Judd’s Last-Minute Heroics Sink the Whitecaps
It was one of those nights in San Jose where the drama just kept building until the very last seconds. The Vancouver Whitecaps had come into town fresh off a big win, but by the time this one was over, it was the Earthquakes and their fans celebrating in disbelief.
The match had started with Vancouver full of energy, but their momentum took a huge hit early on. Defender Édier Ocampo found himself in trouble, picking up two yellow cards in just eight minutes, and was sent off in the 27th minute. That meant the Whitecaps had to play the majority of the game with only ten men.
San Jose capitalized in the second half. In the 54th minute, Josef Martínez stepped up to the penalty spot after Vitor Costa was brought down by Tristan Blackmon. Cool as ever, Martínez buried it for his 11th goal of the season and the 127th of his career — now just six shy of tying Jaime Moreno for fifth all-time in MLS scoring.
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But Vancouver wasn’t done yet. Even shorthanded, they fought back. In the 88th minute, Brian White found the equalizer, slotting home his 12th goal of the season. The assist came from Blackmon, marking his first of the year and only the second in his long MLS career. That goal felt like it might be enough to steal a point on the road.
Then came the twist. With stoppage time ticking away, Preston Judd — who had only just been brought on in the 81st minute for Martínez — seized the moment. In the fourth minute of added time, Judd connected with passes from DeJuan Jones and Jamar Ricketts, blasting home the winner. It was Judd’s fourth goal of the season, Jones’ career-high fifth assist, and Ricketts’ third in his first full MLS season. The stadium erupted.
The 2-1 victory not only gave San Jose a thrilling win but also vaulted them into eighth place in the Western Conference standings in their first season under coach Bruce Arena. With the top nine making the playoffs, this was a huge step forward. Vancouver, meanwhile, slipped to 13-6-6 and saw their solid away form take a hit, though six of their remaining nine matches will be at home.
Goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto finished with two saves for San Jose, while Yohei Takaoka kept Vancouver in it with three stops, including one in a cagey first half that ended scoreless.
Next up, both teams will play on August 17 — Vancouver hosting Houston Dynamo and San Jose welcoming San Diego FC. But for now, the night belongs to Judd and the Earthquakes, who showed that in soccer, it’s never over until the very last kick.
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