Vancouver Stuns Messi-Led Inter Miami with 2-0 Victory in Concacaf Semifinal First Leg

Inter Miami’s road to continental glory hit a sharp turn in Canada on Wednesday night, as the South Florida side fell 2-0 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the opening leg of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals. Inside the electric BC Place, the hosts outpaced, outsmarted, and outscored the Messi-Suárez-led visitors.

Despite bossing possession with a commanding 69% of the ball and delivering a barrage of nine corners, Inter Miami struggled to convert their midfield dominance into clear-cut chances. Vancouver, on the other hand, struck with ruthless precision — Brian White opening the scoring in the 24th minute and Sebastian Berhalter sealing it in the 85th with a thunderous finish that left goalkeeper Óscar Ustari rooted.

A Star-Studded Lineup, A Stuttering Performance

With the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba in the starting XI, expectations were sky-high for Javier Mascherano’s squad. But the well-drilled Whitecaps absorbed Miami’s pressure with calm resilience, finding joy on the break and exposing gaps in the visitors’ backline.

The defensive quartet of Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcón, Noah Allen, and Alba found themselves stretched by Vancouver’s energetic counter-attacks. While midfield maestros Busquets and Federico Redondo controlled the tempo, the final ball lacked the sharpness needed to pierce Vancouver’s disciplined backline.

Mascherano: “It’s Difficult, But Not Impossible”

After the final whistle, head coach Javier Mascherano didn’t sugarcoat the task ahead.

“We’ll try to analyze what happened, try to change, and we’ll try to come back,” he said. “It’s difficult, but it’s not impossible. One more game to play, so we’ll try to come back and win the game in Miami. We know that we have our people, our fans behind us, so we can do it.”

The second leg, now set up as a do-or-die clash, will take place next Wednesday, April 30, at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. With the aggregate score at 0-2, Inter Miami must produce a two-goal comeback just to force extra time — and a three-goal swing to book their ticket to the final.

What’s Next for Miami?

Before the pivotal return leg, Inter Miami returns to MLS action this Sunday, April 28, hosting FC Dallas at Chase Stadium. It’s a quick turnaround and a test of resilience for a squad balancing continental ambition and domestic pressure.