Lionel Messi was the headliner but the Vancouver Whitecaps used grit and desire to steal the show.
Striker Brian White scored in the 24th minute and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter sealed the win with a goal in the 84th as the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Messi’s Inter Miami CF 2-0 Thursday night in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal.
All week the talk was about how bright Messi might shine in Vancouver, but he was overshadowed by the Whitecaps’ determination.
“It’s always been our identity,” Berhalter said after the game. “We know we’re good players. We just want to go out there and win.
“That’s been our motto the whole season, sticking together. Whatever happens, we have each other’s back.”
Many in the record crowd of 53,837 at BC Place Stadium came to watch Messi. They weren’t disappointed when the Argentine superstar played the entire match. Joining him in the star-studded kickoff was Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets, forward Luis Suarez of Uruguay and defender Jordi Alba from Spain.
Despite Miami’s star power, it was White who earned one of the loudest roars from the crowd when he headed a pass from midfielder Pedro Vite past Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. It was the striker’s 10th goal across all competitions this season and fourth of the tournament.
Berhalter salted the game away after forward Jayden Nelson slipped a pass across the front of the Miami net. Berhalter banged a shot into the upper corner of the goal.
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Whitecaps coach Jesper Sorensen was pleased with the outcome but wasn’t happy with the process.
“We created some good chances but overall our play lacked some,” he said. “The result was amazing. We had to defend more than we had anticipated (but) I think everybody leaned on each other and helped out in a difficult game.”
Maimi coach Javier Mascherano knows his team has dug itself into a hole heading into Wednesday’s second game of the series at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“They deserved to win,” said Mascherano. “We will try to analyze it in the next days to see what happened and try to change.
“We will try to come back. It’s difficult but it’s not impossible.”
The series winner will advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against either Cruz Azul or Tigres UNAL on June 1.
The crowd was the largest of the Whitecaps Major Soccer League era and third largest in team history.
Messi disappointed many fans when he didn’t travel to Vancouver last year for Miami’s regular-season MLS game against the Whitecaps. That could explain the mixture of cheers and boos when ever he touched the ball.
The reigning MLS MVP produced some oohs in the 11th minute when he took the ball, made a couple smooth moves around defenders, then sent a long pass to the corner of the net that was deflected away by a Whitecaps header.
Messi threatened in the 18th minute. He weaved through the defence then took sharp angle shot from the corner of the net that was stopped, then cleared by defender Ranko Veselinovic. He had another shot in the 36th minute, blasting a ball from outside the box through a crowd that Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped.
Later in the first half, Messi and Vancouver midfielder Andres Cubas looked to exchange words.
The Whitecaps controlled most of the first half, but Miami found their legs in the second. Despite creating plenty of pressure the Whitecaps defenders weathered the storm and were rewarded with Berhalter’s goal.
“Our back line was incredible,” said Berhalter. “These guys have been solid all year. It was a good team performance.”
The Whitecaps head to Miami with a huge advantage but Berhalter knows it’s not an insurmountable lead.
“We’ve just got to keep playing the way we’re playing,” he said. “We can’t sit back. We’re going to be aggressive and still go get our goals.”
The Whitecaps reached the tournament semifinals back in 2017.
Vancouver advanced to the semifinal by defeating Pumas UNAM 3-3 on aggregate score on away goals. Miami defeated LAFC 3-2 on aggregate goals.
The CONCACAF Champions Cup features the best teams from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean to crown a regional champion and to qualify for the next FIFA Club World Cup.
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