Vancouver Whitecaps fall 1-0 to San Jose Earthquakes in first loss of MLS season

By Canadian Press on March 21, 2026.

VANCOUVER — Beau Leroux scored and the San Jose Earthquakes downed the Whitecaps 1-0 on Saturday, marking Vancouver’s first loss of the Major League Soccer season.

The ‘Caps (4-1-0) controlled play through much of the game and outshot the visitors 11-7 but couldn’t beat Daniel De Sousa Britto in the San Jose net.

Leroux put away the lone goal of the match in the second minute of first-half injury time, blasting a long-distance shot past Vancouver goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.

The announced crowd of 21,261 at B.C. Place expressed their displeasure with the officiating several times across Saturday’s match, heartily booing a series of perceived missed calls.

San Jose improved to 4-1-0 on the season, with their lone loss coming at the hands of the Seattle Sounders last week.

It’s been a difficult week for Vancouver, which was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions Cup Thursday after falling 5-1 to the Sounders on aggregate over a two-game, round-of-16 series.

The Whitecaps had ample chances to open the scoring across the first half on Saturday.

Edier Ocampo floated a cross in to Brian White in the 22nd minute and the ‘Caps striker put a header on target, only to see the Brazilian ‘keeper make the stop.

Eight minutes later, White got his head on another ball at the side of the six-yard box, ticking a shot on target. Britto dove, stretched out and got a hand in the ball’s path to make another save.

San Jose opened the scoring in first-half injury time when Leroux collected a rebound above the penalty area and blasted a right-footed rocket into the Vancouver net.

The ‘Caps went into the locker room down 1-0. It was the first time this season they’ve trailed in MLS play

Vancouver controlled 55.7 per cent of possession across the first half and held a 3-2 edge in on-target shots. Each side had six total shots.

The home side continued to press in the second half but had trouble getting through San Jose’s high-pressure defence.

Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen tinkered with his lineup in a bid to spark more offence, bringing German legend Thomas Muller in out of the break, then adding playmaking midfielder Sebastian Berhalter off the bench in the 75th minute.

Vancouver got several solid shots in the game’s dying minutes, including a blast from Kenji Cabrera in the second minute of stoppage time that sailed just wide of the post.

NOTES

Former Germany teammates Muller and Timo Werner faced each other for the first time in MLS in the second half. The two came into the game having faced each other 13 times in Bundesliga play, with Muller holding a 8-4-1 record in those matchups. … Earthquakes left back Dejuan Jones suffered a game-ending injury in the 52nd minute. The American defender was running up field solo with the ball when he fell. He lay on the turf for several minutes before being helped off by trainers.

UP NEXT

The Whitecaps will return from the March international break on April 4 when they host their regional rivals, the Portland Timbers. The Earthquakes face San Diego FC in San Jose the same day.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2026.

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press