Saprissa downs Whitecaps in CONCACAF Champions Cup play

SAN JOSÉ - A last-minute mistake proved costly for the Vancouver Whitecaps on Thursday. 

With the score level at 1-1, the 'Caps lost their positioning on a throw in, giving their opponents the space they needed to bury the game-winning goal. 

Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa took a 2-1 victory in the first leg of their two-game aggregate CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup. 

"Unfortunately, it’s the worst way of losing a game, when you lose it in the last minute," said Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen. "I think it’s a bit disappointing for all of us. But I think all players did absolutely everything and they showed they have really high commitment and a strong heart.” 

The game marked Vancouver's first of the 2025 campaign and Sorensen's first as the club's bench boss. 

“To me, we played in many ways an OK game," Sorensen said. "In the second half, it became a little bit passive. But we had some big chances, we could have put the game away but we didn’t. And that’s sometimes what you need to do, especially in a difficult away game.”

After controlling play early, Vancouver opened the scoring in the 21st minute. 

Canadian forward Ali Ahmed sliced a pass across the penalty area to captain Ryan Gauld, who sent a right-footed shot in past Saprissa goalkeeper Esteban Alvarado down low. 

The Costa Ricans pressed through the rest of the first half, outshooting the visitors 4-2, but the 'Caps took a 1-0 lead into the locker rooms.

Early in the second half, Saprissa drew level. 

Stationed well above the penalty area, Mariano Torres blasted a left-footed rocket past the fingertips of the diving Whitecaps 'keeper Yohei Takaoka in the 52nd minute. 

Saprissa briefly appeared to take the lead in the 78th minute when Kendall Waston — a former Whitecap — fired a shot off the post. Takaoka came out to make the save, but the ball bounced out to Rodriguez, who tapped the ball in, only to see the offside flag quickly raised.

Then, with less than a minute to go in injury time, Vancouver's defence lapsed during a Saprissa throw in. 

“We were not communicating well, so everybody was running toward the ball instead of just keeping cool and staying in position, which opened up space," Sorensen said. 

Ariel Rodriguez, who came on for Sabin Merino Zuloaga in the 61st minute, posted up at the top of Vancouver's six-yard box, collected the ball and hammered a shot in for the win.

Some early season fatigue could have contributed to the error, Sorensen said. 

"That was maybe the hectic parts in the last minute, people were maybe a little tired in the first game here. But that’s something we have to learn from, definitely," the coach said. 

"I think it was a big mistake. We could have avoided it easily."

The second game of the two-game aggregate series goes Feb. 27 at BC Place. The winner of the set will face Mexican side CF Monterrey in the round of 16.

The Whitecaps will now head to Portland, Ore., where they'll kick off their Major League Soccer season Sunday against the Timbers. 

NOTES: Vancouver's bench was limited to eight players as illness and injuries took six others out of the lineup. … The Whitecaps earned their spot in the tournament by winning the Canadian Championship last year while Saprissa secured a berth with a victory over Comunicaciones FC in a play-in series. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2025.