VANCOUVER, BC – Despite a performance in which they dominated the stats sheet, Vancouver Whitecaps FC dropped a 1-0 result against San Jose Earthquakes in their return to MLS action on Sunday night.

The ‘Caps would start brightly, putting the pressure on San Jose from the first whistle. Quakes goalkeeper Daniel would be forced into two huge saves early on, with Sergio Córdova cutting in and firing off a shot that the Quakes keeper would have to smother before stretching for a superb diving save on White in a point-blank header towards goal.

White would have another chance around the 20-minute mark, recovering a ball inside the box and dribbling past two Quakes defenders before firing a shot straight at Daniel. Four minutes later, Alessandro Schöpf would try his luck from outside the box, with his effort going high.

Richie Laryea would have his chance to get a dream debut goal near the half-hour mark, as he was found all alone on the right-hand side of the box, but his shot was off the mark.

Córdova would have arguably the best chance of the half 10 minutes from halftime, as he was able to round Daniel but was unable to squeeze his shot into the net, getting cleared just off the line.

However, San Jose, against the run of play, would get first blood just before halftime in their lone good chance of the match. On a dangerous counter-attack, Ebobisse would drill a cross into Espinoza, who would tap it in to punish Whitecaps FC for missed opportunities. That goal would prove to be the difference at the break.

The ‘Caps would start on the front foot again in the second half, with White getting an opportunity by fizzing it across goal, but no one was there to drag it home. Ryan Raposo momentarily thought he got the equalizer in the 55th minute, but an offside by White in the build-up had it chalked off.

In the 60th minute, Córdova would unleash a thunderous shot that was deflected and forced Daniel to make yet another fantastic save. Córdova would feature again some 10 minutes later, as a fantastic pass by the subbed-in Ryan Gauld would send him in behind on the right, but his driven cross went agonizingly behind the onrushing White before being cleared by the Quakes.

Sam Adekugbe nearly got himself a dream homecoming goal in the 80th minute, as his free kick from 25-yards would crash against the frame of the goal and go out of play.

Despite throwing everything forward in the last 10 minutes plus added time, the ‘Caps would fall to a 1-0 defeat.

Whitecaps FC are back in action next Saturday, August 26 away from home in a Cascadian derby against Portland Timbers at 7:30 p.m. PT, available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The ‘Caps are back at home on Saturday, September 30 against DC Untied at 7:30 p.m. PT. For tickets, visit whitecapsfc.com/tickets.

MATCH DETAILS

VWFC GE Appliances Player of Quality: Andrés Cubas
Attendance: 16,765
Referee: Ismir Pekmic

Scoring Summary
42’ – SJ – Cristian Espinoza

Statistics
Possession: VAN 58.3% – SJ 41.7%
Shots: VAN 19 – SJ 3
Shots on Goal: VAN 8 – SJ 1
Saves: VAN 0 – SJ 7
Fouls: VAN 10 – SJ 8
Offsides: VAN 2 – SJ 1
Corners: VAN 6 – SJ 1

Cautions
39’ – SJ – Jamiro Monteiro
62’ – SJ – Carlos Gruezo
79’ – SJ – Niko Tsakiris
82’ – SJ – Daniel
89’ – SJ – Paul Marie
90’ – VAN – Ryan Gauld
90’ – SJ – Rodrigues
90’+1 – VAN – Vanni Sartini

Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18.Yohei Takaoka; 2.Mathías Laborda (28.Levonte Johnson 81’), 4.Ranko Veselinović ©, 6.Tristan Blackmon; 20.Andrés Cubas; 7.Richie Laryea (3.Sam Adekugbe HT), 8.Alessandro Schöpf (22.Ali Ahmed 70’), 45.Pedro Vite (26.J.C. Ngando 81’), 27.Ryan Raposo (25.Ryan Gauld 59’); 24.Brian White, 9.Sergio Córdova

Substitutes not used
32.Isaac Boehmer, 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 23.Javain Brown, 31.Russell Teibert

San Jose Earthquakes
42.Daniel; 29.Carlos Akapo, 26.Rodrigues, 15.Tanner Beason, 21.Miguel Trauco; 55.Michael Baldisimo (30.Niko Tsakiris 64’), 7.Carlos Gruezo; 10.Cristian Espinoza, 35.Jamiro Monteiro (4.Jonathan Mensah 73’), 44.Cade Cowell (3.Paul Marie 73’); 11.Jeremy Ebobisse (9.Ayo Akinola 85’)

Substitutes not used
1.JT Marcinkowski, 12.Matthew Hoppe, 22.Tommy Thompson, 24.Daniel Munie, 28.Benjamin Kikanović