San Jose Earthquakes vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

San Jose Earthquakes pulled off a dramatic 2–1 victory over a resilient Vancouver Whitecaps side, a result that felt more cathartic than clinical. Down to 10 men from the 27th minute after Édier Ocampo’s red card, Vancouver hung tough—a testament to their grit. But it was San Jose’s late-game inventiveness that proved decisive.


Josef Martínez opened the scoring with a composed penalty just after halftime, a moment that felt both inevitable and necessary.

Vancouver responded in the 88th minute when Brian White turned on a lofted pass from Tristan Blackmon and finished with poise—alleviating a metric ton of pressure.

But it was the Earthquakes who had the final word. In the fourth minute of stoppage time, Jamar Ricketts surged down the flank and found Preston Judd, who coolly slotted home the winner.


This win wasn’t just about three points—it ended San Jose’s seven-match winless streak and vaulted them back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. Bruce Arena notched his league-record 270th regular-season win in the process—proof that experience can still swing big moments.


For Vancouver, the performance was noble but ultimately undone by misfortune and a controversial refereeing moment that shifted momentum. Still, their resilience down a man—and the late equalizer—spoke volumes about their character.


In Leagues Cup style drama, this 2–1 win served as a reminder: late-game courage, tactical patience, and just enough ruthlessness—those are the hallmarks of teams that find a way when it matters most.