ANALYSIS + HIGHLIGHTS: Whitecaps dominated by Cruz Azul in stunning 5-0 Concacaf Champions Cup Final loss

A dream run for the Vancouver Whitecaps ended in a nightmare in Mexico City in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Final.

The Whitecaps were thoroughly outclassed during a 5-0 loss to Cruz Azul at Estadio Olímpico Universitario. Tournament Golden Boot winner Ángel Sepúlveda scored a brace, Ignacio Rivero opened the scoring in just the eighth minute, with Lorenzo Faravelli and Mateusz Bogusz rounding out the scorers. 

It was a historic seventh Concacaf Champions Cup title for Cruz Azul, who tie Mexican rivals Club América for the most ever won by a single club in this competition. This was their first title since defeating Toluca in the 2013-14 final. 

Vancouver looked to become the first Canadian team to win a Concacaf Champions Cup final. Instead, they became the third to be defeated by Liga MX opposition as CF Montréal in 2015, and Toronto FC in 2018 also stumbled at the final hurdle, although perhaps not quite as spectacularly as the Whitecaps. 

The Whitecaps made three changes from their most recent Champions Cup match, the second leg of their semi-final against Inter Miami on April 30. Canadian internationals Jayden Nelson and Sam Adekugbe drew into the lineup, while Vancouver manager Jesper Sørensen was forced to make a change in midfield with J.C. Ngando replacing the suspended Sebastian Berhalter.

For Cruz Azul, it was their first match in 14 days since their loss to Club América in the Liga MX Clausura playoff semi-final. But they didn’t look out of rhythm in the slightest, coming out of the gate flying in front of their thunderous home support. 

When the Whitecaps did win the ball back, Cruz Azul’s smothering press quickly caused issues. In just the eighth minute, when the Whitecaps tried to build out of the back, an undercooked pass from Andrés Cubas to Édier Ocampo was intercepted by a perfectly timed slide from Carlos Rotondi. The ball went directly into the path of Rivero, whose left-footed strike across goal eluded Yohei Takaoka in the Vancouver goal and the hosts took an early 1-0 lead. 

Rotondi continued to cause issues down the left flank for Cruz Azul, and in the 20th minute, played an outstanding ball into the box which Carlos Rodríguez couldn’t deflect goalward.

Cruz Azul smelled blood in the water, and in the 28th minute, another loose pass at the back cost the Whitecaps dearly. Cubas tried to split the lines in his defensive third, but Faravelli stepped forward to pick off the pass. The veteran Cruz Azul midfielder shielded off Cubas before sending a stunning half-volley off the post and into the net to double the Mexican club’s advantage. 

A disastrous first half for the Whitecaps only got worse from there, as just under ten minutes later the hosts had a third. This time, it was tournament-leading goalscorer Sepúlveda who haunted the Caps with his eighth of the competition. Again, Rotondi cut down the left flank and sent a perfectly played low ball across the six-yard box, which Sepúlveda tapped past Takaoka. 

The onslaught continued just before the half-time whistle. A lovely bit of transitional play saw Jorge Sánchez wide open down the right flank. His cross was initially cleared, but only to the top of the box where Bogusz was waiting. He unleashed a strike across the goal, which struck the post and nestled into the back of the net. 

Sørensen made a pair of changes to begin the second half, with Emmanuel Sabbi replacing Nelson, while Ocampo gave way for Mathias Laborda.

The new personnel couldn’t stop the bleeding for the Whitecaps, however. Just five minutes into the half, Cubas lost his footing in midfield and Cruz Azul broke the other way. Sánchez hung up a cross for Sepúlveda, who headed home his ninth of the competition, and Cruz Azul’s stunning fifth of the night. 

Ranko Veselinović spared the Whitecaps further blushes in the 69th minute, when Takaoka gave away the ball outside his own box, and substitute Giorgos Giakoumakis chipped the Vancouver keeper. Veselinović made a tremendous effort to head the ball off the line, however. 

The stunningly one-sided affair saw Cruz Azul take 18 shots, while the Whitecaps didn’t even attempt one during the 90-plus minutes. 

It was the first time since Cruz Azul defeated the LA Galaxy 5-3 in the 1997 final that a team had scored five goals in a single match in the Concacaf Champions Cup final.  

With the victory, Cruz Azul also qualifies for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. 

BOX SCORE

Lineups

Cruz Azul: Mier; Sánchez, Ditta, Piovi, Rotondi; Rodríguez (Gutiérrez 86’), Lira, Faravelli (Romero 77’); Bogusz (Giakoumakis 67’), Sepúlveda (Morales 77’), Rivero (Orozco 67’) 

Vancouver Whitecaps: Takaoka; Ocampo (Laborda 46’), Veselinović (Utvik 86’), Blackmon, Adekugbe; Cubas, Ngando (Rios 80’), Vite (Priso 63’); Ahmed, Nelson (Sabbi 46’), White 

Goals

8' -- Ignacio Rivero (Cruz Azul)
28’-- Lorenzo Faravelli (Cruz Azul)
37’ – Ángel Sepúlveda (Cruz Azul)
45’ – Mateusz Bogusz (Cruz Azul)
50’ – Ángel Sepúlveda (Cruz Azul)

Discipline

63' -- Yellow: Ranko Veselinović (Vancouver Whitecaps)