By Canadian Press

Whitecaps through to CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals with upset of CF Monterrey

Mar 12, 2025 | 8:58 PM

TORREÓN — The Vancouver Whitecaps are through to the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals after battling CF Monterrey to a 2-2 draw on Wednesday.

The Major League Soccer club took a victory on away goals after the two-legged round-of-16 series finished with a 3-3 aggregate score. The two sides battled to a 1-1 draw at B.C. Place on March 5.

Sergio Canales scored for LIGA MX side Rayados — five-time winners of the Champions Cup — in the fourth minute on Wednesday, and Spanish superstar Sergio Ramos converted a penalty kick in the seventh minute of injury time.

Edier Ocampo and Brian White posted goals for the ‘Caps in the second half.

Vancouver will face either fellow LIGA MX side Pumas UNAM or Costa Rica’s LD Alajulense in the quarterfinals.

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The Whitecaps are now undefeated in their last six outings across all competitions (5-0-1) and will look to start the MLS campaign with a fourth straight league win when they visit FC Dallas on Saturday.

Canales opened the scoring in the fourth minute, collecting a cross into the box and slotting it in past Vancouver goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer without hesitation.

The Whitecaps regrouped and began to control play late in the first half.

Sebastian Berhalter had a prime opportunity to get the MLS club on the board in the 31st minute with a free kick from the top of the penalty area. The American midfielder launched a shot, but the ball sailed well over the crossbar.

There were some nervous moments for Vancouver when Boehmer went down in the 36th minute, grimacing as he grabbed his right leg. A trainer came out onto the field to look at the ‘keeper and, after several minutes, Boehmer stood up and gave the bench a thumbs up before play resumed.

The ‘Caps played without captain Ryan Gauld on Wednesday after the Scottish attacking midfielder went down in the team’s 2-0 victory over Montreal last Saturday. Vancouver has said Gauld suffered a left knee capsule sprain and will be out “a few weeks.”

The visiting side made four changes across the second half in a bid to add some offensive firepower.

The club’s first substitution saw towering defender Belal Halbouni replaced with Mathias Laborda and midfielder JC Ngando on for rookie Tate Johnson.

Pedro Vite set up the equalizer in the 57th minute, chipping a pass to Ocampo. The Ecuadorean wingback blasted a shot past Monterrey ‘keeper Esteban Andrada to level the score at 1-1 with his first goal as a Whitecap.

White — who came on for Daniel Rios in the 58th minute — gave Vancouver the lead in the 78th minute, sending a right-footed shot in from near the penalty spot to give Vancouver a 2-1 lead. It was the American striker’s fourth goal across all competitions this season.

Monterrey came within inches in the 81st minute when Canales sent a ball just wide of the post off a free kick. Nelson Deossa Suarez got the rebound and directed it on net, only to see the shot ping off the crossbar.

Rayados were gifted a penalty kick in the seventh minute of injury time when officials determined after a video review that Vancouver defender Ranko Veselinovic took a ball off his hand inside the penalty area.

Ramos — who did not travel to Vancouver for the first leg of the series — took the penalty kick. He stutter stepped, then sent a rolling shot into the bottom corner of the net to level the score at 2-2.

Vancouver was granted the win because it scored two away goals in the series, while Monterrey had one.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2025.

The Canadian Press

<!– Photo: 7bd7ddd3ecd5e1b46d0faed91917c1c5f45b51dbe7eb550d8716ba8e957ff56e.jpg, Caption:

Ali Ahmed of Canada’s Vancouver Whitecaps, left, and Stefan Medina of Mexico’s Monterrey fight for the ball during a CONCACAF Champions Cup soccer match at Corona stadium in Torreon, Mexico, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Jesus Gonzalez)

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