FIRST PLACE WILL HAVE TO WAIT

Tie prevents Caps from clinching

The final picture of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings is going down to the wire after the Vancouver Whitecaps drew 1-1 at home with the San Jose Earthquakes Sunday afternoon at B.C. Place.

The result is one that’s left a bitter taste in the mouths of both players and fans, but in many ways this was a game that showed everything that this Whitecaps season has been about.

There was lots of stout defensive work, there was a brilliant goal and a good collection of quality scoring chances.

Against one of the West’s weakest defences, you really do get the feeling the Caps should have done better. Between a couple fine strikes from Fredy Montero and an early close-in shot by Brek Shea, there was more than one golden chance for the Whitecaps denied by strong goalkeeping on the part of San Jose’s Andrew Tarbell.

After going out to a 1-0 lead midway through the first half on a brilliant passing sequence that Yordy Reyna finished off on the San Jose doorstep, the Whitecaps looked on their way to clinching first place in the West and a first-round bye.

But a 77th-minute goal from Quakes winger Valeri Qazaishvili changed the story, drawing San Jose level and leaving the Caps thinking about what should have been.

They didn’t deserve to win, but on the quality of their chances, the Caps really should have left with the three points.

“I thought we were in total control,” head coach Carl Robinson said. “(But) I thought a little mistake or loss of control might cost us and certainly it did.”

The equalizing goal came on a moment or two of inattention, with the Quakes allowed too much space in midfield, before a ball played through Tim Parker’s legs by Quakes veteran Chris Wondolowski.

Qazaishvili was the recipient and was able to fire a shot past Caps keeper Stefan Marinovic, who was a surprise starter over David Ousted.

“It was a quick one, sometime you make decisions and they have quality as well and they take their chance,” Kendall Waston said of the goal.

The first-half goal from Reyna was the Caps’ attacking strategy in a nutshell.

First there was the quick throwin by Fredy Montero to an open Brek Shea. Then there was a deft touch of patience from Tony Tchani — a moment of calm coming after a handful of rushed wayward passes — to spring Cristian Techera.

Then there was Jake Nerwinski’s perfect overlapping run, and the Techera pass to put him in a spot to put a cross over to, who else, Yordy Reyna.

It was a quick, thrilling sequence in the middle of a half where the Caps looked less than spectacular. Sounds like the season, doesn’t it?