Wednesday night in Mexico City, the Vancouver Whitecaps repeated a feat they achieved just a few weeks ago, overcoming an away goal deficit on the road and securing a 2-2 (3-3 aggregate) result, this time against Pumas UNAM. That was enough to move forward to the Concacaf Champions Cup Semi-Finals, where Vancouver will face Inter Miami.

Through a late stoppage time goal from Tristan Blackmon, the Whitecaps snatched a win from the jaws of defeat in incredibly dramatic fashion, and it’s a monumental result that will live long in the history of the club. In particular, the way Vancouver has now been able to go down to Mexico twice and advance with their backs against the wall is something that was simply inconceivable until recently. It’s a credit not only to the job Jesper Sørensen has been able to do in such a short time, but also to the maturity and metal toughness of his squad.

The match itself was not a pretty one. The altitude and the nature of Pumas’ playing style led to a disjointed contest that kept Vancouver from employing much of their trademark possession and control-based style. It was uncomfortable from the opening moments, and although Vancouver did enjoy a good spell in the later stages of the first half, Jesper Sørensen noted following the result that it was not the type of match they had hoped, or expected, to play.

Nonetheless, I think it’s fair to say that if not for set piece goals and trademark Mexican antics, this match might not have needed such a dramatic conclusion for Vancouver. They were clearly the better side over the course of two legs, but you have to tip your hat to Efraín Juárez and his squad. They did everything they could to make it hostile for Vancouver, and were bitterly close to making it through in a competition that could have saved a disastrous season for them.

One thing that I think Pumas exposed for Vancouver over the course of this tie is what they are missing without their veterans at fullback. While Edier Ocampo and Tate Johnson have been tremendous in many ways, especially going forward, Vancouver is missing something on defensive set pieces and crosses without Sam Adekugbe and Mathias Laborda. I think we saw that on both Pumas goals, as Blackmon and Veselinovic started to run out of gas and did not always have the support they needed.

On the other side of the coin, the steps forward that Sebastian Berhalter and Pedro Vite have been able to make this season under a new manager have been tremendous. Vancouver’s midfield is formidable when they are on their game, and that’s something I can say without Ryan Gauld being in the squad over the last month. Berhalter’s deft touch for Vancouver’s first goal was incredible, while Vite kept the ball moving for Vancouver through the Pumas pressure and won several fouls.

Andres Cubas, as you would expect, was also immense, as he broke up play and won the ball back for the Whitecaps, all shortly after coming back from a shoulder injury. Finally, Yohei Takaoka made a number of very solid stops and managed the chaos in front of his goal quite well, especially in moments where the Whitecaps needed some intervention to relieve pressure.

It will probably take a while for the gravity of this result to register for the Whitecaps. What they have been able to do this season in Concacaf is already a huge accomplishment, and obviously the stage will only get bigger with a two matches against Inter Miami on the table in a couple of weeks, all with the chance to progress to a continental final.

Vancouver will have to do their best to keep their heads down though, as the busy schedule will continue. Austin has been one of the better teams in the West so far this season, and they’ll have to deal with that on Saturday, as well as St. Louis the following weekend, all before getting back to action in this competition.