Vancouver Whitecaps and San Jose Earthquakes players in action | Credit: IMAGO/Icon Sportswire
Vancouver Whitecaps, San Jose Earthquakes fight to draw in battle of top 2 MLS teams
Sebastian Berhalter scored the tying goal in the 76th minute as the Vancouver Whitecaps salvaged a 1-1 draw with the host San Jose Earthquakes in an MLS showdown on Saturday night.
Preston Judd scored in the fourth minute for San Jose and his goal held up for 72 minutes before the Whitecaps notched the equalizer in the battle between the league's top two teams so far this season.
The Earthquakes (9-1-2, 29 points) remained three points ahead of the Whitecaps (8-1-2, 26 points) atop the Western Conference standings. San Jose has played two consecutive draws after winning six straight MLS matches.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. San Jose prevailed 1-0 in Vancouver on March 21 in the first matchup.
Daniel made four saves for the Earthquakes as Vancouver applied consistent pressure while trying to make up its deficit.
The Whitecaps out-shot San Jose 17-6, held a 5-3 edge in shots on target and possessed the ball twice as long as the Quakes.
Yohei Takaoka registered two stops for Vancouver, which tied for the second straight match following a four-game MLS winning streak.
Judd's team-best eighth goal of the season came in the fourth minute and was set up by Paul Marie.
Marie had the ball on the right side and spotted a marked Judd running toward the net. He delivered a pass that Judd was able to catch up to and boot the ball past Takaoka to give the Quakes the early lead.
Vancouver had a stellar opportunity in the 54th minute but Andres Cubas' hard left-footed shot was stopped by Daniel.
In the 65th minute, the Whitecaps again came up empty as Bruno Caicedo's shot was wide right of the net.
Eleven minutes later, Vancouver got the equalizer in a less fearsome manner. A battle in the box for the ball saw it squirt loose to Berhalter, who was close to the net and unmarked and easily sent it into the net.
In the 90th minute, San Jose's Ronaldo Vieira's close-range left-footed shot was stopped by Takaoka.
--Field Level Media