Vancouver Whitecaps defeat CS Cartaginés 2-0 to Advance to Round of 16 in Concacaf Champions Cup

JORDAN FREW/GATG

On February 25, the Vancouver Whitecaps faced CS Cartaginés in leg 2 of round 1 as a part of the Concacaf Champions Cup competition. In a must win for the Whitecaps, they came out victorious.

The two faced off a week prior in Costa Rica and despite the Whitecaps carrying most of the play, the match ended in a 0-0 draw.

It was Cartaginés who started the match strong, but the home team quickly found their footing.

Many Whitecaps players threatened in the first half, but fell just short. A pass from Jeevan Badwal gave Brian White a wide-open net but he was blocked by a defending Cartaginés player. 

The Cartaginés goalkeeper made a stunning save on Emmanuel Sabbi on a shot that looked like it was going in on the right post. The Cartaginés managed to hold off the Whitecaps for a nil-nil score at the half.

The Whitecaps made a substitution at half, taking off Oliver Larraz for Thomas Müller. 

Unlike the slow start to the first half, the Whitecaps picked up where they left off and applied pressure early. They only had solid chances to show for it, including a Müller header off the post.

Kenji Cabrera finally broke through in the 58th minute to take a 1-0 lead. Sebastian Berhalter took a corner and hit it into the centre, where through the chaos, Tristan Blackmon managed to kick it back to Cabrera who didn’t hesitate to put it in the back of the net.

Cartaginés then flipped it on the Whitecaps, starting to apply their own pressure, but Yohei Takaoka and the Whitecaps were on it to keep their lead.

The Whitecaps doubled their lead in the 80th minute with a goal by Berhalter. AZ passed the ball to Berhalter who shot it, only for it to hit a Cartaginés player. He got his own rebound and put this one into the back of the net to secure the 2-0 win and advance to Round of 16 where they will face Seattle Sounders FC.

Heading into the match Andrés Cubas was one yellow card away from a one-match suspension. With 5  minutes left in regulation, he was shown the yellow card and is now suspended for leg 1 against the Sounders which is on March 12 at BC Place. He will be back for leg 2 on March 18 at One Spokane Stadium.

Before the Whitecaps play the Sounders, they have 2 MLS matchups. They host Toronto FC on February 28, and will be without Sabbi who is serving a one-match suspension, before heading on the road to face the Portland Timbers.