Goals from Brian White and Pedro Vite in a two-minute span of the second half sent the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 3-1 win over Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Wednesday and into the CONCACAF Champions Cup final.
The Whitecaps won the two-leg, total-goal semifinal series 5-1 on aggregate. Vancouver will oppose either Tigres UNAL or Cruz Azul in the final June 1. The all-Mexican semifinal is set to conclude Thursday in Mexico City.
Miami, down 2-0 after the first leg in Vancouver last week, got back into the series when Jordi Alba scored on 12-yard, left-footed shot in the ninth minute.
Vancouver re-established control in the 51st minute when Sebastian Berhalter set up White for a flicked goal from close to the penalty spot to level the evening’s contest at 1.
Vite moved the Whitecaps one step closer to the final when his 53rd-minute shot from the top of the box took a big deflection and flew into the top right corner of the net.
A Miami giveaway in its own territory set up Vancouver’s final goal, a left-footed half-volley by Sebastian Berhalter from 14 yards out in the 71st minute.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi played all 90 minutes and took six shots, with two going on target.
–Field Level Media
