Capitalizing on mistakes from the Vancouver Whitecaps, Cruz Azul clinched their seventh Concacaf Champions Cup title in club history with a dominant 5-0 triumph. The scoring began swiftly, with Ignacio Riviero finding the net just eight minutes in after a Vancouver turnover. Cruz Azul displayed clinical finishing, converting four shots on target in the first half into four goals to establish a commanding lead.
This seventh Champions Cup title brings Cruz Azul level with Club America for the most championships in the competition`s history, achieved through a remarkable performance. Forward Angel Sepulveda secured the Golden Boot for the tournament, scoring twice in the final to reach a total of nine goals. In contrast, the impressive run of the Vancouver Whitecaps came to a sudden stop, a frequent outcome for MLS teams in past years when facing Liga MX opposition in the final.
This final marked the fourth consecutive time an MLS side and a Liga MX side have met for the Champions Cup title. Liga MX teams have lifted the trophy in three of these encounters. Reflecting Cruz Azul`s dominance in this match, Vancouver failed to register a single shot and appeared unable to execute their intended strategy.
The absence of Sebastian Berhalter was a significant blow for Vancouver. The 23-year-old midfielder had been instrumental in pacing Vancouver`s midfield throughout the tournament but missed the final due to accumulating yellow cards. Berhalter had capably stepped up following an injury to Ryan Gauld. Without both key players, the team looked significantly weakened, a common sight for MLS teams reaching these finals.
Maintaining composure in such a high-stakes match, particularly one held in Mexico, is inherently difficult. However, considering Jesper Sorensen`s reputation for preparing his team meticulously for various challenges, the extent of this defeat was somewhat surprising. En route to the final, Vancouver had secured valuable away results, including a draw in Monterrey and another against Pumas, but a third trip to Mexico proved too great an obstacle to overcome.
Now, Vancouver must ensure this disappointing final result doesn`t derail their otherwise excellent regular season form, which currently sees them leading the Western Conference. The fundamental disparities in roster depth and quality between MLS and Liga MX remain evident, and games like this underscore the significant progress MLS still needs to make to consistently compete head-to-head with Mexican teams. Vancouver has little time to dwell on the loss as they return to league action, hosting the Seattle Sounders on June 8th.