Saprissa stun Whitecaps at the death in Champions Cup first-leg | OneFootball

Costa Rican giants Saprissa stunned the Vancouver Whitecaps at the death in their Champions Cup first-leg showdown.

Scorers: Torres 51', Rodríguez 90+4' ; Gauld 21'

Both sides went for it in the opening minutes, but it was the Whitecaps who struck first with a stylish opener.

After making a bursting run down the right-wing, Ali Ahmed picked out Ryan Gauld with a pinpoint cross, and Scotsman fired home the first goal of the tie with aplomb.

Their lead only lasted a few minutes into the second-half however, as former Boca man Mariano Torres fired a bullet into the bottom corner from distance to bring the hosts level.

Ariel Rodríguez looked to have bagged the winner for the home side, but the offside flag was raised just after the ball hit the back of the net to spare the Vancouver blushes.

But the forward was rewarded for his efforts at the death when he latched onto a deflected cross to fire home a winner with nearly the last kick of the game.

The Costa Rican side will take a lead to Canada next week in the second-leg.

📸 EZEQUIEL BECERRA - AFP or licensors