Forty years after losing their franchise opener to San Jose, the Whitecaps exacted a little revenge winning decisively against the Earthquakes by a score of 3-2. It was Pedro Morales who picked up his first brace, within a minute, as a Cap while Kekuta Manneh scored the opener. San Jose responded with a brace from Chris Wondolowski who scored one at the end of each half.
The opening goal came on the ten minute mark when Kekuta Manneh scored on his second attempt. He was sent in alone by Sebastian Fernandez and took his first shot which hit squarely off the post returning right back to him. Manneh would make no mistake on his second attempt as he side footed the ball off the far post and into the net.
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Eight minutes later the Caps doubled the lead after Darren Mattocks was fouled in the box by Victor Bernardez. Vancouver’s Chilean DP Pedro Morales stepped up converted the shot sending Jon Busch the wrong way.
The home side struck again right off the kickoff when a leaping Gershon Koffie was able to block a pass right to Manneh. He was able to find Morales who took a couple of touches and fired a shot into the net picking up what was probably his quickest brace of his career.
There was almost a fourth for the Caps as they counterattacked after some Quake pressure but the shot by Erik Hurtado was cleared off the line by Sam Cronin.
Just before the half the visitors pulled one back just before the half when Captain Jay DeMerit was called for foul on Alan Gordon while going for a header in the box. The penalty was converted by San Jose’s leading scorer Chris Wondolowski.
The second half proved to be uneventful when it came to scoring as the Earthquakes possessed the ball for the majority of time but were unable to threaten. In fact the best chances in the latter 45 came to subs Erik Hurtado and Nicholas Mezquida who were both denied by Busch.
However in added time the ball found its way to Wondolowski who beat a flat footed David Ousted for his fifth of the season, with the aid of a deflection off DeMerit. Despite the tense moments the Caps were able to close the game out and earn their third win of the season, their first one since March.
A trip out east now awaits the Whitecaps as they face TFC in the Voyageurs Cup and look to hoist their first trophy in that competition.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
David Ousted; Steven Beitashour, Andy O'Brien, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Gershon Koffie, Matías Laba; Sebastián Fernández (Nicolás Mezquida 69th min), Pedro Morales, Kekuta Manneh (Kenny Miller 57th min); Darren Mattocks (Erik Hurtado 30th min)
Subs
Marco Carducci, Johnny Leverón, Nigel Reo-Coker, Russell Teibert
San Jose Earthquakes
Jon Busch; Brandon Barklage (Billy Schuler 79th min), Victor Bernardez, Clarence Goodson, Jordan Stewart; Cordell Cato (Atiba Harris 73rd min), J.J. Koval, Sam Cronin, Shea Salinas; Chris Wondolowski, Yannick Djalo (Alan Gordon 14th min)
Subs
Bryan Meredith, Ty Harden, Khari Stephenson, Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi
Attendance: 21,000
Scoring Summary
10’ – VAN – Kekuta Manneh
19’ – VAN – Pedro Morales
20’ – VAN – Pedro Morales
45’ – SJ – Chris Wondolowski
90’+1 – SJ – Chris Wondolowski
Match Stats
Shots: Vancouver 17 – San Jose 7
Shots on Goal: Vancouver 9 – San Jose 4
Saves: Vancouver 2 – San Jose 6
Fouls: Vancouver 19 – San Jose 14
Offsides: Vancouver 1 – San Jose 1
Corners: Vancouver 5 – San Jose 3
Cautions:
21’ – VAN – Pedro Morales
70’ – SJ – Alan Gordon
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