An all-MLS matchup arrives Wednesday evening in the 2023 Concacaf Champions League when Vancouver Whitecaps FC host LAFC for a quarterfinal leg-one matchup, shortly before the return fixture occurs April 11 in Los Angeles.
How to watch and stream
- US: FS1, TUDN
- Canada: OneSoccer, TELUS Channel 980, Fubo TV
When
- Wednesday, April 5 | 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
Where
- BC Place | Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver (2022 Canadian Championship winner) and LAFC (2022 MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield winner) are both looking to become the second consecutive MLS team to win a CCL title after Seattle Sounders FC’s historic conquest last spring. Should either accomplish that, they’ll book a spot in the expanded 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that’ll include four Concacaf representatives among the 32 teams overall.
The winner of this series matchup will face either Philadelphia Union or Liga MX’s Atlas FC, potentially leading to an all-MLS semifinal series in late April and early May. Three of the league's five 2023 CCL entrants are left standing.
Round of 16
Need to know
The Whitecaps blew past Real España in leg one of their Round of 16 series, allowing for heavy squad rotation when traveling down to Honduras. That decision paid off for Vanni Sartini’s team, which is hoping to surpass the 2017 Vancouver side that reached the CCL semifinals.
Yet on paper, Vancouver are probably underdogs against a class-of-the-league LAFC outfit that has star power and international-caliber players all throughout their roster. To counteract that, Vancouver are surging with confidence after a 5-0 rout of 10-man CF Montréal last weekend – a result that marked their first league win of 2023. Behind a brace and one assist vs. Montréal, striker Simon Becher also earned MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire honors.
If the Whitecaps create a cushion in this home leg, that'll make the daunting task of getting a result at LAFC next week that much easier. CCL series are determined first by aggregate score, then by away goals and then by penalty kicks (if needed).
Round of 16
Need to know
Behind Dénis Bouanga's hat-trick in leg one of their Round of 16 series against Alajuelense, LAFC essentially secured a quarterfinal ticket. To translate: While Steve Cherundolo’s group lost a nervy second leg at home, there was enough of an away goals + aggregate cushion to book safe passage into the next stage.
The Black & Gold, CCL finalists in 2020, will hope a more straightforward series awaits against Vancouver. But a dead-even 4W-4L-3D record against the fellow Western Conference club lingers, and LAFC haven’t won at BC Place since their 2018 expansion season (four straight losses). Whether it's the turf or general struggles when heading up to Canada, this is undoubtedly a tricky midweek assignment for a top-tier MLS outfit.
It all adds up to LAFC needing to keep the series on manageable terms before returning to BMO Stadium early next week. While LAFC have the talent to score goals galore, a 0-0 road draw – as they’ve earned in two of their last three league games – would probably suit them just fine.
