February 19 – Costa Rica’s CS Cartaginés held last year’s Champions Cup finalists to a 0-0 draw in the round one, first leg of their tie at Estadio Fello Meza, Cartago, Costa Rica.
It was a solid defensive performance from the Costa Rican side that won the competition in 1994 but have never played a Canadian club side before.
They were faced with a star-studded line up under head coach Jesper Sørensen that won a fourth straight Canadian Championship in 2025, and finished second on goal difference in the MLS Western Conference.
In Sebastian Berhalter they have one of 2025’s breakthrough MLS stars, a seasoned striker in Brian White who found renewed goalscoring form in 2025, and MLS standout defender Tristan Blackmon, all of whom are battling for places in the US team for the World Cup.
Sørensen started all of them and in the second half brought on Germany and Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller who joined the club last August, and was making his Champions Cup debut.
Cartaginés matched the star studded line-up with a defensive obduracy that was commendable in its execution if not in its ambition.
With just 25% of possession, Cartaginés still managed seven shots against the Whitecaps 15, but none of them were on target.
On top of the seven Whitecaps shots that were on target, the Canadians also had 10 corners. The flow was all one-way but the solidly build dam wasn’t to be breached.
The first half saw Berhalter particularly busy as the Whitecaps took total control with ten total shots. Cartaginés goalkeeper Kevin Briceño was outstanding with four big saves and expert martialling of his back line.
Against the run of play CS Cartaginés could have taken the lead on 50’ but Juan Gaete’s shot sailed just wide.
Not even Müller (pictured), subbed on in the 66’ could make a goal scoring difference.
The two sides meet again in the second leg next Wednesday at BC Place in Vancouver, Canada. CS Cartaginés go into the game knowing that just one goal could cause a major upset. Vancouver, with no crucial away goal, would need to score twice against a team who, for all their dominance of play, they couldn’t get past in Costa Rica.
CS Cartaginés 0 Vancouver Whitecaps 0