An excited crowd filled Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium hoping to see the Vancouver Whitecaps get their first playoff win in franchise history over the San Jose Earthquakes.
Freddy Montero got things rolling for the home side as his header put Vancouver up 1-0. The lead was added to by a Cristian Techera free kick, and then Kendall Waston made it 3-0 to round off a historic night for the Canadian side. Then in a minute, Nicolas Mezquida scored twice to make it 5-0 and round off a great night for the Canadian side.
Montero sends BC Place into pandemonium
In the fifth minute, San Jose nearly jumped to an early lead, but Anibal Godoy’s freekick was met with a superb save from Stefan Marinovic.
In the thirty-third minute, Vancouver grabbed a goal and the lead. Freddy Montero, whose header marked his first ever goal in the MLS Cup Playoffs, had a thumping header go past Andrew Tarbell. BC Place was loud, excited, and the Whitecaps were in control.
Moments later Marcel de Jong tried his long from outside of the box, but a diving Tarbell denied the Whitecaps a larger lead.
A little into stoppage time there was a delay in the game as Cristian Techera went down with an injury. Despite the Whitecaps bringing out a stretcher, Techera fought off the injury and continued playing.
Just as stoppage time was almost over, the Earthquakes had a few chances to level things. A dangerous cross from Tommy Thompson was cleared away, and the ensuing corner was cleared as well.
Montero’s goal was the only one scored in the first half, as Vancouver held on to a slim 1-0 lead.
Vancouver dominance
It didn’t take long for Chris Wondolowski to test Marinovic, as in the forty-sixth minute his shot was saved. A few minutes later and the American once against tested the New Zealander, but Marinovic once against denied Wondolowski.
Soon after Wondolowski’s series of chances, San Jose had a free kick around the edge of the eighteen-yard box. Danny Hoesen took the free kick, but it went agonizingly just above the crossbar.
The Earthquakes would soon rue their missed opportunities. In the fifty-seventh minute, Techera bent a free kick perfectly into the top right corner. The home side Whitecaps had one foot into the Western Conference semi-finals.
Soon after the goal, San Jose began their comeback bid as Thompson tried sneaking in a header at the far post, but Marinovic did well to catch it.
In the sixty-fourth minute, Vancouver all but won the match as Kendall Waston made it 3-0. The stage was now being prepared for a Cascadia match between Seattle and Vancouver.
As if the game wasn’t sealed, Nicolas Mezquida made it 4-0 to Vancouver as he perfectly placed a one-timing shot into the back of the net.
Not even a minute later, Mezquida found himself scoring yet again when he pounced on the end of a cross. It was 5-0, and it was jubilation for Vancouver, but a nightmare for San Jose.
Next up
The Earthquakes' season is now over. The Vancouver Whitecaps will now face the Seattle Sounders in the Western Conference semi-finals.