Quakes stay hot, dominate skidding Whitecaps

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:21 am

Chris Wondolowski scored the tiebreaking goal and also had an assist to help the San Jose Earthquakes notch a 3-1 victory over the host Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.

Midfielders Valeri "Vako" Qazaishvili and Magnus Eriksson also scored goals, as San Jose (10-7-4, 34 points) outshot Vancouver 32-6 while winning for the fifth time in its past six matches.

Wondolowski's goal in the 34th minute proved to be the decider in a contest, in which the Earthquakes put 11 shots on target compared to one for the Whitecaps.

Defender Doneil Henry scored the goal for Vancouver (4-11-8, 20 points), which lost for the fifth straight game and saw its winless streak increase to eight. Henry's goal in the seventh minute was the Caps' lone shot on target.

The Whitecaps have been outscored 17-2 during their five-game slide. They also have been outshot 65-12 over the past two matches, placing just one shot on goal.

San Jose went ahead in the 34th minute, after Vako delivered a right-footed blast that caromed off the left post. The ball hit Vancouver keeper Maxime Crepeau -- still on the ground from his dive -- in the back, and he scrambled for a behind-the-back flip to keep it from crossing the line.

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But Wondolowski was waiting and kicked the loose ball into the net for his ninth goal of the season, while expanding his MLS career goals record to 153.

The Whitecaps had an opportunity to tie in the 75th minute, but forward Joaquin Ardaiz sent his close-range shot over the center of the net.

The Earthquakes put the game away four minutes later when midfielder Cristian Espinosa fed Eriksson, who smacked a right-footed shot past Crepeau to make it a two-goal margin.

Vancouver took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. Henry went up for a header and missed, but the ball hit San Jose defender Tommy Thompson and dropped at Henry's feet, and he sent a right-footed bouncing shot past San Jose goalkeeper Daniel Vega.

The Earthquakes tied the score nine minutes later. Espinoza drilled a low ball into the box, and Crepeau (who eight saves) initially broke up the play. But Wondolowski tipped the ball out toward Vako, who sent a right-footed shot into the net.