Whitecaps score late to earn draw with CF Monterrey in CONCACAF Champions Cup series

By Canadian Press on March 5, 2025.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps got a late goal from Belal Halbouni to earn a 1-1 draw with CF Monterrey Wednesday night in the opening match of their CONCACAF Champions Cup series.

Monterrey led on a first-half goal from striker Roberto de la Rosa. The Whitecaps kept applying pressure and had several good scoring chances before Halbouni headed home a long ball from captain Ryan Gauld in the 86th minute. Halbouni celebrated his first goal as a Whitecap by kissing the turf.

The second game in the aggregate series is Wednesday in Mexico.

The Whitecaps pressed early but Monterrey took the lead in the 25th minute. Midfielder Erick Aguirre set up the play with a seeing-eye long pass to de la Rosa, who then dribbled across the field and fired a low right-footed shot that hit the far post and rolled into the net.

The Whitecaps argued the play was offside, but the goal stood.

The match saw seven yellow cards given, four to Monterrey. Late in the match, Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada flopped to the turf after an argument with Vancouver forward Brian White, bringing boos from the crowd of 9,613 at BC Place Stadium.

Gauld gave the Monterrey defence fits but failed to put the ball in the net.

Early in the opening half, Whitecap midfielder Sebastian Berhalter looked to have a clear pass to the net after taking a nifty pass through the defence from Gauld. The play was broken up by a sliding tackle by defender Antonio Leone.

Gauld had a good look in the 36th minute after a pretty give-and-go play but his shot sailed over top of the net. Gauld got behind the Monterrey defence a few minutes later but was stopped by Andrada.

Gauld had another chance during a scramble in the 59th minute, sending a bicycle kick wide. Just a few minutes later White, who had recently substituted into the match, was stopped by Andrada.

In the 72nd minute, defender Ali Ahmed got his foot on a ball that Andrada scooped up.

The Whitecaps, who play in Major League Soccer, advanced to the round of 16 by defeating Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa 3-2 in a two-legged aggregate series. Vancouver lost the opening match 2-1 then rebounded to blank Saprissa 2-0 at home last Thursday.

Monterrey, who plays in the Mexican Legia MX, advanced with a decisive 5-0 aggregate win over Canadian Premier League side Forge FC last month.

NOTES: Whitecaps forward Jayden Nelson left the game in the fifth minute and went to the locker room. … It was the first-ever meeting between the Whitecaps and Monterrey. … Sergio Ramos, the Spanish centre back who captains Monterrey, did not make the trip to Vancouver. … The Whitecaps played their fifth match across all competition in just 13 days. … Vancouver faces CF Montreal in a MLS match Saturday at BC Place.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 5, 2025.

Jim Morris, The Canadian Press