Whitecaps Advance in Leagues Cup

Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1 Club Tijuana

VANCOUVER, BC—Vancouver Whitecaps advanced to the League Cup Round of 32 with a 3-1 win over Club Tijuana of Liga MX. The win gives them top spot of West Group 7 and a Wednesday home match against UNAM Pumas in the Round of 32, while Tijuana is eliminated.

FC Tijuana took the lead just eight minutes in as Kevin Castañeda picked up a ball at the top of the box and beat Yohei Takaoka with the shot. 

Vancouver responded four minutes into the second half on a counter attack. After Takaoka made a save on Jaime Alvarez, he sent a long ball to midfield and Levonte Johnson would set up Fafa Picault on a run and beat Antonio Rodriguez far post for the equalizer.

Rodriguez would leave the match with an injury and Jesus Corona would enter as a substitute. After two good saves, Corona would be picking the ball out of the ball of the net after a mid-speed shot from Johnson got by him. 

Tijuana would be reduced to ten men in the 81st minute after Aaron Meija dragged back Picault in an obvious denial of a goal scoring opportunity.

Vancouver would make the most of another opportunity two minutes later as a Tijuana attempt to play it out of the back was intercepted by Picault who fed to Pedro Vite for the insurance goal. 

The Whitecaps remain home in the Round of 32 to take on UNAM Pumas (runners up in West Group 1) on Wednesday at 7:30pm 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.