Whitecaps Stop Messi and Miami in Home Game

Messi actually showed up to play this evening in BC Place

Will he or won't he?

That was the question on everyone's minds when some 53,000 football fans descended on BC Place this evening wondering if superstar Lionel Messi of Inter Miami FC would actually play in tonight's game against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal.

And while Messi did play -- nearly a year after he was a no-show -- the Argentine's talents weren't enough and the Whitecaps beat Inter Miami 2-0.

He was stopped by goalkeeper Takaoka

Although there were many people in the stands wearing Messi jerseys, he was booed every time he had possession of the ball.

Messi even had a free kick from a distance, but Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka stopped him.

The Whitecaps are having a stellar season, playing very well as a team. 

Longtime fan Tony Gabriel admitted he was thrilled to see Messi play, but was more excited at the prospect of the Whitecaps advancing to the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, which features the best teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

"How could you not be a fan of the Whitecaps? How could you not want to go out and come to the games and watch the Whitecaps play? It doesn't matter who they're playing. Lionel Messi is a bonus, yes, but the team is doing amazing," Gabriel said.

After the game, the Whitecaps' new head coach Jesper Sorensen said he was happy with how the team responded to the challenge of facing a star-studded Miami team.

"I know that a lot of people came to see some of the Miami players, I fully understand it... We're happy to play for Vancouver and I think today was a game where everybody could be happy for the way we did it."

The second leg of the semifinal will be next Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.