Subs make the difference as ‘Caps start road campaign with a win
SAN JOSE, CA – Vancouver Whitecaps FC earned their first three points of the season on Saturday night in California, as two second half goals put San Jose to the sword in a tense match.
Despite both teams trying their best to catch the other out, they would be deadlocked all the way until the halftime whistle.
San Jose would begin the second half on the front foot, putting pressure on the ‘Caps. Amahl Pellegrino would have two great chances to open the scoring, the first with a spinning half-volley that Takaoka would get his finger-tips to, and second in the second phase of the following corner, where he would sky a free header at the back post.
Whitecaps FC would respond to that with a brilliant chance of their own in the 60th minute. Gauld would lead a three-on-three counter after winning back the ball himself, and slip White in behind the back line. White would cut across his marker and unleash a curled effort, only for it to be tipped away by Daniel for a corner.
However, the deadlock would finally be broken by Alessandro Schöpf in the 74th minute. After clearing their lines off a ‘Caps corner, San Jose would be unable to deny Schöpf’s half-volley from just outside the box, with the Austrian’s thunderous strike too strong for the outstretched hands of Daniel.
White would nearly make it two immediately after the first, with another superbly weighted ball by Gauld finding the American striker in behind, but his shot would just be inches wide from going in by the near post.
The ‘Caps would then take control of the match and double their advantage in the 86th minute. Ali Ahmed would gracefully take down a diagonal ball on the left from Ranko Veselinović, beat his man and drive into the box. He would then open his body up and curl a stunning effort into the top right corner, leaving Daniel no chance.
Ryan Raposo would come close to making it three-nil in the last minutes of regular time, being played in behind and rounding the ‘keeper, but his effort would be deflected for a corner.
In the end, Whitecaps FC would hold onto their lead in the dying embers of the match to get their first away win of the season at their first time of asking.
Whitecaps FC travel next to Dallas, Texas as they face FC Dallas next Saturday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. PT, available to watch for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and to listen to on AM730 radio. The ‘Caps will then be back at home the following week on March 23 against Real Salt Lake at 4:30 p.m. PT. For tickets visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.
MATCH DETAILS
Attendance: 16,045
GE Appliances VWFC Player of Quality: Andrés Cubas
Referee: Christopher Calderon
Scoring Summary
74’ – VAN – Alessandro Schöpf
86’ – VAN – Ali Ahmed (Ranko Veselinović)
Statistics
Possession: SJ 60% – VAN 40%
Shots: SJ 9 – VAN 8
Shots on Goal: SJ 5 – VAN 6
Saves: SJ 2 – VAN 2
Fouls: SJ 14 – VAN 15
Offsides: SJ 0 – VAN 2
Corners: SJ 8 – VAN 6
Cautions
62’ – SJ – Bruno Wilson
73’ – SJ – Preston Judd
80’ – SJ – Alfredo Morales
80’ – VAN – Fafà Picault
90’+3 – SJ – Tommy Thompson
San Jose Earthquakes
42.Daniel; 3.Paul Marie (22.Tommy Thompson 85′), 4.Bruno Wilson, 26.Rodrigues, 94. Vitor Costa de Brito; 7.Carlos Gruezo (28.Benjamin Kikanović 77’), 14.Jackson Yueill; 10.Cristian Espinoza, 16.Jack Skahan (6.Alfredo Morales 45’), 9.Amahl Pellegrino (17.Ousseni Bouda 86’); 11.Jeremy Ebobisse (19.Preston Judd 70’)
Substitutes not used
25.William Yarbrough, 15.Tanner Beason, 24.Daniel Munie, 55.Michael Baldisimo
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
1.Yohei Takaoka; 2. Mathías Laborda, 4.Ranko Veselinović, 6.Tristan Blackmon; 23.Javain Brown (7.Ryan Raposo 70’), 45.Pedro Vite (8.Alessandro Schöpf 71’), 20.Andrés Cubas, 14.Luís Martins (22.Ali Ahmed 62’); 24.Brian White (16.Sebastian Berhalter 82’), 19.Damir Kreilach (11.Fafà Picault 63’), 25.Ryan Gauld ©
Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 12.Belal Halbouni, 15.Bjørn Inge Utvik, 28.Levonte Johnson
