Cruz Azul hammers Vancouver to win Concacaf Champions Cup

This game was pitched as an even contest between one of Mexico's most storied clubs and one of Major League Soccer's hottest developing prospects, but that contest never came. 

Cruz Azul was spectacular, netting four goals in the first half from four succinct shots. The team, playing in front of its home crowd, recognized that Vancouver was nervous and capitalized brilliantly on its jitters. Vancouver looked shell-shocked and under-prepared, and it never managed to find its footing. It took zero shots on the night and held the ball for just 32% of the match.

Making this game was one of Vancouver's greatest achievements as a franchise; losing it in this fashion will go down in history as one of Vancouver's greatest humiliations. The whiplash between those two truths must be dizzying for the Vancouver faithful. 

Whatever happened in this final — tired legs, the struggle of playing at altitude in Mexico City, the crushing weight of the occasion, the undeniable strength of Cruz Azul — robbed Vancouver of everything that's made it great in 2025. Gone were Vancouver's jaunty forward runs and bone-crunching defensive tackles; in their place, the team brought nothing but errors, turnovers and a sense of inevitable defeat.

Cruz Azul's first two goals were entirely preventable: they came directly from unforced Vancouver errors. Midfielder Andres Cubas was at fault for both, ceding possession via turnover in his own half twice in 20 minutes to give Cruz Azul a near-unassailable lead. 

Cubas, a Paraguayan international with a reputation for calm and collected play has been faultless all season for Vancouver. He's a genuine MLS MVP candidate and one of the finest defensive midfielders in North America. It's hard to understand what happened to him here under Vancouver's brightest spotlight of the season.

"We know what's at stake and we're prepared," said Cruz Azul manager Vincente Sanchez before the match, and indeed, that's exactly how Sanchez's team looked from kickoff: prepared. 

Cruz Azul's calm, cruising victory should make MLS very nervous. If Vancouver — the hottest, wildest franchise in the league — couldn't even begin to challenge Cruz Azul on the continent's biggest stage, then who in MLS could? Should the league be doing more to help its teams prepare for these moments? Or should the onus fall exclusively on the shoulders of the teams themselves?

Vancouver and MLS will be asking those questions of each other for the rest of the summer. Cruz Azul, though, will be basking in the glory of becoming North America's winningest team. La Séptima is finally coming home to Mexico City.