Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes
2018 MLS Regular Season – Week 12
BC Place — Vancouver
May 16 - 10:30 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 1/5, ESPN+

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The San Jose Earthquakes head to BC Place following a 3-1 victory over Minnesota United FC that snapped a seven-match winless streak, while Vancouver Whitecaps FC played the Houston Dynamo to a 2-2 draw and have just one win in their last six games.

This will be the first meeting between the teams since the Whitecaps eliminated the Earthquakes from the playoffs 5-0 in the Knockout Round last year. Vancouver were winless in their previous five meetings against San Jose in the regular season (2L-3D), per Opta.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Carl Robinson made three changes to the side that fell to the Loons, 1-0, the previous week with Brian Rowe making his first start in goal for the injured Stefan Marinovic, Marcel de Jong returning at left back and Kei Kamara earning his first start since being sidelined with an adductor strain.

Vancouver (4-5-2) rallied from deficits twice, scoring late in each half to earn a 2-2 draw with Houston with Jose Aja striking one minute from halftime after Tomas Martinez put the visitors in front and then Kendall Waston knocked in the second-half stoppage time equalizer after Mauro Manotas gave Houston a 2-1 lead in the 90th minute.

“I’m proud of the boys in there, I really am,” Robinson said after the match. “Never giving in, being down twice against the run of play, I think we deserved a point.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Kendall Waston
International duty: None
Injury Report: GK - Stefan Marinovic (left knee sprain), M - Jordon Mutch (right hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Brian Rowe — Sean Franklin, Kendall Waston, Jose Aja, Marcel de Jong — Bernie Ibini-Isei, Efrain Juarez, Felipe, Alphonso Davies — Anthony Blondell, Kei Kamara

Notes: Waston is the first Whitecaps defender to score a goal and register an assist in the same game in the team’s MLS history. … Including the playoffs, Vancouver have lost just one of their last 14 home games (7W-6D). The Whitecaps have averaged 1.8 goals per game over this span.

San Jose Earthquakes

Mikael Stahre made one change in an altered 4-4-1-1 formation from the squad that fell to the Portland Timbers the previous week, bringing on Jahmir Hyka on the left side of four-man midfield and moving Chris Wondolowski to the bench.

With the match tied after Magnus Eriksson and Christian Ramirez exchanged goals inside the opening half hour, Wondolowski came on early in the second half and changed the game. He first set up Danny Hoesen’s go-ahead goal in the 69th minute and then struck from the penalty spot seven minutes later for his 136th career goal, moving within nine of Landon Donovan’s all-time record, as San Jose (2-5-2) defeated the Loons for a second time this season.

“It was nice to come in,” Wondolowski said. “I was full of energy and wanted to try to prove myself and help the team in any way I can. I want to thank Magnus for letting me take the second penalty.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Yeferson Quintana (ankle injury), M - Eric Calvillo (knee injury); QUESTIONABLE: M - Tommy Thompson (illness)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-1-1, right to left)
GK: Andrew Tarbell — Nick Lima, Harold Cummings, Florian Jungwirth, Shea Salinas — Magnus Eriksson, Anibal Godoy, Jackson Yueill, Jahmir Hyka — Vako — Danny Hoesen

Notes: Wondolowski has 11 goals in 18 games against Vancouver since 2010, tied for the most by any player against one team in that time. … San Jose’s 3-1 win over Minnesota on Saturday snapped a seven-game winless skid (5L-2D) in league road games in which they conceded an average of 2.6 goals per game.

All-Time Series

Overall: Vancouver Whitecaps FC 6 wins, 24 goals … San Jose Earthquakes 4 wins, 20 goals … 8 ties
At Vancouver: Whitecaps FC 6 wins, 17 goals … Earthquakes 1 win, 9 goals … 2 ties
Last meeting at Vancouver: Vancouver Whitecaps 1, San Jose Earthquakes 1 (Oct. 15, 2017)