VANCOUVER, B.C. - A mid-week clash between Whitecaps FC and the San Jose Earthquakes unfolded at B.C. Place. The first of three meetings between the newly formed western conference rivals was a back forth 2-2 draw. Neither side took control of the match in front of 17,357 spectators on a clear and summer like evening.
Cristian Techera opened the scoring with his second tally of the season. San Jose answered back with a quick replies from Danny Hoesen and Nick Lima. Yordy Reyna's second half unmarked header made sure both teams took home a single point.
"Déjà vu I think, wasn’t it." Carl Robinson spoke post-match. "There was lots of good stuff. There was too many individual errors which led to goals, lack of concentration when we’re in control of a game, like Friday night. When you do that and you get punished, it stings, it hurts, and I think it was a case of that again tonight. But we continue to create chances, we just need to take them."
Carl Robinson's squad improves to 4-5-3 on the campaign. First year MLS Manager, Mikael Stahre, see his Earthquakes near the bottom of the table with a poor 2-5-3 record.
"In general I think there’s a fine line between winning and losing." Stahre said. "We came out really poor this season for sure. It was really important we beat Minnesota last weekend and a really important point today. I think we deserve better but we need to still improve, but I think now we’re on the right track."
"I think it's always a tough place to play up here." Chris Wondolowski told RedNation Online. "The Whitecaps do a great job of keeping you on your toes, making sure that you're always balanced. They scored a couple of good goals, but it's good to get a point."
Moments of the Match
Whitecaps FC got the early goal that they needed and they quickly jumped on the beleaguered San Jose Earthquakes. Yordy Reyna played a clear through ball past the heart of the San Jose back-line. Cristian Techera was onside, and he slotted the ball past a falling Andrew Tarbell to put Vancouver ahead in the 19' minute.
Vancouver weren't content with just one lone goal, the home side pushed forward with a heavy 4-4-2 lineup looking to put the Earthquakes on the burner. Kendall Waston forced Tarbell into a spectacular one-handed save off a Felipe corner in the 42' minute. Effy Juarez followed up the opportunity only to see his attempt strike the outside post.
San Jose had an answer in stoppage time as leading goal-scoring Danny Hoesen caught Whitecaps FC on the counter and he chipped Brian Rowe. The Dutch striker managed to stay just a hair onside as the Quakes nicked a goal right before the interval to tie it up.
There was a clear shift in momentum as the underdog Earthquakes came into the second half with a purpose. They pushed the back and hemmed Whitecaps FC in their own half. The pressure paid off as right-back Nick Lima found the net in the 53' minute.
The 23 year-old homegrown product was given too much time and space. He fired a rocket that eluded Rowe. The Caps defence was caught out and Lima's first goal of the season had San Jose out in front.
"I saw there was a lot of space between the defender and me and he kind of backed off and I like that. I got an opportunity and I took it, luckily it went it."
San Jose was in a giving mood as they were caught ball watching in the 64' minute when Whitecaps FC squared the match 2-2. Marcel de Jong delivered a perfect cross from the left flank. Yordy Reyna was left all alone as he headed home his first of the season.
In back to back matches, Vancouver settled for a pair of 2-2 draws. The Caps certainly had moments of brilliance against Houston and San Jose. However, they weren't able to put forth a solid and consistent ninety minute effort to take three points in either match.
Whitecaps FC will play FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas on Saturday afternoon in the blazing Texas hea. You can expect some squad roation from the Caps gaffer.
"There will be a little bit," Robinson explained. "We have a few boys banged up, dealing with cramps towards the end of the game. They put a tremendous amount of work in today. A couple of boys have played two games in four or five days, so I’ll give one or two of them a break. I’ve got freshness in the squad, some of the young legs want to play and they’ll get the opportunity to play. There will be some changes, I won’t tinker with eight or nine changes, but there will be a couple."
Man of the Match
It's been a bit of a struggle for Yordy Reyna this season, but the creative attacking midfielder had his best game of the season against San Jose. Reyna was finding space, creating opportunities for himself and his teammates. The Peruvian international lead the way for Vancouver with a goal and an assist. His first goal of the season helped Vancouver earn a result when it looked like they might not achieve one.
"The way he played today will help us," Carl Robinson said of Reyna. "I thought he was terrific in his performance. He looked lively, he looked sharp, and he was in attacking areas which (he was) getting shots off and creating chances. Lots of positive stuff from Yordy. He could have got three goals on another day. That’s what we need, we need Yordy to come up big for us at certain moments. I think just before he’d come off he had a key chance, where he was one-on-one with the keeper and the keeper pulled off a good save."
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Starting XI: Brian Rowe; Marcel De Jong, Kendall Waston(C), Jose Aja, Sean Franklin; Alphonso Davies; Effy Juarez, Felipe, Cristian Techera, 81 (Brek Shea); Kei Kamara, Yordy Reyna, 84 (Nicolas Mezquida). 4-4-2
San Jose Earthquakes Starting XI: Andrew Tarbell; Shea Salinas, 81 (Francois Affolter), Harold Cummings, Florian Jungworth(C), Jimmy Ockford, Nick Lima; Vatko, 84 (Chris Wondolowski), Jackson Yueill 87 (Fatai Alashe), Anibal Godoy, Magnus Eriksson; Danny Hoesen. 5-4-1
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