VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The Whitecaps have a chance to further their impressive run in CONCACAF Champions League play this evening. It’s leg two of the semifinal against Mexican club Tigres UANL. Vancouver will have some work to do if the Caps want any shot at advancing to the final. They enter the contest trailing 2-0 on aggregate, so they will need to win by three goals.
Coach Carl Robinson is urging his team to embrace the roll of underdog. “Some of these players will never ever get the opportunity to play against this level of players again. Don’t be afraid of it, go enjoy it, embrace it and leave your stamp on the game. It is ninety minutes of football. When you step over that white line, reputations go out the window.”
The Whitecaps will be trying to use everything in their playbook to tilt things in their direction. The roof will be open at BC Place despite heavy rain in the forecast. The Tigres are used to playing in sunny weather and hot temperatures and the Caps are hoping it’s a shock to the system. Keeper David Ousted says his team has to leave it all on the field.
“It takes discipline, it takes concentration, but we are at home and we need to get after them regardless of how good they are and the guys they have up front. We need to go and press them. We need to go and make them feel uncomfortable. They are in cold, cold Canada and we need to make it uncomfortable for them.”
No MLS team has ever advanced to the final of the Champions League. The game kicks off at BC Place at 7 p.m.
The winner advances to face Mexican Liga MX side CF Pachuca in the two-leg final, which will take place later this month.