Cruz Azul secured their seventh Concacaf Champions Cup title with a dominant 5-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps. The scoring started early, just eight minutes in, thanks to Ignacio Rivero capitalizing on a Vancouver error. This opening goal set the tone, and Cruz Azul effectively converted their chances, netting four goals from four shots on target in the first half alone.
This seventh Champions Cup title brings Cruz Azul level with Club America for the most titles in the competition`s history. Their victory was marked by a strong performance, including Angel Sepulveda winning the Golden Boot for the tournament`s top scorer. Sepulveda netted two goals in the final, bringing his total tally to nine. For the Vancouver Whitecaps, their impressive run ended abruptly, a common outcome for MLS teams facing Liga MX opposition in recent finals.
This final was the fourth in a row contested between an MLS team and a Liga MX team, with Liga MX sides winning three of these encounters. Cruz Azul`s overwhelming performance in this match was evident, as Vancouver failed to register a single shot throughout the game and struggled to implement their strategy.
Vancouver was significantly hampered by the absence of midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, who missed the final due to yellow card accumulation. The 23-year-old had been a key player for the Whitecaps during the tournament, stepping up particularly after Ryan Gauld`s injury. Without both players, the team was visibly weakened, a situation often seen with MLS teams reaching this stage.
While playing a final in Mexico presents challenges, Vancouver`s heavy defeat was somewhat surprising given how well coach Jesper Sorensen had prepared them for previous matches. Their path to the final included impressive away draws against Mexican clubs Monterrey and Pumas, but a third trip south of the border proved too difficult to handle.
Vancouver must now quickly regroup and ensure this final disappointment doesn`t negatively impact their strong regular season form, where they currently lead the Western Conference. This match highlighted the ongoing disparity in squad depth and quality between MLS and Liga MX, demonstrating the distance MLS still needs to cover to consistently compete with Mexican clubs. Vancouver faces a quick turnaround, returning to league action by hosting the Seattle Sounders on June 8th.
