Cruz Azul secured their seventh Concacaf Champions Cup title with a dominant 5-0 victory, taking advantage of errors made by the Vancouver Whitecaps. Ignacio Riviero wasted no time, scoring just eight minutes in following a Vancouver turnover, setting the stage for a cascade of goals. Cruz Azul was clinical, netting four goals from their first four shots on target to establish a significant lead before halftime.
This victory brings Cruz Azul level with Club America, both now holding a record seven wins in the competition`s history, achieved through a commanding display. Angel Sepulveda was a standout performer, securing the Golden Boot as the tournament`s top scorer with nine goals, including a brace in the final. For Vancouver, their promising run ended abruptly, mirroring the typical outcome for MLS teams facing Liga MX in this competition.
This final marked the fourth straight year an MLS team has met a Liga MX opponent for the Champions Cup trophy; Liga MX teams have won three of these encounters. Cruz Azul`s overwhelming performance meant Vancouver couldn`t register a single shot and failed to implement their strategy.
Vancouver`s chances were significantly hampered by the absence of Sebastian Berhalter, whose strong midfield play had been crucial throughout the tournament. The 23-year-old missed the final due to accumulated yellow cards. Berhalter had effectively stepped into the role left vacant by the injured Ryan Gauld. Without these key midfielders, the Whitecaps appeared a diminished side, a recurring theme for MLS teams reaching this stage.
Maintaining composure under pressure is challenging in a final, particularly when played in Mexico. While Jesper Sorensen`s team had shown resilience on their path to the final, securing away draws against Monterrey and Pumas, their performance level dropped surprisingly in this match. A third demanding trip to Mexico ultimately proved insurmountable.
Vancouver must now rebound from this significant disappointment and ensure it doesn`t negatively impact their strong start to the regular MLS season, where they currently lead the Western Conference. Matches like this highlight the persistent gap in roster depth and quality between MLS and Liga MX, illustrating the progress needed for MLS clubs to consistently compete. There`s little downtime for Vancouver, as they return to MLS action by hosting the Seattle Sounders on June 8.
