San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Kickoff: 4 p.m. PT at Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Television: Comcast SportsNet California
Radio: 1590 KLIV (English), 1370 KZSF (Spanish)
Presenting Sponsor: Farmers Insurance
Giveaway Items: Farmers magnet schedules (5,000), CSN Authentic Fan signs (5,000)
Themes: Viet Heritage Night (national anthem performed by Catherine Truc Cam Nguyen, pregame lion dance, halftime martial arts demonstration), Night of Champions presented by Farmers (CIF and CCS champion high school and youth soccer teams recognized on the field during pregame)
T-Mobile 4G Power Zone: Debut of T-Mobile 4G Power Zone rebranding of Corner Flag Section 107, offering the most affordable Earthquakes tickets available to the public at 41 participating T-Mobile stores throughout the Bay Area. For more information, visit www.sjearthquakes.com/t-mobile-4gpowerzone.
Epicenter Fan Zone
Gourmet Food Trucks: El Tonayense, BBQ Kalbi, Twisted Chill, Grill Stars, Babaloo, Curry Up Now, Chairman Bao Bun, Grillaz Gone Wild, O Mi Ninja
Activities: Inflatables, face painting, sign making, PGA TOUR mini-putt contest for a chance to win an Audi vehicle
Special Booths: Farmers Insurance, Vstars United, Tre Mien Tay, One Y.A.R.D., PGA TOUR, HHW
Community: Community booth with silent auction for signed, game-worn, limited-edition Quakes jerseys with green numbers and lettering from March 17 St. Patrick’s Day game; participant and volunteer registration for Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge on May 27
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Scouting Report
Vancouver Whitecaps FC visits the Bay Area for the only time this season sporting an overall record of 2-0-2 (8 pts.). After placing last in the Western Conference in its inaugural year in MLS as an expansion side in 2011, Whitecaps FC was alone atop the conference standings through the first three weeks of its sophomore go-around.
The ‘Caps are coming off back-to-back scoreless draws, the latter at the Philadelphia Union on March 31. They have conceded a league-best zero goals over 360 minutes to open the new campaign, with former Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon in the net.
The last game marked Vancouver forward Sebastien Le Toux’s return to Philadelphia as the leading goal-scorer in Union history with 25. Le Toux was traded to Vancouver just prior to the start of the season, and scored his new team’s first goal of 2012 in just the fourth minute of a 2-0 home win over the Montreal Impact in its opener on March 10.
Martin Rennie, a Scotland native, is in his first season in charge of Whitecaps FC.
Of Note
- The San Jose Earthquakes head into the weekend in second-place in the Western Conference, tied with the Colorado Rapids at nine points apiece behind Real Salt Lake, which took over sole possession of the West’s top spot with 12 points after a 1-0 home win against the Montreal Impact on April 4. The Quakes will be facing their second straight Western foe when they host Vancouver this Saturday, April 7. At eight points, the ‘Caps sit alone in fourth.
- San Jose and Vancouver will meet on Saturday afternoon as the two best defensive teams in the Western Conference through four weeks, and two of the best in all of MLS. The ‘Caps are the only team in the league yet to allow a goal. San Jose and Sporting Kansas City have conceded just once, with neither team having given up a score during the run of play. The lone goal against the Quakes was from a 14th-minute penalty kick by Brad Davis in the 1-0 defeat to Houston on March 17, with FC Dallas finding the back of the Sporting KC net on a 25th-minute free kick by Ricardo Villar on March 25.
- Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop’s defense has generally consisted of Jon Busch in goal, Victor Bernardez and Justin Morrow at the center back positions, Steven Beitashour at right back and captain Ramiro Corrales on the left. For the second half of the March 31 game in Seattle, an injured Corrales was replaced by fellow veteran Jason Hernandez, with Morrow moving to left back. This is the best four-game defensive start for the Quakes in club history, having previously given up two goals over their first four games in 2003.
- Saturday’s match-up will be the first of three MLS tilts this season between San Jose and Whitecaps FC. The Quakes will make a pair of trips north to Vancouver, for games on May 5 and July 22.
- Jason Hernandez’s next start would be No. 100 for the Quakes.
- Frank Yallop is two wins shy of 100 as an MLS head coach.
Quakes-Whitecaps FC Connections
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC was brought into MLS as an expansion franchise ahead of the 2011 season, three years after the San Jose Earthquakes rejoined the league.
- Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon played for San Jose from 1999-2002 and 2008-10. He also played under current Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop with the LA Galaxy in 2007. Cannon played his college soccer at Buck Shaw Stadium as a former All-American at Santa Clara University (1995-97). He grew up in Los Altos Hills and graduated in 1993 from Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, Calif
- Frank Yallop spent part of his youth in Vancouver from age 10-16, later earning 52 caps for the Canadian men’s national team before serving as its head coach from 2004-06. Quakes assistant coach Mark Watson is a Vancouver native.
- Earthquakes midfielder Shea Salinas played for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2011 after being selected by the club during the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft. Salinas was traded from Vancouver to San Jose on Nov. 30, 2011, in exchange for allocation money. He and Vancouver defender Jordan Harvey played together with the Philadelphia Union in 2010. Harvey is a California native (Mission Viejo) who attended UCLA.
- Whitecaps FC midfielder John Thorrington was a teammate of Quakes players Jon Busch (2007-09) and Tim Ward (2009-10) with the Chicago Fire.
- San Jose defender Justin Morrow and Vancouver defender Greg Klazura were teammates at Notre Dame from 2007-09. San Jose midfielder Anthony Ampaipitakwong and Vancouver midfielder Michael Nanchoff were teammates at Akron for four years from 2007-10, leading the Zips to their first national championship in 2010. Ampaipitakwong also played with ‘Caps rookie forward Darren Mattocks at Akron as a senior in 2010. Mattocks, who is not expected to be available on April 7, and Earthquakes midfielder Khari Stephenson are both Jamaican nationals.
- Earthquakes midfielder Sam Garza and Vancouver defender Michael Boxall played together at UC Santa Barbara during the 2010 season. Boxall and Earthquakes goalkeeper coach Jason Batty were both born in Auckland, New Zealand, and have represented their country at the senior international level.
- Earthquakes midfielder Simon Dawkins (Edgware) and Vancouver midfielder Matt Watson (Bromsgrove) are both natives of England.
Mobile Apps
MLS MatchDay 2012 – The official Major League Soccer app, providing up-to-the-minute score updates, in-game highlights, news and more.
Yorder – A free app that allows fans to order food and beverages, Q the mascot and souvenirs from their seat at Buck Shaw Stadium.
@SJEarthquakes – Official account of the San Jose Earthquakes (#SJEarthquakes)
@QuakesMatchday – NEW! this season, follow for live updates on game days
@WhitecapsFC – Official account of Vancouver Whitecaps FC (#WhitecapsFC)
