Late stunner pulls Tigres level with Whitecaps in Champions Cup

Andre-Pierre Gignac scored a spectacular goal on a 25-yard free kick in the 88th minute, lifting Tigres UANL to a 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday in the opening round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in Langford, British Columbia.

The contest was the first leg of a two-game, total-goal series that will conclude on Feb. 14 at San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico.

Gignac curled his kick into the upper right corner, beyond the dive of Vancouver goalie Yohei Takaoka.

Damir Kreilach gave the Whitecaps a lead with a 32nd-minute goal. Brian White knocked a header into the penalty area, and Kreilach ran onto the ball and volleyed it home with his right foot. The 34-year-old Croatian was making his Whitecaps debut after spending the past six seasons with Real Salt Lake.

The winner of the Tigres-Whitecaps series will move into the round of 16 to oppose either Orlando City or Cavalry Football Club, a team from suburban Calgary.