By Canadian Press

Saprissa downs Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 in CONCACAF Champions Cup play

Feb 20, 2025 | 9:17 PM

SAN JOSÉ — The Vancouver Whitecaps opened their season with a 2-1 loss to Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa in a CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup on Thursday.

Ariel Rodriguez came off the bench and scored with just seconds left in injury time to give Saprissa their first lead of the game.

Whitecaps captain Ryan Gauld had opened the scoring midway through the first period and Mariano Torres replied early in the second.

The home side outshot the visitors 10-7 across the game, but Vancouver held a 4-1 edge in on-target shots.

The second game of the two-game aggregate series goes Feb. 27 at BC Place. The winner of the set will face Mexican side CF Monterrey in the round of 16.

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The Whitecaps will now head to Portland, Ore., where they’ll kick off their Major League Soccer season Sunday against the Timbers.

Vancouver opened the scoring in the 21st minute when Ali Ahmed sliced a pass across the penalty area to Gauld, who sent a right-footed shot in past goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado down low.

Saprissa pressed through the rest of the first half, outshooting the visitors 4-2, but the ‘Caps took a 1-0 lead into the locker rooms.

Early in the second half, Saprissa drew level.

Stationed well above the penalty area, Torres blasted a left-footed rocket past a diving Yohei Takaoka in the 52nd minute.

The home side briefly appeared to take the lead in the 78th minute when Kendall Waston — a former Whitecap — fired a shot off the post. Takaoka came out to make the save, but the ball bounced out to Rodriguez, who tapped the ball in, only to see the offside flag quickly raised.

Rodriguez, who came on for Sabin Merino Zuloaga in the 61st minute, sealed the score in the fifth minute of injury time, battling for position in the six-yard box off a throw in, then hammering a shot in for the win.

NOTES: Vancouver’s bench was limited to eight players as illness and injuries took six others out of the lineup. … The Whitecaps earned their spot in the tournament by winning the Canadian Championship last year while Saprissa secured a berth with a victory over Comunicaciones FC in a play-in series.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.

The Canadian Press