VANCOUVER, B.C - Vancouver Whitecaps FC are moving on up to the western conference semi-finals after dismantling the San Jose Earthquakes with a decisive 5-0 knockout win.
San Jose had no answer against Vancouver. Fredy Montero opened the scoring in the first half. Nicolas Mezquida had a second half brace off the bench. Cristian Techera, and Kendall Waston had a goal, and an assist. Brek Shea had a pair of assists, and goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic made 5 saves to earn a clean sheet. Whitecaps FC trounced San Jose.
“As I’ve said to you all the time, I like proving people wrong," Carl Robinson said post-match. "Football’s there for records to be broken and we’ve broke a few since I’ve been here. Before I’d come here, there were people breaking records, and since I’ve come there’s been more records broken. So that’s what you have to do. But I’m delighted for everyone involved with the football club, and everyone involved with the city, because we needed a little bit of success. We got a little bit of success today, but that’s all it is. It sets us up nicely for a two-legged playoff game against our rivals up the road, which we’ll really look forward to. If we’re going to go further, we’ve got to beat the champs, which is no easy feat."
Whitecaps FC will host Seattle on Sunday, October 29 at 5:30 p.m. at B.C. Place with the return leg taking place at CenturyLink Field on Thursday, November 2. U.S. international, Clint Dempsey will miss the opening match due to suspension.
A crowd of 21,083 was roaring form start to finish as they saw the home-side record the biggest victory over an opponent in franchise history. While Vancouver claimed a 5-nil win, it was a slow start to the match, and something Carl Robinson spoke about.
"I knew you’d pick up something negative from a 5-0 victory at home in front of our fans. It’s brilliant. No, we were super, super confident from the first minute of the game. Listen we started the first two minutes well. We had our fair share of chances. They’re a good team. Whoever you play in this league, the parity is so close that you can have periods of games where, obviously they had a brief period in the first half. We got the first goal, which was always crucial. I said, I don’t want to live at 1-0 after halftime. We need to score a second goal. And that was drummed into them. Obviously we get the second, and it’s like when you wait for a bus, you wait ages and then two, three, four come along in the same place. That’s what happened."
Whitecaps FC leading goal-scorer, Fredy Montero spoke about his first career MLS playoff goal and what it meant to him.
"It means a lot," Montero said. "Obviously, this was a different game, the atmosphere was amazing. Thanks to all the fans who came to support us. We felt that energy and of course I was happy to score the first goal to open the game."
Montero quickly turned his attention to his former club Seattle Sounders FC who are bound to give him extra attention in the box
"It’s going to be a hard game," Montero said. "We’re going to use this one as motivation because we know in these two series games if you can score a few goals you can go to the next one waiting for one result. Goals are going to be valuable in this series."
The Opening 45
Stefan Marinovic came up big just 5' minutes into the match. Anibal Godoy had a dangerous free kick from distance, and the New Zealand keeper made a leaping save to push the attempt over the bar.
It took both teams time to settle into the match. Neither side wanted to break down defensively and give away a scoring opportunity. Vancouver looked to smash home headers sent into the San Jose box, but the Quakes were well prepared.
The Earthquakes had a momentary lapse and Vancouver made them pay with a brilliant corner. Cristian Techera sent the ball in, Waston headed the ball to a wide open, Fredy Montero at the back post. Montero converted for his first goal since September 23.
Vancouver's goal quickly changed the tone of the match. San Jose had to go forward and Whitecaps FC were well positioned to wait, and counter-attack. San Jose held a 56% - 44% possession advantage, but Montero had Vancouver out in front.
The Second Half
San Jose needed to find a goal and they went forward in search for an equalizer. Skipper, Chris Wondolowski had a terrific chance to tie the match, but Marinovic made a diving save to keep the Caps nemeses off the score-sheet.
San Jose committed a costly foul, and Vancouver scored off a free kick in the 57' minute. "The Bug", Cristian Techera stepped up and delivered a 'Golazo', over the San Jose wall, top corner on Quakes keeper, Andrew Tarbell. Vancouver was out for the jugular.
Vancouver stepped on the accelerator and promptly added another tally in the 64' minute. San Jose failed to clear the ball from their own box, and with both Whitecaps FC centre-backs up the pitch, Kendall Waston converted from the Quakes goal-line.
The Caps weren't finished with San Jose as Nicolas Mezquida came off the bench and added a second half brace with goals in the 78' and 80' minute. The first coming off a a Christian Bolanos setup, and his second a lovely volley from Brek Shea's long ball.
It all went so very, very wrong for the San Jose Earthquakes. While they played a strong opening forty-five. The depth, and scoring prowess from Vancouver prevailed as they buried their second half scoring opportunities. San Jose will look to the offseason, and Vancouver will turn their attention to a derby vs Seattle Sounders FC in the western conference semi-finals.
Man of the Match
Kendall Waston
Waston was an immense difference maker. He set the tone, and stepped up his game when it mattered most. Vancouver needed someone to rise to the occasion, and the Costa Rican international setup the opening goal of the match, and delivered the 3-0 knockout blow with a goal of his own. Waston has shown that he can dominate a match at both ends of the pitch. Vancouver is off to the semi-final thanks to a strong performance from Waston when his team needed his best game.
Vancouver Whitecaps Starting XI: Stefan Marinovic; Marcel de Jong, Tim Parker, Kendall Waston(C), Jake Nerwinski; Tony Tchani, 83 (Andrew Jacobson), Aly Ghazal; Christian Bolanos, Yordy Reyna, 68 (Nicolas Mezquida), Cristian Techera, 74 (Brek Shea); Fredy Montero. 4-2-3-1.
San Jose Earthquakes Starting XI: Andrew Tarbell; Shea Salinas, Florian Jungworth, Victor Bernardez, Kofie Sarkodie, 74 (Quincy Amarikwa); Darwin Ceren, Anibal Godoy; Vako, 86 (Jackson Yueill), Chris Wondolowski(C), Tommy Thompson, 62 (Marco Urena); Danny Hoesen. 4-2-3-1.
|