RECAP: Whitecaps take commanding 2-0 Cup semifinal lead over Inter Miami
Brian White and Sebastian Berhalter scored and the ‘Caps’ defense stifled the Herons’ attack at BC Place. Miami will need at least three goals at home Wednesday to advance to the Champions Cup final.
Jayden Nelson of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC reacts during the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against Inter Miami CF Thursday at BC Place. PHOTO: Rich Lam/Getty Images
Mascherano: ‘They were better than us and deserved to win’
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano summed up his team’s 2-0 loss Thursday to the Vancouver Whitecaps in 14 words:
“Not too much to say, they were better than us and deserved to win.”
The Canadian side, playing in front of a BC Place-record 53,857 fans, take a commanding 2-0 aggregate lead into the second leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal Wednesday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
U.S. Men’s National Team striker Brian White and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, son of Chicago Fire and former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, scored in the 24th and 85th minutes, respectively, and the Whitecaps’ quick, disciplined defense frustrated Miami’s unimaginative attack.
Despite dominating possession (69 percent), the Herons’ managed just two shots on goal, one in each half. Miami outshot the Whitecaps (10-8) but the home side put five shots on target.
The Herons’ offense has struggled to score in April, with just six goals in six matches — three April 9 in the quarterfinal win against Los Angeles FC. LAFC had shut down Inter Miami in the first leg of the quarterfinals, packing the box and conceding the wings to keep the Herons from dribbling, passing or running freely in front of goal. The Herons can expect similar tactics until they find a solution.
The strategy seems to confuse and frustrate Miami’s players; with space condensed, they don’t know how to attack. Too often, their instinct is to look for Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba or Sergio Busquets and trust the veterans to make something happen.
That tunnel vision causes Herons players to miss their own opportunities to shoot, make a progressive pass, drive with the ball at their feet or simply make strategic runs to move defenders.
Next in the Cup: The Final
Whichever team survives the semifinal will meet the winner between Liga MX sides Tigres UANL and Cruz Azul in the Champions Cup final June 1. The Mexican powers played to a 1-1 draw Wednesday at Tigres’ home stadium in the Monterrey suburbs; the away goal gives Cruz Azul an advantage headed into the decisive leg Thursday in Mexico City.
The Cup championship is a one-leg, winner-take-all final played at the stadium of the finalist with the better record in the competition.
Away goals matter more
The away goal is a huge advantage: if the aggregate score is tied after both matches, the team who scored more goals on its opponent’s pitch advances.
Looking ahead, if Miami wins 2-0 at home, the Herons and ‘Caps will be tied 2-apiece on aggregate goals. The sides would play two 15-minute extra-time periods and, if still tied, a penalty shootout will determine the winner.
The Herons need to win by at least three goals to ensure a spot in the June 1 final. A 3-0 Inter Miami win would put the Herons’ through (3-2 on aggregate), but if the final Wednesday is 3-1 (3-3 on aggregate), the ‘Caps would win because of the away goal.
If Vancouver scores twice, Miami would need five goals to win, and so on.
‘It’s difficult, but not impossible.’
Mascherano recognizes the challenge.
“We will try to analyze what happened and try to change and try to come back. It’s difficult, but not impossible,” he said after Thursday’s loss, according to Miami Herald soccer writer Michelle Kaufman (read her story here). “One more game to play, we will try to come back, score goals, and win the game in Miami. We will have our fans behind us, so we can do it.”
The Herons faced a similar challenge against Los Angeles FC in the quarterfinals, losing 1-0 in L.A. and going down a goal at home before scoring three unanswered to claim a 3-2 aggregate win.
But the Whitecaps, under new head coach Jesper Sorensen, have been among Major League Soccer’s most balanced — and most effective — sides. Vancouver (6-1-2) leads the Supporters Shield and Western Conference tables with an MLS-most 20 points. It’s Cup record (2-1-4) isn’t as impressive until you realize they eliminated Liga MX stalwarts CF Monterrey and Pumas UNAM without winning a match. The ‘Caps tied both clubs 1-all in Vancouver and 2-2 in Monterrey and Mexico City, winning both rounds on the away-goal tiebreaker.
Next up
Before next week’s showdown, both the ‘Caps and Herons have regular season league matches to play (both moved from Saturday to Sunday to accommodate the Cup playoffs).
Vancouver has the more impactful date, playing at 1 p.m. Sunday at Minnesota FC. The Loons (4-1-4, 16 points) are tied on points with Austin FC, but hold second place thanks to a better goal differential (4 to minus-1). The first-place Whitecaps, by comparison, have scored a league-high 17 goals and allowed just 6 (tied for the league’s fewest) for a differential of 11, another league-leading figure through nine matches.
Inter Miami will host FC Dallas (3-3-3, 12 points) at 4 p.m. ET Sunday. The Texans are ninth in the Western Conference.
‘… nothing to lose’
Mascherano has less than a week to solve Miami’s offensive woes. Expect a lot of new faces to play Sunday against Dallas so Miami’s starters are well-rested and fresh for Wednesday’s challenge.
“I still believe in this team, and we are going to find a way to play a good game in Miami and try to come back,” Mascherano said. “We have nothing to lose.”