It might not be a howling cauldron as big as Azteca Stadium, where Tigres UANL from Nuevo Leon lost to Club America last year in the Liga MX final, but the close-to-the field confines of Starlight Stadium will still provide a unique setting tonight for the CONCACAF Champions Cup first-round, first-leg match-up between Tigres UANL and the Vancouver Island Whitecaps of Major League Soccer.
Yes, you read that right. The Vancouver Whitecaps have added ‘Island’ to their moniker for tonight in recognition of where they are playing due to a previously-booked home and garden show at B.C. Place.
Whatever they are being called, the Whitecaps face a stiff test against Tigres performers such as World Cup and European Championship player André-Pierre Gignac from France, Olympic gold-medallist and CONCACAF Gold Cup-champion Diego Reyes of Mexico and Tigres captain and Argentina-capped Guido Pizarro. The Tigres have 10-capped players on the roster, including Reyes, Sebastian Cordova, Alberto Angulo, Ozziel Herrera and Marcelo Flores for Mexico, Luis Quinones for Colombia, Pizarro and goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman for Argentina, Fernando Gorriaran for Uruguay and Gignac for France.
The Tigres have lost only twice in 20 games stretching back to last year and are undefeated this season at 3-0-2, with wins over rival Liga MX powers Chivas and Leon, while this will be the first game of 2024 for the Whitecaps.
“It’s going to be a birth [into 2024] by fire for us,” said Whitecaps striker and U.S.-capped Brian White.
“Tigres have unbelievable players and an unbelievable team. It’s going to be a real challenge for us. You can’t ease your way into the season with a game like this in a competition like this. It’s brought more intensity and concentration to our training camp.”
The home-away-from-home angle is the big storyline for the Whitecaps.
“It’s unfortunate not to be at B.C. Place but this is a great opportunity for us to get in front of the fans in Victoria,” said White.
“We’re obviously the biggest team in British Columbia and it’s important we’re able to spread the fan base and come to fans who may not be able to get out to Vancouver. We’re really looking forward to seeing the support here in Victoria. It’s going to be a good experience for us and we’re looking forward to being in Victoria.”
This time the Island crowd will be friendlier in what is expected to be a sold-out Starlight Stadium tonight. The Langford facility was also packed the last two times the Whitecaps played in it, both times in the Canadian Championship tournament against Island-based Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League — a memorable 4-3 PFC quarter-final victory in 2021 and the 3-0 Whitecaps’ semifinal win over PFC last year en route to the Canadian Championship title which earned the Caps their place in this year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“This is a chance to engage more people and do something special here on the Island,” said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini.
“There are a lot of people here, thanks to the work that Pacific FC is doing too, who are very passionate about soccer. It’s a way to remind that we are a B.C. team, too, and maybe we can be their team in MLS. Also in the season we have a lot of games at 4:30 p.m. so there will be much more occasion for fans from the Island to come to Vancouver to see our games. Hopefully we put on a good show and attract new fans.”
The Whitecaps and Tigres have a history, including Vancouver losing 5-3 on penalties last year at B.C. Place in the Leagues Cup, as Tigres goalkeeper Guzman appeared to pull a long magician’s string out of his mouth before the deciding Whitecaps penalty kick.
“We’re familiar with their antics a bit,” said the Whitecaps’ White.
“It’s not something we’re focusing on. We’re focused on ourselves.”
Sartini found last year’s shootout dramatics amusing.
“To be honest, I loved it,” said the Italian.
Since tonight is the first leg, there is no chance of it going to penalties. That can only happen on the return leg, which is next Wednesday at the Tigres’ 42,000-seat home stadium known as El Volcan, and for a reason, because the noise and atmosphere is volcanic.
Sartini is more concerned tonight at Starlight about run of play: “We have to be extremely focused on the ball. [Tigres] love to be in control of the ball. If they win the ball, they will be very dangerous. And they are an experienced team that knows how to manage the crowd and the referees.”
