SAN JOSE, CA
– Jake Nerwinski opened his MLS account and Maxime Crépeau set an MLS record for saves in a single game with 16; however, Vancouver Whitecaps FC fell 3-1 to San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium on Saturday evening.
For the fifth consecutive match, head coach Marc Dos Santos set up his side in a 4-3-2-1 with only one change to the starting XI from last weekend against D.C. United, as centre back Doneil Henry replaced Erik Godoy (day-to-day with right calf tightness – traveled with the team).
It didn’t take long for the ‘Caps to find the back of the net. After just six minutes, Nerwinski found space in the Quakes’ attacking half after Theo Bair did well to hold up play. Nerwinski darted towards a dangerous area outside the box and curled one off his left foot and into the corner of the net for the first goal of his career and Bair’s first MLS assist.
But there was barely any time for celebration, as the Quakes quickly answered back with a goal of their own just seconds later. San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski flciked a ball into the path of Quakes’ midfielder Judson, who put it past Crépeau to tie the game.
The Quakes would keep coming with chances as Crépeau stood his ground with nine saves in the first half.
However, Crépeau would only be able to keep the home side out for so long after a corner kick delivered in by Quakes’ midfielder Cristian Espinoza would find the head of Wondolowski, tapping in his all-time MLS leading 155th career goal, and giving the Quakes a 2-1 lead into the second half.
Just after the break, a pair of brilliant passes by Inbeom Hwang and Yordy Reyna played Bair into a dangerous area but he wouldn’t be able to solve Quakes’ keeper Daniel Vega.
In the 73rd minute, the Quakes tallied their insurance marker after Andrés Ríos banked one off the post and past a sprawling Crépeau to take a 3-1 lead.
Whitecaps FC now set their eyes on an all-Canadian matchup on Wednesday, August 28 when they travel to Quebec to take on Montreal Impact. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. PT, with the match broadcast live on TSN and TSN 1040 radio.
MATCH DETAILS
WFC Man of the Match: Maxime Crépeau
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Attendance: 17,458
Scoring Summary
6’ – VAN – Jake Nerwinski (Theo Bair)
7’ – SJ – Judson (Chris Wondolowski, Cristian Espinoza)
34’ – SJ – Chris Wondolowski (Florian Jungwirth, Magnus Eriksson)
Statistics
Possession: SJ 75% – VAN 25%
Shots: SJ 43 – VAN 5
Shots on Goal: SJ 19 – VAN 2
Saves: SJ 2 – VAN 16
Fouls: SJ 10 – VAN 9
Offsides: SJ 1 – VAN 1
Corners: SJ 16 – VAN 1
Cautions
31’ – SJ – Florian Jungwirth
72’ – SJ – Marcos López
San Jose Earthquakes
17.Daniel Vega; 27.Marcos López, 37.Guram Kashia, 23.Florian Jungwirth. 22.Tommy Thompson; 93.Judson, 14.Jackson Yueill, 11.Valeri Qazaishvilli (25.Andrés Ríos 70’), 7.Magnus Eriksson, 10.Cristian Espinoza (6.Shea Salinas 80’); 8.Chris Wondolowski (21.Carlos Fierro 81’)
Substitutes not used
28.Andrew Tarbell, 9.Danny Hoesen, 20.Aníbal Godoy, 31.Harold Cummings
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
16.Maxime Crépeau; 28.Jake Nerwinski, 2.Doneil Henry, 13.Derek Cornelius, 53.Ali Adnan; 15.Andy Rose (19.Lass Bangoura 76’), 4.Inbeom Hwang, 31.Russell Teibert; 50.Theo Bair (87.Tosaint Ricketts 60’), 12.Fredy Montero © (33.Michaell Chirinos 77’); 29.Yordy Reyna
Substitutes not used
18.Zac MacMath, 6.Jon Erice, 23.Scott Sutter, 46.Brett Levis
