Cruz Azul vs Vancouver

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Cruz Azul: CONCACAF Champions Cup Final Preview

The Vancouver Whitecaps aim to make history as the first Canadian club to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup, facing off against Cruz Azul in the final at Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City on Sunday.

Cruz Azul secured their spot in the final with a 1-0 victory over Tigres in the second leg of the semi-finals, advancing 2-1 on aggregate. Meanwhile, the Whitecaps pulled off a stunning upset, defeating Inter Miami 3-1 in Fort Lauderdale to advance 5-1 on aggregate.

Cruz Azul, appearing in their record ninth final, have a chance to claim a seventh Champions Cup title, tying Club America for the most in history. Under Vicente Sanchez, Los Celestes have been dominant, outscoring their four opponents 15-3 in the tournament. They are unbeaten at home, going 4-0 with three clean sheets at Estadio Olimpico Universitario. Cruz Azul have won their last eight home matches in Mexico City and have not trailed at any point in this year’s competition.

Their only loss in 2025 when scoring first was a 2-1 defeat to Club America in the Clausura semi-finals, where they were eliminated due to a lower seeding. Against MLS teams, Cruz Azul remain unbeaten at home in Champions Cup matches, including a 4-1 win over the Seattle Sounders in this year’s round of 16.

The Whitecaps’ journey to the final has been a tale of resilience. Coached by Jesper Sorensen, Vancouver overcame a first-round loss to Saprissa and battled from behind in the second legs of their last three ties to advance. They are the third Canadian team to reach the final, following Toronto’s penalty shootout loss to Chivas in 2018 and CF Montreal’s 5-3 aggregate defeat to Club America in 2015.

While the Caps have never beaten a Liga MX team on Mexican soil, they’ve scored four goals across two matches in Mexico, eliminating Pumas and Monterrey on away goals.No MLS team has won a Champions Cup final in Mexico after 90 minutes, though the Seattle Sounders managed a 2-2 comeback draw against Pumas in 2023 at Estadio Olimpico Universitario, later winning the title 3-0 in the second leg.

Vancouver enters the final on a remarkable 15-match unbeaten streak, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown.