Matias Almeyda and the San Jose Earthquakes got their third consecutive win and moved into the playoff places out West as they handed the Vancouver Whitecaps FC a fourth straight loss, 3-0, on Wednesday night.
The game remained scoreless after a first half that saw plenty of end-to-end action. Both sides had chances, but Vancouver had a slight edge with five shots on target, including two shots each from forward Fredy Montero and defender Andy Rose (off two Vancouver corners). San Jose also forced goalkeeper Evan Bush, who was making his Vancouver debut, to make two key saves towards the end of the first half.
It seemed to be only a matter of time before one of the teams broke the deadlock and five minutes into the second half, Cristian Espinoza struck first for San Jose.
A few minutes later, the Whitecaps FC found themselves not only down a goal, but also down a man when Andy Rose was sent off for a second yellow.
Forward Andy Rios added a second goal for the Quakes and after Erik Godoy was shown a straight red to take Vancouver down to nine men for the final 15 minutes, San Jose's Paul Marie added a third to seal the deal and secure the win.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: After the heavy defeats suffered by the Earthquakes in recent weeks, it's hard to believe that they now sit above the playoff line after a third straight win. Meanwhile, the postseason is drifting away for a Vancouver team that is four points away from the final playoff spot.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: After 50 minutes of even play and opportunities for both sides, San Jose Earthquakes Designated Player Cristian Espinoza finally broke through to give his side the advantage and set them on their way to the win.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Cristian Espinoza was dangerous throughout the game and visibly frustrated when he couldn’t find the back of the net in the first half. He stayed persistent and came out strong in the second 45 to open up the scoring for San Jose.
Next Up
- SJ: Sunday, October 11 at Portland Timbers (10 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, FOX 12 Plus (KPDX), NBC Sports California in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
- VAN: Saturday, October 10 at Real Salt Lake ( 10 pm ET | TSN in Canada; MLS LIVE on ESPN+, KMYU in US)
