Pumas controlled the actions from the beginning and set the tone for the game in their 2-0 victory over Vancouver Whitecaps FC to advance to the Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup, thanks to performances to remember by Cesar Huerta and Julio Gonzalez.
Los Auriazules took the ball and managed the game at will, after creating multiple chances in the first half with Cesar Huerta attacking primarily from the left-wing side of the pitch. Ignacio Pussetto and Jorge Ruvalcaba were great associates as they created chances for the young Ángel Jesús Rico Reyes, the 19-year-old striker that started up front.
Whitecaps FC tried to answer in the same first half, after Levonte Johnson had two straight opportunities with a shot inside the box and after a counter attack from the right side, but in both plays it was Julio Gonzalez who prevailed after two saves that ultimately proved to help his team overcome that short but complicated moment in the game.
After that, once again it was all Pumas and in the 36th minute, the Mexican team started to celebrate. Huerta stole the ball when Whitecaps FC started a play from the left side of their territory, Piero Quispe then took it and as he was entering the box, he served to Cesar Huerta who delivered a laser to the far post to score the first goal of the game.
Things were kept smooth by UNAM heading into the half and they continued that way in the final 45 minutes. The Liga MX team did not stop going forward and in the 57th minute Huerta once again was part of a play that finished with the ball in the back of the net, as he took the ball on the left side of the box and passed it to a running Ruben Duarte who crossed for Ruvalcaba’s arrival only for him to slightly touch the ball with his right foot to put the score 2-0.
Julio Gonzalez had another save in the second half to seal the win for The Auriazules and secure a ticket to the Round of 16. “I think it was a very hard-fought match in which we started well,” said Pumas head coach, Gustavo Lema, pleased with the job done by his team. “Julio (Gonzalez) responded great, the boys responded great in general, we knew that we could hurt them and the work went as planned, that required a lot of effort to match the moves of the rival.”
“No matter where we play, we know that we never play alone. We are very grateful and we want to give our fans more joy,” Cesar Huerta said after the match and after he thanked the supporters that traveled to Canada.
“I think we played against a very good team, a really, really good team,” said Whitecaps FC head coach, Vanni Sartini, after the game, as he recognized what their rival did on the pitch to beat them. “We gave away the ball to make them score and then in the second half it was very hard because against a team like this, it’s hard to defend.”
Pumas are waiting now on their opponent that will come out of the match between Seattle Sounders FC and LA Galaxy, as Vancouver Whitecaps FC are once again eliminated from Leagues Cup play.
