FANS support shouldered Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2-0 win over Inter Miami in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal series.
A boisterous club record crowd of 53,837 came to watch Lionel Messi against the home at BC Place Stadium.
The night was owned by a wagon of Vancouver Whitecaps fans who roared in the face of football’s G.O.A.T, who showed glimpses of the player he was during his prime.
Messi was booed every time he touched the ball.
The Argentine superstar played the entire match and locking horns with San Andres Cubas, the youngster put him and Luis Suarez in place.
And did he worked them to his work rate, occasionally rubbing it on the nose and just holding on his own.
Joining him in the star-studded kickoff was Spanish midfielder Sergio Busquets and defender Jordi Alba from Spain, and given they were a 10-years younger in the game, the result would’ve been different, much different.
For the Vancouver Whitecaps fans this was their moment in time to celebrate the victory and how often does it happen with the game’s most decorated player made to look pretty ordinary.
The win was on the back of a symphony of teamwork that was whispered through the turf.
“Love was everywhere. It was in the tackles, the passes and the crowd,” said midfielder Erik Hurtado.
Striker Brian White scored in the 24th minute and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter sealed the win with a goal in the 84th for the win on Thursday night in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal.
Whitecaps coach Jesper Sorensen was pleased with the outcome but not happy with the process.
“We created some good chances but overall our play lacked some,” he said.
“The result was amazing. We had to defend more than we had anticipated (but) I think everybody leaned on each other and helped out in a difficult game.”
Maimi coach Javier Mascherano knows his team has dug itself into a hole heading into Wednesday’s second series game at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“They deserved to win,” said Mascherano.
“We will try to analyze it in the next few days to see what happened and try to change.
“We will try to come back. It’s difficult but it’s not impossible.”
