Cruz Azul players dominated from the opening whistle, crushing Vancouver Whitecaps 5-0 to claim the Concacaf Champions Cup in a one-sided final at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
The Mexican side, playing in front of 33,046 supporters, never gave their Canadian opponents room to breathe as they methodically dismantled what had been one of Major League Soccer's most impressive teams this season.
Ángel Sepúlveda proved unstoppable, netting twice (37' and 50') as part of the rout, while Ignacio Rivero (8'), Lorenzo Faravelli (28'), and Mateusz Bogusz (45') completed the scoring for the Liga MX giants.
The victory gives Cruz Azul their seventh continental title overall and second in the modern Concacaf Champions Cup/Champions League era, further cementing Mexican clubs' dominance in the regional competition.
For the Whitecaps, the humbling defeat ends what had been a remarkable tournament run. Coach Jesper Sørensen's squad had previously eliminated Costa Rican side Saprissa, Mexican powers Monterrey and Pumas UNAM, and most impressively, Lionel Messi's Inter Miami with a 5-1 aggregate victory in the semifinals.
But on the biggest stage, Vancouver simply collapsed. The Canadian side failed to register a single shot throughout the entire match and managed just one corner while allowing Cruz Azul to control 67% of possession.
Interestingly, despite the lopsided scoreline, Cruz Azul's expected goals (xG) was just 2.09, highlighting their clinical finishing against a Whitecaps side that looked completely overwhelmed by the occasion.
The result raises questions about the competitive gap between Liga MX and MLS. Vancouver currently sits near the top of the MLS standings with 32 points from 15 games, just two points behind Philadelphia Union with two games in hand. Yet when facing Mexico's best, they were thoroughly outclassed.
The immediate challenge for Sørensen will be helping his squad recover mentally from this disappointment. Can the Whitecaps maintain their excellent MLS form after such a devastating setback on the international stage? That's the critical question facing a team that had been flying high until this brutal reality check in Mexico City.
