Vancouver Whitecaps might destroy Pumas in Concacaf showdown | OneFootball

The undervalued crew can be the headliner no one sees. That's just the platform Vancouver Whitecaps is on while on this intense stretch of 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup. The Canadian team that came in subdued, with no desire to fan the flames, now hosts Pumas UNAM at BC Place with a respect and determination look in its eye.

The shocking rise of Vancouver Whitecaps

Everyone looking at the MLS Western Conference table early in the season and Vancouver sitting pretty atop most likely thought, miracle? Fortune? Fluke? Not at all. Thirteen points in six games, and through performances built on defensive togetherness, team unity, and a real nose for goal. A rise that was no fluke and propelled the Whitecaps into the quarterfinals of the continental competition. And they did it with style, beating Monterrey away, tying them 2–2 at home in Mexico, and advancing on away goals. Of course, that kind of energy does not last forever.

In recent games, the engine has run out of gas. A boring tie against Toronto FC was a reminder that there are no free lunches anymore from here on. The squad became increasingly thin, fatigue came knocking on the door, and there is still a great void: Ryan Gauld remains not ready to come back yet. But not everything is dark clouds. The likes of Jayden Nelson, Ali Ahmed, and especially Brian White have answered the call. White, coincidentally, leads the team's scoring this year with three goals in four games. It's no wonder fans look to him like a shining light in the fog. Pumas are giants, but they're uneven

On the other hand, Pumas come with the armor of experience

Seven Liga MX championships, a steady reputation in Concacaf, and a team laden with talent. But soccer games are not decided by history. The Mexican side has struggled in domestic league play — 10th place in the table after 17 points from 13 games — but that hasn't held them back in international competitions. Ask LD Alajuelense, for example, who were dispatched easily in the Round of 16. A 3–1 aggregate win, and a seamless qualification into the quarters. What Vancouver ought to be concerned about, and rightfully so, is that Pumas have regained their rhythm. Their 2–1 win over León, which sits third in the Clausura, last weekend gave them the kind of psychological boost that any team would desire heading into a big game.

And this team has the players to dismantle any defense. Forward Guillermo Martínez has already scored 10 goals and two assists. With him comes Ignacio Pussetto, who has three goals and three assists, another threat man. In midfield, Coco Carrasquilla, another MLS veteran, is there. It's not an unbeatable team, but it's definitely not the kind of team you take lightly by just glancing at the scoreboard.

Head-to-head and an even past

This is the initial meeting between Vancouver Whitecaps and Pumas in the Concacaf Champions Cup, but not their first meeting ever. The two previously met in 2024, and the victory belonged to Pumas. That memory still smolders in Vancouver's heart, but that same memory could easily be used as fuel. The defeat is recent, and that means this rematch is the perfect platform for revenge.