The recent departure of star names has had many questioning Vancouver Whitecaps strength and playoff credentials.
Those doubters got to see first hand what the new look Caps were capable of at BC Place this afternoon as Vancouver beat table topping San Jose Earthquaker with a well deserved 2-1 win this afternoon.
Vancouver made only one change from the team that drew against LA on Wednesday night, with Alain Rochat returning from suspension and slotting back into the left back role and Jordan Harvey dropping to the bench.
The Whitecaps had the first real chance of the match four minutes in.
Gershon Koffie got the ball just inside the San Jose box and quickly played it out right to Y-P Lee. The Korean sent a dangerous ball into the box but just too high for Darren Mattocks to fully get his head on.
Both sides had efforts fly over, as Vancouver dominated possession but were unable to get out of a midfield battle.
That all changed at the 20 minute mark when Lee got the ball 20 yards out and saw the opportunity to set Dane Richards free on his right.
His perfectly weighted through ball allowed Richards to show a burst of pace that left Justin Morrow for dead, before finishing high into the net form a tight angle for the opening goal of the afternoon.
The lead was to last eighteen minutes before the Western Conference leaders found themselves back on level terms.
Marvin Chavez whipped in a dangerous ball from the left and as Alain Rochat and Alan Gordon went to meet it, the Caps defender went to ground and Gordon had the easy task of heading past Joe Cannon.
And that was how it remained until the half.
With no changes at the break, both teams came out hungry for the second half.
San Jose had the first chance two minutes in when Simon Dawkins turned Barry Robson and hit a fierce shot inches past the left hand post from the edge of the box.
Vancouver responded immediately and Mattocks forced himself clear through on goal but was adjudged to have fouled a San Jose defender whilst doing it.
With 54 minutes on the clock, the Whitecaps had a great chance to retake the lead as Camilo hit the byeline and pulled the ball back just inches from the outstretched foot of Mattocks.
Two minutes later and Richards came close after breaking into the box, cutting inside and wrong footing two Quakes defenders before curling his effort just past the left hand post.
The game was now end to end and a Rochat giveaway two minutes before the hour mark nearly proved costly but Gordon hit his low shot straight at Cannon.
The action kept coming thick and fast, with the pace of Richards and Mattocks causing problems for San Jose on the right and Camilo adding to their troubles on the left.
And it was the Brazilian who set it up for the Whitecaps to go back into the lead when he was was brought down in the box in the 62nd minute.
Referee Jair Marrufo originally told Camilo to get up but the linesman indicated the penalty and the referee changed his mind and point to the spot.
Up stepped Robson to bury it hard down the middle for his second goal in two home matches and give the Caps a 2-1 lead.
San Jose looked to respond but only had a Victor Bernardez long range deflected free kick to show for their efforts.
With Vancouver’s record of losing leads and late goals, BC Place was on the edge of their seats for one of the most entertaining games of the year so far.
Mattocks nearly eased some of the concerns when Camilo headed him through on goal. He did well to twist, turn and cut inside before firing inches left of the goal.
Vancouver’s latest signing, Kenny Miller, came on for Mattocks in the 78th minute and he nearly made an immediate impact, getting on the end of long Jay DeMerit ball, but his first touch let him down and Jon Busch smothered the danger.
The Caps had a scare in the 84th minute when neither Rochat or Camilo picked up substitute Sercan Guvenisik but the Turk could only hit the side netting.
There were to be no further scares and the final whistle signalled a well deserved Vancouver victory and gave a statement of intent to the rest of the Western Conference.
This team is here to do some damage and it’s only just beginning.
FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 1 San Jose Earthquakes
ATT: 20,112
VANCOUVER: Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Alain Rochat; Jun Marques Davidson, Gershon Koffie, Barry Robson; Dane Richards, Camilo Sanvezzo (Jordan Harvey 85), Darren Mattocks (Kenny Miller 78) [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Carlyle Mitchell, Jordan Harvey, Russell Teibert, Matt Watson, Atiba Harris]
SAN JOSE: Jon Busch; Steven Beitashour, Victor Bernardez, Jason Hernandez, Justin Morrow; Marvin Chavez (Shea Salinas 63), Sam Cronin, Rafael Baca (Sercan Guvenisik 82), Simon Dawkins; Chris Wondolowski, Alan Gordon [subs Not Used: David Bingham, Ike Opara, Cesar Diaz Pizarro, Khari Stephenson, Jed Zayner]
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