CONCACAF Champions League: Whitecaps vs. Red Bulls – 3 Takeaways

Vancouver Whitecaps FC defeated the New York Red Bulls 2-0 on Thursday night. The 3-1 aggregate victory puts Vancouver into the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League for the first time.

It was an historical night for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday. On a rainy night in Vancouver, the Whitecaps debuted their Rain Jerseys in a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal win over the New York Red Bulls. Goals from Alphonso Davies and Fredy Montero gave the ‘Caps a 2-0 win on the night, an aggregate 3-1 victory, and a place in the semifinals.

Caps go marching on

Still undefeated in this edition of the CCL, the Whitecaps will now make their first ever semifinal appearance in this tournament. Their next challenge will be a hefty one, however. Vancouver will face Tigres UANL of the Liga MX. Tigres defeated fellow Mexicans Pumas UNAM in a 4-1 aggregate win, including a 3-0 dismantling of Pumas in the second leg.

The Whitecaps travel to Monterrey the week of March 14-16 before finishing up the home and away series at BC Place on April 4th, 5th, or 6th.

Vancouver are the third Canadian MLS team to make the CCL semifinals. In 2012, Toronto FC held Santos Laguna of Mexico to a 1-1 draw at home before losing 6-2 in the away leg. In 2015, Montreal Impact made it all the way to the final, where they were defeated 5-3 on aggregate by América of Mexico.

Alphonso Davies

It may be time to stop talking about Alphonso Davies’ potential and what he can bring to the Whitecaps in the future. The kid has talent, now, and he’s making the starting 11 on merit.

In a man of the match performance last night (can you be man of the match if you’re still 16?), Davies showed he has more tools than just talent and seemingly endless reserves of energy. In just the fifth minute of the match, he made a smart run into the Red Bulls box to get on the end of a cross from Marcel de Jong (another stand-out performer last night). A clever feint took both goalkeeper Luis Robles and a defender out of the equation, before Davies tucked the ball into the net for Vancouver’s first.

Fredy Montero

The Whitecaps have been missing a lethal striker since the days of Camilo. Look away, Sounders fans, because in Fredy Montero, they may have found their man.

It may be premature to declare Montero a success when he’s played less than half an hour of soccer in a Vancouver jersey. But in the 76th minute, Montero showed just what the ‘Caps have been missing. In a rare foray forward for the desperately defending Whitecaps, the ball bounced loose in the Red Bulls box following a corner. Montero reacted first, lashing the ball into the goal through traffic with an instinctive, first-time shot that curled away from Robles. It was his first kick of the game.

The Whitecaps were on the back foot for much of both games in this series, and needed David Ousted to come up with a couple of big saves. But the Red Bulls also made things difficult for themselves by over-complicating their set plays and by going the aerial route on crosses far too often. Vancouver’s defense can be slow to deal with ground passes into the box. However, an in-form Kendall Waston can deal with high balls into the box all day long.

Next: FC Dallas vs. Arabe Unido - 3 takeaways

How will the Whitecaps fare against Tigres? Who was your man of the match? Leave us your comments below.