare to take on Inter Miami CF in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal Leg 2 match at Chase Stadium tonight. According to midfielder Ali Ahmed, the team is focused on securing a spot in the final, but is well aware of the challenges ahead.
"We’re close, but still far away," Ahmed said, as quoted in an article by MLS Soccer. "Especially going against Inter Miami, we know what we’re up against and who they have. They’re a special team. We know the job’s not even close to being done and we’re going to have to dig deep."
The Whitecaps enter the match with a 2-0 aggregate lead after Sebastian Berhalter and Brian White scored at BC Place last Thursday. However, they will need to maintain their form to overcome the Miami-based team. As MLS Soccer reports, Vancouver have produced inspired performances in each Leg 2 match of their remarkable CCC run, including a 2-0 win over Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa and a 2-2 road draw against CF Monterrey.
Head coach Jesper Sørensen’s squad has stepped up when the going gets tough, and they will need to do so again tonight. "We know that we have a lead, but we’ve seen in many games that can be a little fragile," Sørensen said, as cited in the MLS Soccer article. "And the last two times we’ve been away, in the second leg, we knew that we had to go out and at least score a goal to produce a result. So it has to be a very balanced approach again, but we also know that scoring a goal here would be huge for us."
The Whitecaps have been in impressive form this season, topping the MLS Western Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings. Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka attributed their success to the team’s unity and structure, which has been built since Sørensen’s arrival three-and-a-half months ago. "We are all connected on the pitch and off the pitch," Takaoka said, as quoted in the MLS Soccer article. "Since Jesper joined the club, we keep building our structure and we’re improving a lot."
A win tonight would book the Whitecaps’ place in the CCC final on June 1, where they would face either LIGA MX’s Cruz Azul or Tigres UANL. As MLS Soccer notes, Sørensen is focused on maintaining his team’s momentum and believes in their ability to secure a spot in the final. "We would rather be here with a 2-0 lead than the other guys," Sørensen said. "The other times we’ve been here with a 1-1 draw. We also know that we’re up against a good team where a lot can happen during the 90 or even 120 minutes if we have to go that way."
The Vancouver Whitecaps are on the verge of making history, and their fans will be eagerly anticipating tonight’s match. Will they be able to secure a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup final? Only time will tell.
