Whitecaps defeat Messi and Inter Miami 2-0 in 1st leg of CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal

The Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Lionel Messi and Inter Miami FC 2-0 at B.C. Place Thursday night in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal.

The Whitecaps took the lead in the 24th minute when Brian White headed a ball from Pedro Vite past Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari. Sebastian Berhalter added to the Whitecaps' lead with a goal in the 85th minute. 

The highly-anticipated match came close to a year after many local soccer fans were disappointed when Messi — and fellow veterans Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets — didn't travel to Vancouver for Miami's regular-season MLS game against the Whitecaps. 

More than 53,000 fans took in Thursday night's match at B.C. Place.

There were plenty of people wearing Messi jerseys in the stands, although the Argentine star was booed when he had possession of the ball. 

Messi threatened in the 18th minute. He weaved through the defence and took a sharp angle shot from the corner of the net that was stopped, then cleared by defender Ranko Veselinovic. He had another shot in the 36th minute, blasting a ball from outside the box through a crowd that Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped.

The Argentine also had a free kick from distance in the 71st minute that Takaoka also handled.

Longtime Whitecaps fan Tony Gabriel said he was thrilled to see Messi play live, but he was far more excited at the prospect of having the Whitecaps advance to the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, which features the best teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean. 

He said much has changed for the Whitecaps since Messi's no-show last year.

The 'Caps have the best record in MLS and lead the Western Conference with a 6-1-2 record for 20 points. Gabriel said new head coach Jesper Sorensen has his team playing with energy and cohesion. 

"Look at the turnaround, look at the team, look at the depth that they have," said Gabriel, who sits in a section of B.C. Place known as Willie's Corner, named after Willie Johnston, a star with the Whitecaps back in the NASL era.

"How could you not be a fan of the Whitecaps? How could you not want to go out and and come to the games and watch the Whitecaps play? It doesn't matter who they're playing. Lionel Messi is a bonus, yes. But the team is doing amazing," Gabriel said.

The team's recent run of success comes at a critical time in franchise history. 

Ownership announced late last year that the club was for sale. Earlier this month, the Whitecaps released a statement saying they are in discussions with the City of Vancouver regarding the construction of a stadium at the PNE fairgrounds site. 

After the game, Sorensen said he was happy with how his team responded to the challenge of facing a star-studded Miami squad. 

"I know that a lot of people came to see some of the Miami players, I fully understand it.... We're happy to play for Vancouver and I think today was a game where everybody could be happy for the way we did it."

The second leg of the semifinal will be Wednesday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The winner will advance to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final against either Cruz Azul or Tigres UNAL on June 1.