VANCOUVER, BC – In a tense match at BC Place, Vancouver Whitecaps FC were defeated by Pumas UNAM by a 2-0 margin as the ‘Caps bowed out of the 2024 Leagues Cup.
The match began with both teams having early flashes at goal. Cesar Huerta drilled a shot wide of the post while Sebastian Berhalter did a clever cut inside from the left before firing a shot high after losing his footing.
The ‘Caps were denied a brilliant chance in the 24th minute. Fafa Picault chipped in a beautiful cross from the left into the Pumas box for Levonte Johnson to peel away from his marker and volley a strike towards goal. The goal-bound shot was then miraculously denied by Julio González, who, at full stretch, kept the scores level.
Johnson was rebuffed once more by González just a few minutes later, after being sent in behind by Brian White. Johnson bore down the middle, going one-on-one with González but after trying to place his shot hard and low, was stopped by the hand of the Mexican ‘keeper. Not to be outdone, Yohei Takaoka performed his own piece of great goalkeeping in the 34th minute, getting a hand on a shot from the edge of the box after a short corner.
Not long later, Pumas drew first blood in the 37th minute. Pedro Quispe dribbled into the box and set Cesar Huerta up to smash an effort into the side netting for 1-0.
The second half started with Whitecaps FC raring to get an equalizer. White hit the target after being found near the penalty spot by Ali Ahmed, but his shot went straight into the hands of González.
While the 'Caps searched for a goal, Pumas went on and doubled their lead in the 57th minute. Huerta sent in Ruben Duarte on the left, and Duarte drilled a ball across goal for Jorge Ruvalcaba to tap-in for 2-0.
Despite being two goals down, the ‘Caps stayed true to their task and were relentless in their search for a goal. Ryan Raposo had a chance to halve the deficit around the 75th minute, when Ahmed found Picault in the box, whose touch set Raposo up for a snapshot volley that had to be punched out by González.
Mathías Laborda flashed a header above the bar after rising to meet a Pedro Vite free kick in the 85th minute as the ‘Caps continued to search for a way back into the match.
The 'Caps kept the pressure up for the remainder of the match, trying to get one back on Pumas. White was sent in behind in added time, lifting the ball up and over González just outside the box but was unable to direct it towards goal before it was cleared.
In the end, Pumas held onto their two-goal lead until the final whistle, securing their place into the next round of the Leagues Cup.
Whitecaps FC are scheduled to return to MLS action at home versus Los Angeles FC on Saturday, August 24 at BC Place. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. PT. For ticket information to all Whitecaps FC home matches, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 9,691
Referee: Cesar Ramos
Scoring Summary
36’ – PUM – Cesar Huerta (Pedro Quispe)
57’ – PUM – Jorge Ruvalcaba (Ruben Duarte)
Statistics
Possession: VAN 58.6% - PUM 41.4%
Shots: VAN 9 - PUM 9
Shots on Goal: VAN 5 - PUM 5
Saves: VAN 3 - PUM 5
Fouls: VAN 9 - PUM 12
Offsides: VAN 3 - PUM 1
Corners: VAN 5 - PUM 3
Caution
69’ – VAN – Fafa Picault
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda, 4.Ranko Veselinović (8.Alessandro Schöpf 71’), 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 82’); 22.Ali Ahmed, 45.Pedro Vite, 20.Andrés Cubas ©, 16.Sebastian Berhalter; 11.Fafa Picault (19.Damir Kreilach 82’), 24.Brian White, 28.Levonte Johnson (3.Sam Adekugbe 62’)
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 17.Joe Bendik, 6.Tristan Blackmon, 13.Ralph Priso, 25.Ryan Gauld, 83.Finn Linder
Pumas UNAM
1.Julio González; 2.Pablo Bennevendo, 6.Nathan Silva, 5.Ruben Duarte, 4.Lisandro Magallán; 27.Pedro Quispe (20.Santiago Trigos 79’), 8.José Caicedo; 17.Jorge Ruvalcaba (22.Robert Ergas 68’), 23.Ignacio Pussetto (9.Guillermo Martínez 68’), 12.Cesar Huerta (29.Rogelio Funes Mori 85’), 189.Ángel Rico (15.Ulises Rivas 45’)
Substitutes not used
33.Gil Alcalá, 7.Rodrigo López, 13.Pablo Monroy, 14.Jesús Rivas, 19.Ali Avila, 21.Michell Rodríguez, 233.Carlos Garcia Peralta
