Report and Reaction: Berhalter shines as Whitecaps shake Quakes with four-goal blitz

Vancouver Whitecaps extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches after a Sebastian Berhalter brace and goals from Rayan Elloumi and Thomas Müller secured a dominant 4-1 victory at home to a San Jose Earthquakes side that certainly didn’t look like they were playing for their playoff lives.

The Whitecaps didn’t allow their visitors much in an assured and workmanlike performance that saw them move back to joint top in the MLS Western Conference with two matches remaining. It took them 39 minutes to find the breakthrough, but once they did there was no looking back.

Jesper Sorensen made three changes from the team that started their midweek Canadian Championship victory and three from the team that started last weekend’s draw in Seattle, with Ralph Priso getting the start at centre-back again.

San Jose had the first real chance to break the deadlock when Josef Martinez met a corner in the 7th minute and his goalbound header was cleared off the line by Priso.

Vancouver had their best chance in the early going four minutes later when Müller was denied by a full stretch Daniel, who turned his shot onto the right post and away with a superb diving save.

Goalscoring chances were at a premium for either side, but Daniel was forced to make a point blank save from his own defender Reid Roberts just before the half hour mark, after the centre back headed a Berhalter corner towards goal. Priso was just unable to get on the rebound and San Jose cleared the danger.

The breakthrough finally came for the ‘Caps in the 39th minute, and it was no surprise that it came from a Berhalter set-piece delivery. The US international whipped a delicious ball into the back post, Elloumi turned it home, and Vancouver had the crucial lead.

It was a goal both the ‘Caps and the young forward needed, and this should give him a big boost in belief as he continues to lead the line with Brian White out.

The Whitecaps sensed blood and Elloumi had another chance when Müller got him the ball in front of goal, but he blasted high and over.

Minutes later, Jayden Nelson raced in on goal but was late to pull the trigger and the chance went to waste.

Heading in trailing at the half, San Jose needed to get something from this game to keep their playoff hopes alive. That was only going to open up space for the Whitecaps attackers, and an intriguing second half awaited, after a first that wasn’t a classic!

San Jose came out on the front foot and Martinez had a chance that was deflected onto the top of Vancouver’s net in the 48th minute.

The Earthquakes pressure soon faded and the Whitecaps took control back of the game, and they got their second with a lovely team goal in the 57th minute.

Yohei Takaoka saw Berhalter in acres of space in the middle of the ‘Caps half and quickly sent a superb pass out to him. Berhalter played the ball out to Ali Ahmed on his left and his cut back found Müller at the top of the box, who finished beautifully to the back post.

It already felt like that was it in terms of how this one was going to play out, but the ‘Caps removed any lingering hopes of an Earthquakes comeback when they added a third in the 74th minute, and it was another great strike.

This time it was Berhalter who was set up by a Jeevan Badwal layoff, and fired home a beauty into the top left corner from 25-yards out to make it 3-0 Vancouver and seal the deal for three big points.

Both teams had chances in the closing moments, but the most exciting thing for Whitecaps fans was they go to see Müller and Ryan Gauld on the pitch together for the first time for the last 15 plus minutes.

Gauld had a look on goal two minutes from time, but didn’t get a lot of power on it and it was an easy save for Daniel.

San Jose grabbed a late consolation a minute later when Leroux’s shot took a wicked deflection off Giuseppe Bovalina and beat Takaoka.

Both keeper and team will be disappointed they didn’t keep the clean sheet, but Takaoka was called into action moments later to turn a low Jamar Rickett shot around his near post as the visitors finally found some attacking chops.

It was too little too late for the Quakes, but the ‘Caps still wanted more and Berhalter got his second of the game two minutes into stoppage time with another lovely finish from a Müller set up.

Gauld and Bovalina had a chance to add a fifth, but it was just to be four and a comprehensive victory and three points were in the bag. It’s amazing how you can get these results against San Jose when Tim Ford isn’t the referee.

With two games of the regular season to go, the Whitecaps positioning and seeding lies firmly in their own hands. Top two feels a must now, but Best in the West has a much nicer ring to it. Onwards now to Orlando.

FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 4 – 1 San Jose Earthquakes

ATT: 25,292

VANCOUVER: 1.Yohei Takaoka; 18.Édier Ocampo (27.Giuseppe Bovalina 86’), 2.Mathías Laborda, 6.Ralph Priso, 28.Tate Johnson; 16.Sebastian Berhalter, 20.Andrés Cubas (59.Jeevan Badwal 72’); 7.Jayden Nelson (17.Kenji Cabrera 78’), 13.Thomas Müller ©, 22.Ali Ahmed (25.Ryan Gauld 78’); 75.Rayan Elloumi (14.Daniel Ríos 72’) [Substitutes not used: 32.Isaac Boehmer, 11.Emmanuel Sabbi, 12.Belal Halbouni, 26.J.C. Ngando]

SAN JOSE: 42.Daniel; 25.Max Floriani (12.Dave Romney 66’), 5.Daniel Munie, 18.Reid Roberts; 28.Benji Kikavonic (19.Preston Judd 66’), 6.Ian Harkes (21.Noel Buck HT), 37.Ronaldo Viera (34.Beau Leroux 79’), 11.Ousseni Bouda (2.Jamar Ricketts 66’); 10.Cristian Espinoza, 17.Josef Martínez, 9.Cristian Arango [Substitutes not used: 36.Earl Edwards Jr., 4.Bruno Wilson, 14.Mark-Anthony Kaye, 16.Jack Skahan]

SCORING SUMMARY:
39’ – VAN – Rayan Elloumi (Sebastian Berhalter)
57’ – VAN – Thomas Müller (Ali Ahmed)
74’ – VAN – Sebastian Berhalter (Jeevan Badwal)
89’ – SJ – Beau Leroux
90’+2 – VAN – Sebastian Berhalter (Thomas Müller)

STATS:
Possession: VAN 57.9% – SJ 42.1%
Shots: VAN 18 – SJ 8
Shots on Goal: VAN 10 – SJ 4
Saves: VAN 2 – SJ 6
Fouls: VAN 18 – SJ 15
Offsides: VAN 0 – SJ 4
Corners: VAN 5 – SJ 7

CARDS:
12’ – SJ – Cristian Espinoza
38’ – SJ – Benji Kikanovic
42’ – SJ – Cristian Arango
45’+1 – VAN – Andrés Cubas
47’ – VAN – Édier Ocampo
67’ – SJ – Preston Judd

REACTION:

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS

JESPER SORENSEN

On his team’s dominant performance today:

“I think that we started out very strong, and then we had maybe 20 minutes [in the first half] where we were playing too fast and wanted to go a little bit too steep and too direct and we lost too many balls out of nothing. We couldn’t really find the rhythm but then it seemed that we got the rhythm and got the goal. It’s kind of helped us also come down and get more control over the game. And then in the second half, we talked about pushing for the next goal, and if we got number two, we had to push hard for the third. And I think the game opened up. They needed to win this game, you could see they opened up very fast in the second half and also made the substitutions coming in pretty fast, so you could see that they really had to go for it, and it opened up the game for us, and then in the second half we played it way better and created a lot of chances, and I was happy with that.”

On his team’s confident form going into the end of the regular season:

“I think that we have a good flow in our game, and I think that we have the ability to create chances, especially when the opposition opens up. I’m very happy that we play entertaining, of course we [also] want to be efficient and win games, but we are also happy that we get a good crowd coming in and [who] wants to see us and that we also play the kind of football that they would like to see. And they have a good feeling when they see us play, of course, that’s also a goal. Obviously the most important thing is that we win, but we want to be an offensive-minded team and also able to utilize when the pitch opens up to play well. And I think the rhythm in the attacking play is very, very good at the moment, and we have to keep it up.”

MIDFIELDER SEBASTIAN BERHALTER

On the match:

“I think we came out with a pretty good intensity, and then we had a little dip of like 20 minutes, where we just didn’t have control as much as we usually do. And then I think, towards the end of the first half found it again. Then second half, I felt like was pretty dominant from start to finish. To put away three goals in the second half is something that this year we’ve kind of struggled with where we score more in the first half and then not as much second half. But it was a good, complete performance.”

On how teams play against them:

“I definitely feel like once we score one, teams are kind of like shoot they’re going to get a second. But I think we’re focused on what we’re doing and that’s what we’ve been doing from day one, since Jesper’s came in it’s all about us, and a little bit less about them, which is good. It builds that confidence within the group. It’s been good, and focusing on ourselves has probably been the biggest thing this year.”

On his mindset:

“It’s just trying to get better every day, trying to put in the work in training so that I can go out here and perform. I think every year it’s just been a constant build, from season to season, just getting a little bit better. It’s never came all at once, it’s just steadily grown upon itself and now I’m here and I want to keep growing and getting better.”

On shooting from distance:

“Putting in the practice and then just letting it go. It’s something in the training ground that they’ve emphasized with me on keeping it low. The coaches have worked with me to really improve on that and just have it as a weapon, especially going into the postseason. It’s something that we’ve worked on and I’m glad that’s paying off.”

On the season:

“It’s been a fun year, especially with this group of guys, man, it’s fun to be a part of and it’s fun to compete with this group. If we go down a goal, whatever it is, we’re always ready for the challenge. So it’s been good, and I just want to carry it into the postseason.”

SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

HEAD COACH BRUCE ARENA

On the team’s performance against Vancouver Whitecaps FC today:

“We were simply outplayed in every phase of the game today, outplayed and out-coached. There’s no excuses on our end. You could look at today’s game, you could pick out a half dozen things we need to do better. It was a poor performance on our part, and probably well deserved. We needed to get in halftime 0-0. … Instead of going in 0-0 and being a better position to try to get a result today, we fell short.”

On the team’s mentality heading into the final match of the regular season and the push for a spot in the playoffs:

“We’re going to do everything we can to try to win in the last game of the season. We don’t have control of things. Certainly, a point today would have put us in a better position, but we failed there. But all we can do is, in the last game of the season, go out and try to get three points and see where we stand when all the dust clears. Hopefully, it’s positive.”

MIDFIELDER BEAU LEROUX

On scoring his fifth goal of the season and ninth goal contribution (5g/4a):

“The ball is super high and there’s a player coming at me, so just try to beat the player and get my shot off quick. Top of the box, anything can happen—deflections or rebounds or anything like that. So just wanted to get my shot off.”

On heading into the final match of the regular season:

“We just need to finish out the season strong. One last game of the regular season. We all need to be together.”