Whitecaps advance to CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals

The Vancouver Whitecaps are through to the quarterfinals in CONCACAF Champions League play after completing a 7-3 aggregate win over Honduran side Real CD Espana.

Espana battled its way to a 3-2 victory in the second leg of a round-of-16 series at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on Wednesday.

Getsel Montes had a brace and Ramiro Rocca added a goal for the home side, while Brian White and Simon Becher each scored for Vancouver.

Thomas Hasal made seven saves for the 'Caps and Espana's Luis Lopez stopped two on-target shots.

The Whitecaps came into the game up 5-0 after a decisive first-leg win at B.C. Place on March 8.

The 'Caps will face either Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC or Costa Rican side Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in the quarterfinals of the tournament between the top clubs in North America, Central America and the Caribbean next month.

LAFC, the reigning MLS champions, held a 3-0 aggregate lead over Alajuelense heading into the second leg of their series Wednesday.

Whitecaps coach Vanni Sartini made ample changes to his lineup heading into Wednesday's game, swapping out eight players who started in a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas in MLS play on Saturday.

The changes included giving Canadian Hasal his first start of the season and replacing White with Sergio Cordova.

Wednesday's game marked Vancouver's fourth of five matches in 14 days.

Espana heavily outchanced the 'Caps in Honduras, putting up 10 on-target shots against Vancouver's four.

Montes put away his second goal of the game in the 86th minute, heading a shot in past Hasal off a corner.

Becher knotted the score at 2-2 in the 83rd minute, working his way around an Espana defender before finding room between Lopez and the post