Whitecaps knock out Earthquakes

VANCOUVER — Cristian Techera scored on a stunning free kick as the Vancouver Whitecaps thumped the San Jose Earthquakes 5-0 in Major League Soccer’s single-elimination knockout round on Wednesday night.

Nicolas Mezquida, with two, Fredy Montero and Kendall Waston had the other goals for Vancouver, which picked up its first-ever playoff victory since joining MLS in 2011.

The third-seeded Whitecaps will now face the Seattle Sounders, who finished second in the Western Conference, in a home and away aggregate semifinal series that starts Sunday at B.C. Place Stadium.

After setting up Montero’s opener in the first half, the pint-sized Techera curled a left-footed free kick over the wall and into the top corner from 30 yards out past a helpless Andrew Tarbell in the 57th minute to send the crowd of 21,083 into a frenzy.

Waston added Vancouver’s third seven minutes later off a corner — the Whitecaps’ third set-piece goal of the night and 18th of the season — after the ball pinged around the San Jose penalty area before being bundled over the line.

Mezquida, who subbed on in the 68th minute, then grabbed back-to-back goals in 78th and 80th to complete the romp as the Whitecaps scored five goals in a game for the first time this year.

Montero gave Vancouver a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute after a nervy start when Waston redirected a Techera corner right to the designated player, who made no mistake from in close.

The Whitecaps could have avoided Wednesday’s winner-take-all encounter with a victory over the Earthquakes at home on Oct. 15 in a game that ended 1-1, or by grabbing at least a draw in Sunday’s 2-1 road loss to the Portland Timbers.

Vancouver instead limped to the regularseason finish line with a 1-3-1 record.