Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
Lithuania
Montenegro
Nigeria
North Macedonia

Vancouvervs.Tijuana

sportsmole.co.uk, 1 August 2024, 19:08
Saturday will be a must-win situation for Club Tijuana as they travel north of the border to BC Place Stadium to battle the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second Leagues Cup contest for both teams.

Earlier this week, the Caps played to a 2-2 draw with Los Angeles FC, winning on penalties, while the Mexicans were beaten 3-0 by the Black and Gold in their opener.

Match preview

It was a Hollywood finish that ended with a victory for the team from Hollywood North, as the Whitecaps overcame some late drama to defeat LAFC.

Vanni Sartini's men appeared to have that game well in hand, up 2-0 before conceding twice in the final three minutes plus stoppage time but holding their nerve from the spot.

It was their first-ever shootout victory at this tournament, and it means that a victory or shootout loss on Saturday would be enough to see them advance into the knockout phase for a second successive campaign.

Their only Leagues Cup victory in normal time occurred when they conceded the opening goal, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 in 2023.

If you include their 4-1 defeat against Wrexham in a friendly last weekend, the Whitecaps have lost their last two matches played at BC Place Stadium, conceding four times on each occasion.

In their six all-time meetings against sides from Liga MX, Vancouver have never won, with their only positive result coming in a 1-1 draw against Tigres in the opening leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup tie earlier this year.

From the early going in Los Angeles last week, Tijuana were chasing that game, losing by a 3-0 score for the second time in their last three competitive fixtures.

Tijuana are still without a point in this competition while failing to find the back of the net in their last two Leagues Cup affairs.

Los Xolos have never played a match in Canada, though their last triumph came away from home, defeating Queretaro 2-1 in their opening game at the 2024 Apertura.

This side have not been in front for a single second of any Leagues Cup fixture, having been outscored 7-1 in three games.

Juan Carlos Osorio's men have not lost consecutive competitive fixtures since matchday 13 and 14 of the 2024 Clausura campaign.

With a victory on Saturday, Tijuana would make it beyond the group stage of a CONCACAF tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions Cup when they made it to the semi-finals, though they must win this match in normal time to advance.

Vancouver Whitecaps Leagues Cup form:

D

Vancouver Whitecaps form (all competitions):

D

W

W

L

L

D

Club Tijuana Leagues Cup form:

L

Club Tijuana form (all competitions):

W

W

L

D

D

L

Team News

In their opening game of this tournament, the Whitecaps were missing Javain Brown, who is dealing with a personal matter, Joe Bendik was on the substitutes bench after previously dealing with a sore back and Tristan Blackmon sat out with a groin injury.

Goals from Sebastian Berhalter and Ranko Veselinovic put the Caps up 2-0 within 17 minutes on Tuesday, but it was Isaac Boehmer who replaced Yohei Takaoka between the stick that was the hero, stopping one of the penalties that he faced, while the Caps converted all of their spot-kicks.

Last week, Tijuana did not have Carlos Valenzuela available once again, with the Argentine still recovering from a knee injury and not expected to return until late August.

There were plenty of changes made to their starting 11 against LAFC from the squad that began their 1-1 draw with Atletico San Luis, with Jose Antonio Rodriguez, Rafael Fernandez, Kevin Balanta, Efrain Alvarez and Kevin Castaneda the only ones to maintain their place in the opening lineup.

Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:

Boehmer; Halbouni, Veselinovic, Utvik; Ahmed, Cubas, Berhalter, Schopf; Gauld; Picault, White

Club Tijuana possible starting lineup:

Rodriguez; Fernandez, Bilbao, Gomez, Diaz; Mejia, Rivera; Alvarez, Reynoso, Corona; Hernandez

We say: Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 Club Tijuana

There are too many question marks surrounding the Tijuana backline for us to believe they can contain a side as potent in transition as the Whitecaps have been through the 2024 campaign.

Previews by email
Show more

Top News

17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Record Women's Champions League winners Lyon Women will travel to Germany for Tuesday's quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich Women. 17 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea's priority in the summer is said to be the purchase of a new striker, while a new winger is also expected to join the club. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich have reportedly decided bid for Manchester United winger Antony, who is currently on loan at Spanish side Real Betis. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal Women will travel to the Spanish capital for Tuesday's Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid Femenino at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano. 16 March 2025 talksport.com "It's all for these fans. They deserve everything." 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly identified Wolfsburg defender Konstantinos Koulierakis as a replacement for Virgil van Dijk should he leave Anfield. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk In a match that could have ramifications for both the National League's chase for promotion and relegation battle, Gateshead are set to host Braintree Town at Gateshead International Stadium on Tuesday. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona fought back from two goals behind to record a stunning 4-2 victory over title rivals Atletico Madrid in Sunday night's La Liga contest at Wanda Metropolitano. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Micah Richards could not resist joining in with Newcastle hero Dan Burn's Carabao Cup final celebrations. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted that "it's hard to know" the extent of Ayden Heaven's injury at this stage of proceedings, with the centre-back set to be assessed by the club's medical stuff next week. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Eddie Howe has told Sports Mole that some of his "iconic" Newcastle United players will go on to establish themselves as club "legends" after steering the Magpies to EFL Cup glory in Sunday's final against Liverpool. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Leicester's defeat to Manchester United sees them set an unwanted Premier League record as their season goes from bad to worse. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho both ended long goalscoring droughts in Manchester United's 3-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Sunday night. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah suffered an unwanted personal first during the Reds' 2-1 loss to Newcastle United in the final of the 2024-25 EFL Cup at Wembley. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Mohamed Salah endured one of his most difficult afternoons in Liverpool colours during their heartbreaking Carabao Cup final defeat. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has told Sports Mole that he would rather get straight back into action next week as opposed to waiting for the international break to end following his side's gut-wrenching EFL Cup final loss to Newcastle United. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Eddie Howe's Newcastle United side wrote themselves into club history at Wembley on Sunday courtesy of a famous 2-1 triumph over Liverpool in the EFL Cup final. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United defender Ayden Heaven has suffered a potentially-serious injury during Sunday's Premier League clash with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. 16 March 2025 talksport.com A bottom-half finish in the Premier League could be rewarded with a European berth. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Bruno Guimaraes was unable to control his emotions after helping Newcastle end their 70-year trophy drought. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle have won their first major domestic trophy since 1955 courtesy of a deserved 2-1 victory over a limp and lifeless Liverpool side at Wembley. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Newcastle have ended their 70-year wait for a domestic trophy with a stunning Carabao Cup final victory against Liverpool. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly put a €70m (£59m) offer on the table for Barcelona attacker Raphinha. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been passed fit for Sunday's Premier League clash against Leicester City, while Mason Mount is on the bench for the 20-time English champions at the King Power Stadium. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Mikel Arteta has walked out of another post-match interview, but this time he was only joking. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Six clubs are reportedly in the running for Lille forward Jonathan David, with the Canada international set to become a free transfer at the end of June. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Mathys Tel urged Tottenham fans to remain behind the team in a heated conversation with angry fans after yet another defeat. 16 March 2025 talksport.com Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney hailed Wycombe Wanderers as a 'beautiful organisation' following their rapid response to a fan who was taken ill. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United attacker Antony has suggested that he wants to complete a permanent move to a team in Spain this summer amid suggestions that Real Betis and Real Sociedad could go head-to-head for his signature. 16 March 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou has said that he understands the frustrations of the club's supporters following Sunday's 2-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage.