Did Vancouver Whitecaps pull the biggest Mexican shock in MLS history? | OneFootball

Raise your hand if you saw this coming. Didn't think so. We sure didn't.

Brian White's 78th-minute strike was enough to help the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 2-2 away draw against CF Monterrey on Wednesday night in what may be the most shocking result ever by an MLS team playing in Mexico.

The result gave Vancouver a win on away goals following a 3-3 aggregate draw in the Concacaf Champions Cup round-of-16, but that only told part of the story.

The Whitecaps traveled to Torreon (the game was relocated from Monterrey because of a Shakira conert) without their best player, Ryan Gauld, who was injured early during Saturday's 2-0 win over CF Montreal in MLS play.

And while MLS teams have struggled in Mexico against most Liga MX foes, this wasn't just some run-of-the mill Mexican side. This was mighty Rayados, the dominant force in Concacaf club competition over the last two decades, who have won this tournament an astounding five times since the 2010-2011 edition.

A deserved result after Wednesday Liga MX woes

Perhaps most stunningly, a night after the more fancied Seattle Sounders and FC Cincinnasti were both throttled by Mexican foes in their second legs, Vancouver legitimately outplayed their hosts for the majority of the evening.

White's goal gave the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead and the away goals edge, and was the result of one of several sequences where Vancouver's press bothered the hosts. It came 21 minutes after Edier Ocampo pulled the visitors level on a well-struck shot from the right side of the penalty area, set up by the emerging Pedro Vite.

The final moments were only nervy because of an unfortunate -- but probably deserved -- penalty awarded to Monterrey following a handball on Whitecaps defender Ranko Veselinovic.

Another level of shock

Other MLS teams have thwarted Mexican opposition in this tournament, but it's hard to think of an occasion this unexpected. Columbus pulled off a surprising draw at Monterrey's intracity rivals Tigres UANL last season, but Columbus was a defending MLS Cup champion.

The Seattle Sounders were already well-established as two-time MLS Cup winners and four-time finalists before they finally made their run to become the only MLS team to win this tournament in its modern era. And even they didn't have to slay one of Mexico's true titans, winning two-leg series against Club Leon and Pumas UNAM and earning draws in both games in Mexico.

Vancouver will face the winner of Pumas and LD Alajuelense. Those sides meet in their second Leg on Thursday in Costa Rica, with the Mexican visitors holding a 2-0 aggregate lead.