I think it's great. We also have to look at the alternative. It would have been a huge disappointment for us if we had gone at the first stage of the competition. We're only seven days into the season and we have already played three games. It was tricky because they have been playing for a while, and we had only just started.
Vancouver Whitecaps have enjoyed nothing short of a fairytale campaign in 2025. The Whitecaps kicked off the season by brushing past Saprissa, Monterrey, Pumas and Inter Miami before losing 5-0 to Cruz Azul in the Concacaf Champions Cup Final. Bolstered by the mid-season arrival of German superstar Thomas Muller, Vancouver went 10 matches unbeaten, won a fourth-straight Canadian Championship, and booked their place in the post-season play-offs after a 7-0 thrashing of Supporters' Shield winners Philadelphia Union.
San Jose Earthquakes secured a much-needed home victory against Vancouver Whitecaps, winning 2-1 after Preston Judd scored in extra time, shifting them into playoff contention.
