Vancouver Whitecaps v San Jose Earthquakes – The Story In Pictures

Vancouver Whitecaps are like the antithesis of the phrase “home away from home” this season. Their form and their performances at BC Place are more akin to teams playing on the road, and the results match.

Friday night’s 2-1 defeat to San Jose Earthquakes made it 19 points dropped from their 13 home matches so far this year, and in a league where home field advantage, and conditions, means so much to so many teams, you’re never going to make the playoffs with such a record.

With nine game remaining, and 27 points still to play for, the Whitecaps need a bare minimum now of 15 points if they are to make the postseason. Depending on who they come against, realistically that total is more like 18 to 20 points required. That’s a tall order and needs the team to instantly snap out of their poor form. Is it possible? Well the talent is certainly there on paper, we’re just not sure where it goes to when they’re on the pitch.

A first half goal from Quincy Amarikwa set San Jose on their way on Friday, again thanks to some horrendous Vancouver defending. By the time Simon Dawkins made it two on the hour mark, you already knew it was lights out time. Nicolas Mezquida’s stoppage time header at least stopped a shocking goal drought, but that was about all.

It was a horrible performance and poor AFTN photographer Tom Ewasiuk was there to capture all the action before, during and after the game and here’s his “Story In Pictures”, with a full Flickr slideshow at the end.

[Also check out Tom’s website www.residualimagephotography.com for more of his photos and work].

The first rule of tifo – make sure the team gets the message

The Whitecaps best starting XI right now?

The warning signs should have been there when Fatai Alashe crashed a 12th minute header off the ‘Caps bar

Two minutes later Quincy Amarikwa rises unchallenged to get his head on a corner

But fear not, it’s straight into David Ousted’s arms

Oh…

We just like this photo!

On the hour mark, Simon Dawkins gets the better of Tim Parker and curls a shot past David Ousted

To make it 2-0 Quakes and basically game over

Substitute Blas Perez crashes a header off his own off the bar, summing up the Whitecaps night

A poor man’s Randy Orton?

Nicolas Mezquida at least gets some personal consolation in stoppage time but it was way too little, too late for Vancouver

You can see all of Tom’s photos from the game HERE and in our full Flickr slideshow below: