Scoring greats Kamara, Wondolowski go toe to toe

KEY MATCHUP

Kei Kamara vs. Guram Kashia

Kei Kamara has been a beast this season. Ranking just outside the top 10 in player rating, he leads the league in aerial battles won per game (five) and has 10 goals, on pace for the second-best scoring season in team history. He will pose a big challenge for centreback Guram Kashia, who leads a San Jose back line that’s conceded five goals in the five games he’s been with the team.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH 1

Prolific scorers

In Kamara and his former Houston Dynamo teammate Chris Wondolowski, we’ll see a battle between the two leading active MLS goal-scorers. Kamara is in a tie for sixth overall (108), while “Wondo” is four behind all-time leader Landon Donovan with 141.

It’s the tail end of Wondolowski’s career, but he’s no less lethal. He’s second on the team with seven goals, getting the Earthquakes’ lone tally in a 1-1 home tie with Toronto last week after coming on as a substitute for the fourth straight game.

The all-time leader in goals for a single club (137), his score against Toronto was a pure poacher’s goal. After his initial shot from 11 yards out was stopped, he jumped on the rebound and chipped it over goalkeeper Alex Bono.

“It’s typical Wondo fashion,” Reds fullback Jason Hernandez, his teammate in San Jose for six years, told reporters after the game. “The only person who can get to that rebound is him.

“For some reason, he just happens to be there.”

2

Can’t get no respect

The Earthquakes are in a deep chasm with the worst record in MLS and three fewer wins than the next closest teams. But if May’s 2-2 draw didn’t teach the Whitecaps, perhaps this will: Of their 13 losses, 11 have come by a single goal. Those two others were a 3-1 home loss to D.C. United and a 2-0 road loss to Montreal.

3

New faces for Quakes

Since GM Jesse Fioranelli was brought in to reshape the team two years ago, only seven players from that era remain: former Whitecap Shea Salinas — who won’t play today after getting an added suspension — Nick Lima, Anibal Gody, Andrew Tarbell, Quincy Amarikwa, Tommy Thompson and Wondolowski.

“We will try to win as many games as possible and get as many points as possible,” said Mikael Stahre, who’s in his first year as coach, “so that also the last 10 games matter. So we can also win games, but we can improve and show everyone — ownership, the fans, all of us, you guys — that we have a future. And that’s the aim right now.”

4

Parsing the numbers

Both sides have strengths that dominate their opposite number’s weaknesses.

Vancouver doesn’t have great accuracy (78.3 per cent, third worst) or possession ability (45.2 per cent, last), while the Quakes excel at stepping into passing lanes and disrupting the other team’s offence. They lead the league with 15.7 interceptions per game and while Vancouver is known for long balls, they’re actually in the bottom four in that category.

But San Jose has shown they’re susceptible to counter-attacks and set pieces, both among the Caps’ strengths.

The Earthquakes are the best at drawing fouls, while Vancouver’s disciplinary issues and aggressive defence have seen them earn an MLS -high seven red cards and give up the thirdmost penalty kicks (five).

5

Something has to give … or not The Whitecaps have never won in San Jose, going winless in nine games, while being outscored 11-7. The Quakes, meanwhile, haven’t won at Avaya Stadium since the opening weekend, going winless in 10 straight (0-5-5), tying a team record.