Going in to today's match up at San Jose's Buck Shaw Stadium, Vancouver Whitecaps were 62 minutes away from setting a new record for the longest start to a MLS season without conceding a goal.
It was never going to be an easy ask. This was the first game of the season that the Caps would not only face a team above them in the standings, but one which actually had at least a win to their name.
The record was secured, but the three points were the much more important thing at stake, and Vancouver were unable to deliver that part, going down to a 3-1 defeat, following a dramatic defensive collapse.
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Vancouver made two changes to the team that started last week's goalless draw in Philadelphia. Eric Hassli returned from injury for the suspended Atiba Harris, and Gershon Koffie returned to the fold to add a little more defensive quality than Matt Watson to the midfield.
San Jose were missing a key attacking cog, with a hamstring injury forcing out Steven Lenhart. Spurs loanee Simon Dawkins partnered goal machine Chris Wondolowski up front for the Earthquakes.
With both sides having conceded only one goal between them all season, a defensive battle was always going to be on the cards and that was what we got in the opening minutes.
Neither side were finding it easy to break down the resolute defences, although San Jose had a couple of half chances which Vancouver scrambled clear.
The Whitecaps had a scare in the 13th minute when Sebastien Le Toux crumpled to the ground in a heap, but the French striker was okay to continue after some treatment.
The visitors had their first shot on goal in the 18th minute, when Eric Hassli fired weakly at the keeper after some good build up play. It was first shot on target in three matches for the goal shy Caps attack and it seemed to spur Vancouver on, as they enjoyed some possession.
Both sides were being restricted to long range efforts and Steven Beitashour shot wide of the Caps' right hand post in the 22nd minute, under pressure from Jordan Harvey.
Le Toux forced Jon Busch into the first save of the match in the 33rd minute, when he got his foot on the end of a Hassli cross, but couldn't get enough power on the shot to do more than to poke it in the direction of the Quakes' goal.
Vancouver came the close to breaking the deadlock in the 40th minute when John Thorrington chipped a 13 yard effort off the crossbar, with the goal gaping. The shot came on the end of a delightful 14 pass move that started with Joe Cannon, involved nine players and saw the ball sprayed across the pitch.
It was great to watch, but with the danger still on, Davide Chiumiento hit the rebound off Victor Bernardez and Busch managed to smother the second rebound.
As the half entered three minutes of stoppage time, Joe Cannon was forced into a sprawling save from a Shea Salinas rocket from the left edge of the box.
San Jose pushed for the breakthrough but none was forthcoming and the sides went in at the break scoreless.
The parity was to last less than four minutes of the second half.
Jordan Harvey took a quick throw in near the left corner flag, and with the Quakes defence napping, Hassli held off his man and set up Le Toux to coolly bury it low into the right hand corner of the net for 1-0 Vancouver.
Two minutes later and the Caps nearly doubled their lead. Gershon Koffie set up Hassli, but his low drive was straight at Busch, who parried the danger clear.
With Vancouver in the clear ascendency, Le Toux broke quickly on the left in the 58th minute. Playing in Hassli, his fellow Frenchman took a rough first touch but recovered to send a ball across the goal and just inches away from the head of a diving John Thorrington. The Caps kept the danger on and Chiumiento saw his effort go just past the left hand post.
As the game went past the hour mark, all eyes were on the clock, and with the Caps on the attack when the 62nd minute hit, the new clean sheet record was set and had never been under much threat of not being achieved as the game had gone on.
Chiumiento tried to put the cherry on the celebratory record cupcake, but hit a curling free kick just over, with Vancouver now looking to add a vital three points to their place in MLS history.
It would have been ironic for the Caps defences to be breached just after setting the shutout record, and Alan Gordon had a great chance to do just that two minutes later when he was clear in front of an open goal, but couldn't get on the end of Salinas' dangerous cross.
With the home side now pressing, Cannon had to be quick of his line to get on the end of a Salinas through ball before Gordon.
San Jose got the breakthrough their play was threatening in the 68th minute and this time it was the Vancouver defence which was caught napping from a throw in.
Ramiro Corrales saw Chris Wondolowski in space from his marker Jay DeMerit and the hitman shook off DeMerit's attentions to chip the ball over an advancing Joe Cannon from a tight angle, four yards out, to tie things up.
It was poor defending from Vancouver's captain, who not only let his man get away from him, but then miscontrolled the ball in the box to set up the finish.
San Jose should have taken the lead three minutes later. Former Whitecap Salinas sent another low ball across the goalmouth but both Gordon and Wondolowski let the ball skip though under their feet.
The Earthquakes did get their second moments later. Corrales whipped a dangerous ball in from the left and this time Gordon connected, getting in front of Martin Bonjour to head home low past Cannon.
With 72 minutes gone, it was some turnaround from the home side. They kept going and six minutes later it was three.
Tressor Moreno curled an inswinging free kick to the back post from the left. Jordan Harvey mistimed his jump and that left Wondolowski unmarked and with the easy job of hitting home for his second of the match, and his sixth goal in five games.
The collapse of the Whitecaps defence was alarming. It was the first poor defending that the team have shown this season, with San Jose making them pay dearly for some very bad marking.
Camilo had come on as sub for the Caps, giving away the free kick that led to the third goal. He tried to make amends with eight minutes remaining, picking up a short ball from Chiumiento, before shooting just wide.
As the time ticked down, Chiumiento played Hassli through with two minutes remaining, but the striker should have done better, wildly firing over from a good position, as his goal drought continued.
Despite some pressure from Vancouver in the closing stages, San Jose held firm to open up a four point gap on their visitors.
Vancouver will now have eleven days to lick their wounds and try and find some attacking cohesion and work on their defensive lapses.
With all the praise heaped on the team and Martin Rennie so far this season, it will now be interesting to see how they bounce back from their first loss.
FINAL SCORE : San Jose Earthquakes 3 - 1 Vancouver Whitecaps
ATT : 10,525
SAN JOSE : Jon Busch; Steven Beitashour, Victor Bernardez, Justin Morrow, Ramiro Corrales; Shea Salinas, Sam Cronin (Khari Stephenson 69), Rafael Baca, Marvin Chavez (Tressor Moreno 38); Chris Wondolowski, Simon Dawkins (Alan Gordon 52) [subs Not Used: David Bingham, Brad Ring, Jason Hernandez, Ike Opara]
VANCOUVER : Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Gershon Koffie, Jun-Marques Davidson (Camilo Sanvezzo 76), Davide Chiumiento, John Thorrington (Matt Watson 79); Sebastien Le Toux, Eric Hassli [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Omar Salgado, Carlyle Mitchell, Long Tan, Greg Klazura]
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