At the final whistle, San Jose goalkeeper David Bingham flung the ball skyward, embraced two of eight remaining teammates on the field, then saluted the bar-side crowd in Avaya Stadium’s north end. This was no ordinary victory, the 2-1 decision over visiting Toronto FC. The Earthquakes had played at a two-man disadvantage for about 40 minutes with the score level.
The last match on MLS’s Saturday slate capped a stirring and strange five hours. In Vancouver, a 15-year-old debuted for the Whitecaps. At the base of the Rocky Mountains, a late wonder strike by NBA star LaMarcus Aldridge’s cousin extended an unbeaten streak to 14.