Last Friday, for the first time in club history, the San Jose Earthquakes defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC on the road, marking a historical game which provided what might just be the most important three points in the Quakes’ 2016 playoff push.
The 2-1 victory, which saw the Quakes overtake Whitecaps FC in the Western Conference standings, has San Jose just below the red line in seventh place with 31 points.
With the result, a playoff spot is very much a reality for the Quakes.
The Portland Timbers sit in sixth with one point more than the Quakes and two games in hand. This past weekend, the Timbers fell 2-0 to D.C. United and should they fall or tie against Seattle this weekend, the Quakes could overtake them in the standings with a win against Houston.
If the points-per-game average (PPG) is any indication, the Quakes may well end up in the top six in the conference. So far this season, the Quakes have earned 1.35 PPG, equal with that of fifth-place Sporting Kansas City and .07 better than Portland’s 1.28.
This chance of getting into a MLS Cup playoff contention came from a match that marked a game on firsts. With the win last Friday, the Quakes defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC away from home for the first time since the Canadian side joined the league in 2010. It was also the first time that San Jose won on the road this season. This was all made possible by a strong team performance and some individual heroics.
In the attack, the scoring duo that earned the Quakes the historic win while playing with nine men against Toronto FC on July 16 struck again.
Forward
Quincy Amarikwa
notched his third goal of the season, giving the Quakes the lead in the 14th minute. Midfielder
Simon Dawkins
also scored his third goal of the season, and eventual game-winner, to secure the victory in the 60th minute. In similar fashion to the game against Toronto, Dawkins sent a rocket into the back of the net from the left hand side of the field.
The midfield showed strong movement and created chances that ultimately led to goals. Panamaniacs Anibal Godoy and Alberto Quintero each earned their second and third assists, respectively.
Although only playing the second half, new acquisition Darwin Ceren was statistically impressive during his 45 minutes on the pitch. The Salvadoran midfielder completed 89 percent of his 36 passes during the second half, 15 percent higher than the team’s average completion rate.
Defensively, the Quakes won 39 duels, eight tackles and made 29 clearances during the game. Cordell Cato surpassed 5,000 career minutes and also made his 50th career and sixth consecutive start.
In goal, David Bingham made six saves and was named to MLS Team of the Week for the third time this season for his performance.
Building off Friday’s game against Vancouver, San Jose looks to get three points again and extend their unbeaten streak to six against the Houston Dynamo in their last Friday game of the season.
