Given all the news surrounding the Vancouver Whitecaps and their future, it was easy to forget they were playing a game.
After a big stretch at home, the Whitecaps were starting a mammoth eight-game road trip due to BC Place being used for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. That includes five road games in a row this month.
First up was a trip to Carson and a test against Joseph Paintsil, Marco Reus and the LA Galaxy. The Galaxy were 10th in the Western Conference with 13 points, while Vancouver, riding a four-game win streak and sitting second in the West, looked to keep their hot start sizzling.
Thomas Müller did not play in the game due to illness. He did travel with the team and was in the building, but Jeevan Badwal started in the 10 in his place.
The Whitecaps’ four-game winning streak came to an end, but they did earn a point in Carson. Vancouver has not won a game at Dignity Health Sports Park since March 7, 2020, just a few days before the world shut down thanks to COVID-19. It was a 1-0 Vancouver win thanks to a 74th-minute goal from Tosaint Ricketts, who now works for the club as a liaison of club and player engagement.
First half: Good, but more was needed
The Whitecaps stuck to their game plan early. Their high press caused turnovers from the Galaxy, and they controlled possession.
Emmanuel Sabbi looked like he opened the scoring. However, Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski absolutely robbed him.
Painstil is one of LA’s best players. He looked like he was going to be a threat, along with Gabriel Pec. However, Tristan Blackmon and Mathias Laborda were there to prevent any damage. Vancouver was forcing LA to play out from the back and go into the counter. Fortunately for the Whitecaps, the Galaxy kept fumbling their attack in the final third.
Johnson was doing very well down the left flank with his runs and crosses. Unfortunately, no one could get to the end of them. The attack wasn’t terrible, but it could’ve been better as there weren’t a lot of high-risk chances.
Sebastian Berhalter and Andres Cubas were both sturdy as rocks in the midfield, as they usually are.
Second half: Down, but not out
It was not a good start to the second half for the Whitecaps.
Yohei Takaoka is usually great with the ball at his feet. This was not one of those times. He gave the ball away to Lucas Sanabria as Paintsil was pressuring him. Sanabria took the gift and gave it to Paintsil, and he made Takaoka pay for his mistake. Well, that was dreadful.
For the just the second time this season in MLS play, the Whitecaps trailed. What they were doing in the attack still wasn’t working. Plus, the Galaxy were closing Vancouver down in the box, especially Jacob Glesnes. LA’s transitions were deadly, and Pec nearly made them pay a couple of times.
Kenji Cabrera, AZ and Bruno Caicedo came on for Cubas, Sabbi and Sabaly around the 60th minute. That meant Badwal was moved from the 10 to the midfield alongside Berhalter, and Cabrera was in the 10. Like in previous games, Vancouver looked to exploit the Galaxy with Caicedo’s speed.
Glesnes was everywhere. He alone was suffocating the Whitecaps attack, as he was their kryptonite. Berhalter, Brian White and Caicedo in particular were having a tough time with Glesnes.
But the Whitecaps moment came from a Berhalter set-piece. Laborda was by the back post, his office and all he had to do was nudge it in past Marcinkowski. Berhalter’s delivery froze the Galaxy back line. That was Laborda’s seventh goal contribution of the season, and he had seven last season. It’s only May.
It was a game that was physical. The referee was handing out yellow cards like they were candy on Halloween. Each team had five yellow cards.
Overall, it wasn’t a terrible game for the Whitecaps by any means. Yes, it is disappointing they didn’t get three points. But they did a good job responding to going 1-0 down, and of course, there are things to work on.
Stat of the match
Kendall Waston and his 15 goals are first. Laborda is in good company.
Tweet of the match
No wonder he was sick. The relocation talk does feel like a disease that is spreading around the Whitecaps and MLS circles. It must be contained.
What was said
Jesper Sørensen was satisfied with the performance, despite getting one point. But he spoke about needing more from his players with the ball.
“We played with a bit more patience in the second half than the first,” he said. “I was not happy with the way we played with the ball today. We were a little too stressed, and we played too many long passes, but in the second half, it was way better. I think we played a good game away…we were against a good team. They (The Galaxy) are way better than the points they have right now…It was a great atmosphere, a great pitch and a good game overall.”
He talked about the disappointment of not getting three points, but stressed that despite the high expectations, they had to be realistic.
“We have to be realistic,”said Sørensen. “We made it a little bit difficult for ourselves. Everybody can see the mistake from Yohei. He made a thousand good passes, and sometimes you make one that’s not accurate, and it happens…We cannot expect to win all the games. But for an away performance, it was very good.”
Berhalter spoke about the team’s response after conceding.
“A good fight, I think in the second half we created good chances,” he said. “Even though we were down, we didn’t panic that much. It was good to see. We wanted the three points, and it is still disappointing we are not getting them, but it was a good response.”
He also spoke about Laborda’s goal and how good he is on set pieces.
“He’s gotten so much better in the air, even though he’s not the biggest guy,” said Berhalter. “He’s been great on set pieces.”
Wrap-up
Next weekend will feature a heavyweight tilt in the wild, wild west.
The Whitecaps will travel to San Jose and face the Earthquakes. The Quakes have been off to a flying start this season and have a 9-1-1 record with 28 points, just three ahead of Vancouver. That game is on Saturday at 7:30 pm Pacific from PayPal Park.
The Whitecaps will look for revenge as the Earthquakes beat them 1-0 at BC Place on March 21.
