Vancouver Whitecaps have got off to an impressive start to the season. When they have come unstuck, it’s been against the top sides in MLS.
With the Western Conference leaders coming to town, the Caps needed to put in a big performance to prevent slipping a huge eleven points off the pace at the top of the table.
Not only did they do that through a goal from Eric Hassli in the closing seconds, they turned in an overall spirited team performance to fight back from a goal down and could have been out of sight by the end of the ninety minutes.
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Both teams went for attacking line-ups, with Vancouver deciding to continue with Omar Salgado up front. Camilo Sanvezzo’s return to the starting eleven saw Eric Hassli return to bench.
The Caps were bolstered in defence with the return of Alain Rochat at left back. Jordan Harvey had struggled down in San Jose in April and Rochat’s return made for a more conservative midfield to allow both defensive backs to push forward.
It was a cagey opening from both sides, with some nice build up play, but very little quality end product.
Simon Dawkins forced Joe Cannon into the first real save of the match in the 14th minute, with a low drive from the edge of the box.
A minute later and the visitors were in the lead.
The Whitecaps defence struggled to properly clear an Earthquakes attack and Rafael Baca was allowed to pass out right to Marvin Chavez. The Honduran hit an inch perfect ball to the back post and danger man Chris Wondolowski was there to head home from the edge of the six yard box.
The goal galvanised the home side. They took the game to San Jose and came close to levelling in the 31st minute.
Young-Pyo Lee whipped in a free kick from the right sideline and Alain Rochat rose unchallenged to head inches past the left hand post.
The Whitecaps got the equaliser that their play deserved in the 40th minute and it came from the unlikeliest of sources – the head of Gershon Koffie.
Camilo sent a free kick from the left into a crowded San Jose penalty box and Koffie was on hand to head home from six yards out.
Both sides held firm until the half time whistle and went in level, with all to play for, but with the Whitecaps in the ascendency.
And the Caps started the second half where they left off the first.
In the first minute of the restart, Koffie nearly returned the favour to Camilo with a pass for a goal, but Jon Busch got his body well behind the Brazilian’s drive from the edge of the box.
Two minutes later and Camilo’s tricky footwork was unable to see him find a way through and he cut the ball back to Koffie, whose low 25 yarder was again saved by Busch.
Busch was fast becoming the busiest San Jose player on the park, saving a 25 yard Camilo free kick and then a deflected long range effort from the Brazilian.
San Jose reminded Vancouver of the threat they still were, when Chavez broke quickly when the Caps lost possession from a free kick to the left of the box. The Whitecaps managed to get players back in time to thwart the three-on-three danger.
The visitors had another quick breakaway in the 67th minute, this time from a Whitecaps corner, ending with Joe Cannon getting down well to save a low Wondolowski effort.
Apart from picking the ball out of the net, Cannon hadn’t had a lot to do in the game so far and this continued for the rest of the match.
Both sides made switches as the clock ticked down and the Caps’ introduction of Eric Hassli and Davide Chiumiento brought a new spark to the closing minutes, but they just couldn’t find another way through an organised Earthquakes defence.
As the game moved into stoppage time, Hassli had a great chance in the 93rd minute, after a spectacular ball from Koffie set him free on the right. With John Thorrington free in the middle, the big Frenchman went for glory and blasted a shot high and over.
He was to get his glory moment later.
With four seconds remaining of the added four, Chiumiento's through ball took a deflection off Ike Opara right into the path of Hassli and the striker composed himself before burying it past Busch into the bottom right hand corner.
The keeper got a hand on it but couldn’t prevent the scenes of relief and jubilation that followed and seconds later the match was over and the Caps had won.
With many questions still hanging over this Whitecaps side, they answered a lot of doubters with their performance today.
Not only did they fight back from a goal down, they took the game to one of the best teams in Major League Soccer in this first quarter of the season and got the win.
Still a long way to go and still a lot of work to do, but with performances like this one, the Whitecaps have a right to be where they currently are and they will only keep improving.
ATT: 19,271
FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 2 – 1 San Jose Earthquakes
VANCOUVER: Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Alain Rochat; Sebastien Le Toux, Jun Marques Davidson, Gershon Koffie, Matt Watson (John Thorrington 61); Camilo Sanvezzo (Eric Hassli 73), Omar Salgado (Davide Chiumiento 81) [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Jordan Harvey, Carlyle Mitchell, Michael Nanchoff]
SAN JOSE: Jon Busch; Steven Beitashour, Jason Hernandez (Ike Opara 46), Justin Morrow, Ramiro Corrales; Marvin Chavez (Tressor Moreno 75), Rafael Baca, Sam Cronin, Simon Dawkins (Khari Stephenson 63); Chris Wondolowski, Steven Lenhart [subs Not Used: David Bingham, Sam Garza, Sercan Guvenisik, Brad Ring]
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