So Long, Buck Shaw: Vancouver Whitecaps, San Jose Earthquakes Play To Scoreless Draw

Oct 18, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Vancouver FC midfielder Pedro Morales (77) controls the ball against San Jose Earthquakes defender Victor Bernardez (5) during the first half at Buck Shaw Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Buck Shaw Stadium, on the campus of Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif., has completed its obligations as a venue for Major League Soccer competition. On a cool October evening, the San Jose Earthquakes, who will be under new manager Dominic Kinnear next season, and Carl Robinson’s Vancouver Whitecaps played to a scoreless draw to make the farewell nothing more than a subtle waving off. Let’s take a look at six things we learned, followed by player ratings, for the match between the San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps.

1. More miss than hits in first 10 minutes

Early on in the first half, the Vancouver Whitecaps were dictating things. Erik Hurtado had the first shot on goal seconds in but it was blocked. Kekuta Manneh’s first opportunity in the fifth minute was also blocked. San Jose’s Yannick Djalo countered in the seventh minute but his shot sailed high and wide right. Atiba Harris’s first break on goal was blocked in the 10th minute of play.

2. A first half possession battle

Midway through the first half, the game devolved into a ball possession battle.

In the 12th minute, Pedro Morales, Vancouver’s leading goalscorer, had a shot from outside of the box blocked. The 15th minute saw Khari Stephenson denied by Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted. Chris Wondolowski wanted to cash in at minute 24, but Steven Beitashour was there to clear. Ousted was shaken up after a collision in the 25th minute but would be able to finish the contest.

3. Over the bar, over the bar, rinse and repeat

In the 33rd minute, Morales had a free kick miss to the left from 25 yards out. Harris. one of the most inconsistent players in the league, conceded a dangerous free kick from just outside the box in the 37th minute, but San Jose’s back line held up. Caps defender Andy O’Brien cleared Jordan Stewart’s dangerous cross in the 39th minute of play.

Meanwhile, Hurtado’s next attempt in the 40th minute was blocked. Late in the half, Chris Wondolowski had a blistering volley saved by Ousted in the 44th minute of play. The second chance sailed over the bar. In the first minute of injury time, Shea Salinas also had his shot sail over the bar. Russell Teibert had a chance in the third minute of injury time miss wide left.

Team Statistics
San Jose at left, Vancouver at right

7    Shots    7
2    Shots on Target    0
3    Shots off Target    2
2    Blocked Shots    5
2    Corners    4
10    Crosses    14
0    Offsides    1
8    Fouls    6
0    Yellow Cards    0
0    Red Cards    0
191    Total Passes    209
72 %    Passing Accuracy    78 %
47.3 %    Possession    52.7 %
28    Duels Won    18
7    Tackles Won    2
0    Saves    2
16    Clearances    13

4. Chess match continues in second half

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Early on in the second half, the chess match on the field resumed. Vancouver had some solid ball movement in the 51st minute, but Quakes midfielder Sam Cronin read a cross from Hurtado to perfection. In the 57th minute, Wondolowski had a header from a Shea Salinas corner miss high.

Cronin had an opportunity saved by Ousted in the 59th minute of play. One hour later, at the hour mark, Djalo had a shot from outside of the box blocked. In the 61st minute, Gershon Koffie came in for Matias Laba. This was Koffie’s first match in about two months.

5. Big saves from Jon Busch late

Djalo’s next attempt in the 62nd minute sailed too high. In the 64th minute, Darren Mattocks came in for Erik Hurtado. Two miniutes after he came off the bench, he had a shot from a difficult angle blocked. In the 70th minute, Mattocks tried to be the provider for Kekuta Manneh but it was ruled offsides.

At the 71st minute, Sebastian Fernandez came in for Pedro Morales while Matias Perez Garcia came in for Salinas. In the 74th minute, Mauro Rosales had a right-footed shot from outside the box blocked by longtime Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch. Manneh had a chance in the 75th minute but it was also saved by Busch.

6. A scoreless draw to end Buck Shaw’s MLS days

In the 78th minute, Quakes defender Shaun Francis came in for new acquisition Pablo Pintos. Cronin had a shot from outside the box miss high, as with a number of other chances. A similar result for Cronin took place in the 81st minute. Rosales was cautioned in the 86th minute for a foul on Djalo. Perez Garcia earned one more chance in the third minute of stoppage time but Ousted stood his ground.

Team Statistics

San Jose at left, Vancouver at right

San Jose Earthquakes Player Ratings

Jon Busch 6, Jason Hernandez, 6, Jordan Stewart 6, Pablo Pintos 5, Victor Bernardez 6, Atiba Harris 4, Khari Stephenson 5, Sam Cronin 7, Shea Salinas 6, Yannick Djalo 6, Chris Wondolowski 6, Matias Perez Garcia 3, Shaun Francis NR

Vancouver Whitecaps Player Ratings

David Ousted 6, Andy O’Brien 5, Johnny Leveron 5, Jordan Harvey 5, Steven Beitashour 5, Kekura Manneh 6, Matias Laba 5, Mauro Rosales 4.5, Pedro Morales 6, Russell Teibert 5, Erik Hurtado 6, Gershon Koffie 4, Darren Mattocks 4, Sebastian Fernandez 3