Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 Inter Miami: Messi and Co. need second-leg turnaround in Champions Cup

Inter Miami need a second-leg turnaround if they are to reach the Champions Cup final following a 2-0 defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Lionel Messi and his fellow superstars were well beaten on Thursday, as Vancouver put on a show in front of a club-record crowd at BC Place.

Brian White capped a brilliant team move with a close-range header to put Vancouver, who are enjoying their best ever start to an MLS campaign, ahead in the 24th minute.

Messi arrowed a strike down the throat of Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka soon after, though that was one of just two saves the home shot-stopper had to make as Miami were limited to little in the way of clear-cut chances.

And Vancouver got the second goal their performance merited with five minutes of normal time remaining, as Sebastian Berhalter slammed home from inside the area.

Miami will now look to overturn the deficit in next week’s second leg, for which they will at least have home advantage.

“Every player put everything on the pitch” | Jesper’s Post-Match Reaction #VWFC | #ConcaChampions pic.twitter.com/xwuwTqoOWE

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) April 25, 2025

Data Debrief: Whitecaps surge on

Vancouver are flying high at the top of MLS’ Western Conference, but this was their biggest win of the season so far.

They limited Messi and the rest of Miami’s star-studded line-up to just two shots on target (both from Messi) and 0.53 expected goals.

Vancouver were clinical going the other way, hitting the target with five of their nine shots and creating chances worth 1.17 xG.

Jesper Sorensen’s team did not need much of the ball, either. They only had 31% of the possession, while Miami attempted 691 es to their 307, but Vancouver came up big when it mattered as they extended their Champions Cup scoring streak to seven games.