Whitecaps Beat Cartaginés, Sets Up Seattle Showdown in Round of 16
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By Kaus Pandey
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Summary:
- The Vancouver Whitecaps won 2-0 at home against C.S. Cartaginés to reach the Champions Cup Round of 16.
- Kenji Cabrera and Sebastian Berhalter scored in the second half.
- The win sets up a rivalry clash with Seattle in the next round.
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC finally broke through what felt like a particularly frustrating start of the game against Costa Rica’s C.S. Cartaginés 2-0 at BC Place. Jesper Sørensen’s side punched its ticket to the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, where they will meet a familiar and fierce opponent: Seattle Sounders FC.
Deserved Victory
The final score looked comfortable, but it took time and persistence to get there, as Cartaginés came out sharp and confident, putting Vancouver on notice early. However, as the first half settled in, the Whitecaps began to take control.
Jeevan Badwal sparked the attack with a dangerous cross that nearly forced an own goal, and Kenji Cabrera followed with a threatening ball that just missed Brian White.
White had several chances before the break and was constantly involved. His best opportunity came from the penalty spot after Emmanuel Sabbi drew a handball.
The moment felt like something Vancouver had been waiting for, but goalkeeper Kevin Briceño guessed right and made a huge save to keep the game scoreless.
That miss could have shifted momentum the wrong way, but Vancouver stayed calm.
Everything changed after halftime, especially when Thomas Müller entered the match. His impact was immediate, nearly scoring with his first touch when his header hit the woodwork.
The breakthrough finally came in the 58th minute. After chaos in the box from a corner, the ball fell perfectly for Kenji Cabrera, who wasted no time and fired it into the net, causing the stadium to erupt in cheers.
They Stood Firm
Cartaginés pushed back and nearly found an equalizer, but Vancouver held firm. Then, in the 80th minute, Sebastian Berhalter made sure of the result.
His first shot was blocked, but his quick reaction helped him bury the rebound to seal the 2-0 win.
Vancouver managed to create chance after chance and never lost belief despite early setbacks.
Now, the challenge gets bigger. A high-stakes clash with Seattle awaits in the next round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, and with this performance, the Whitecaps look ready for it.
