Whitecaps open Concacaf quarterfinal with draw

Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe

Vancouver Whitecaps 1-1 UNAM Pumas 

VANCOUVER, BC–Vancouver Whitecaps will need to get at least one away goal to keep their Concacaf Champions Cup hopes alive after playing to a 1-1 draw with Pumas in the first leg of their quarterfinal. It was a match that the Whitecaps controlled for most of the match, but were unable to break through until the 71st minute when a scramble in front of the Pumas’ area off a corner ended with Brian White getting the final touch to bundle the ball over the line to give the hosts the lead.

Photo: Gerrit te Hennepe

However, three minutes from time, Pumas had a corner of their own and former Houston Dynamo player Carlos Carrasquilla would strike on the volley on the ensuing kick past Yohei Takaoka to level the tie. Emmanuel Sabbi had a last chance to put the Whitecaps back ahead, but Pumas keeper Alex Padilla pushed the ball onto the bar.

The second leg will be next Wednesday at 7:30pm PT at Pumas (FS1/ONE Soccer/TUDN/UniMás). Before that, the Whitecaps will host Colorado in league play on Saturday at 6:30pm PT on Apple TV.

For more of Gerrit te Hennepe’s photos from the night at BC Place, please click on the link to his gallery.

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