CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals: Can Lionel Messi's Inter Miami rebound, overcome 2-0 deficit against Brian White's Vancouver Whitecaps?

In front of a sold-out crowd of over 50,000 people at BC Place, the Whitecaps took leg one in utterly dominant fashion. Goals from U.S. international Brian White and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter - son of former USMNT manager and current Chicago coach Gregg Berhalter - led the Canadian side to a stunning 2-0 victory over the South Beach club.

They held theHerons to just nine total shots, only two of which were on target. Resilient in every area, specifically in the midfield, it led Vancouver to a big win - but more importantly - a clean sheet, and an advantage heading into leg two.

"I think it's fair to say that a lot of people who have seen us play have been happy with the attack... but we've been a good defensive team," said Sørensen post-match. "We also showed that today, even when the way we would like to play doesn't really work, and we make too many bad passes, and we lose the ball way too easy, then we can still rely on our structure and rely on our defense side."

Miami, meanwhile, realizes the hole it put itself in after the match. Without an away goal on the road in Vancouver, they're now at a spot where if they concede - at all - in leg two, the deficit grows even bigger.

"Nothing to lose, you know, nothing to lose," Mascherano said. "We have to try to win the game. We know that we have to score at least two goals and don't concede. And we will try to do it. Now, maybe the pressure is for Vancouver. They have to keep the result."

Heading into leg two of the tie, Mascherano reminisced about a famous night in 2017, when - as a player for Barcelona - he was part of a squad that overcame a 6-1 deficit against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League. Dubbed the "remantado," the Argentine manager believes such moments prove anything can happen.

"That night I learned that nothing is impossible. In football, everything can happen. Everything, absolutely everything," Mascherano said Tuesday. "An elimination that we were 4-0 down. I think it was 2-0, in the second half we had it almost there and then they scored a goal and we had to score three more and we did it because in the end, until the referee signals the end, everything can happen.

"I think that more than I can transmit as a coach, I have, at that moment, four teammates who shared with me the experience, and they live it their skin. That's the thing that they can convey to rest. Clearly the situation is different, there are no two equal games, the contexts are totally different, but I think that the tie-breaker and tomorrow's situation in particular will give us the possibility of getting through."

Berhalter, meanwhile, acknowledged that Vancouver can't let anything get to their heads. To win in the manner in which the club did, while adding in how successfully it started the 2025 campaign, there's a lot to be positive about. However, remaining composed and humble is how they are heading into Leg 2.

"Got one more game," said Berhalter. "We can't get ahead of ourselves. Thank the fans for coming out here and making an incredible atmosphere, but we've got one more game, so we gotta take care of business."

With a two-goal advantage, Vancouver has a lot to play with - and room for error, too.

The goal for the Whitecaps has to be an early goal. If they can find the back of the net - at all, at any point - during the game, their odds of advancing improve even more due to the away goal rule. If they take an early lead, Miami would need to score FOUR unanswered to advance, and put even more pressure on them. Ultimately, the goal has to be to fluster them and force them into uncomfortable situations - whether through finding the back of the net, or playing hard, mentally and physically.

Getting White free in the box, with Ali Ahmed, Jayden Nelson, Emmanuel Sabbi, or Daniel Rios in wide roles to stretch their defense will be key. The Herons have constantly been exposed on the right flank of their defense over the past year, and forcing pressure onto that side of the pitch, with White operating inside the 18-yard box, is likely their best bet.

The cards are in their hands, and one goal puts them in a fantastic situation as a result.

Score, and likely fast.

Vancouver's defense has been spectacular to begin 2025; they've conceded the least amount of goals across all of MLS (alongside the New England Revolution) with just seven - getting by them as the game goes on will be increasingly difficult. Miami knows it needs at least two goals to draw level and send the match to extra-time, while a third would see it advance into the final, but only if it keeps a clean sheet. If Vancouver scores even just one goal, it is four goals minimum due to the away goal rule, and extra-time is out the door as an option.

Freeing up Suarez in the final third, while getting Messi on the ball, has to be the game plan. The Argentine needs to be fed in and around the box to enable 1v1 situations where he can take on defenders. Meanwhile, Suarez will either be drawing defenders away from Messi to allow those take-ons, or he will free himself up around the six-yard-box to receive the ball.

Depending on how Mascherano lines up his squad, it could be a big evening for their two star forwards, but also 20-year-old USMNT midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, who is having a breakout 2025 campaign. The attacking midfielder could be tasked with linking the midfield and the attack, while slowing Vancouver's counterattacks down, as well.

If the Herons want a chance to play for the Champions Cup trophy, they need to score, score, score. No room for excuses, no room for error.

It is going to be a tight match, especially knowing that Miami's ex-Barcelona quartet of Messi, Suarez, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets were all rested on Matchday 10 - meaning they will be on fresher legs. With both teams having played on Sunday, though, it will be a relatively level playing field.

Due to the unique rule of away goals being active, Vancouver will take this series and upset the Herons. Miami is going to win the match 3-1, but a lone strike from Vancouver will be enough to get it over the line with the two-legged affair ending 3-3 on aggregate, but the Whitecaps advance due to away goals.

The match will be streamed on FS1 in the U.S. in English and will be available in Spanish on Univision. The contest is slated to kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET Wednesday evening.

The winner between Miami and Vancouver across two legs will advance to the final of the Champions Cup, where they will take on the winner of the other semifinal series between Tigres and Cruz Azul.

The final will be played on Sunday, June 1 at a venue and time to be determined. Only one MLS side has ever won the competition, with the Seattle Sounders hoisting the trophy in 2022.

In addition to prize money of $5 million for winning, the tournament champion also qualifies for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2025 FIFA Intercontinental Cup.