It’s the kind of result that gets coaches fired. Two goals up at halftime against the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Earthquakes lost 3-2 in a ten-minute second-half collapse, an embarrassing defeat that marks a new low point in the club’s miserable season. Bottom of the table with a mere three wins from twenty-five, it is remarkable that coach Mikael Stahre is still in the job. At most other teams in most other leagues, a capitulation such a tonight’s would represent a tipping point.
At the San Jose Earthquakes, however, it remains an open question as to whether complacency will continue to win the day.
To their credit, the Quakes actually showed impressive form in the opening minutes, but were ultimately outfought and outmaneuvered in the second half.
At Avaya Stadium, the Whitecaps have historically pressed San Jose high up the pitch from kickoff, but the Quakes did well to withstand the pressure early on. Given Vancouver’s numbers advantage in the middle, the Quakes attacked primarily down the wings, crossing the ball and seeking rebounds. This strategy paid dividends in the seventh minute, when Hyka brought down a clearance at the top of the box and cooly volleyed into the bottom corner.
The Quakes maintained their shape and stuck to the game plan, quickly adding a second goal. Eriksson launched down the wing and cut the ball back to Hoesen, who was felled in the box and drew a penalty, converted by Eriksson.
Vancouver’s young prodigy Alphonso Davies showed flashes of brilliance, forcing an awkward save from Andrew Tarbell with a swerving effort in the fourteenth minute, but the Quakes were diligent at the back. Even left-back Joel Qwiberg, who has been frequently criticized this season, executed multiple strong challenges.
Although the Quakes made a habit of losing leads early in the season, it was starting to seem as if their early struggles had matured them.
Apparently not.
Vancouver came out strong in the second half and the Quakes, perhaps in game-management mode already, gave up too much ground early in the second period. Kei Kamara almost immediately drew one back for Vancouver with a towering header at the near post, forcing Tarbell into an acrobatic save at the top-corner. Cristian Techera also shot at Tarbell, and the goal finally came when the goalkeeper flapped at Yordy Renya’s low free-kick.
And, right on cue, the Quakes collapsed. Techera equalized for Vancouver from a quick breakaway after Qwiberg’s woeful giveaway, and Kamara completed the comeback on another counter-attack, all in the space of ten minutes.
The Quakes never recovered and Stahre’s managerial tenure might not either.
