VANCOUVER, B.C. – LA Galaxy Insider Adam Serrano provides his Three Points from the LA Galaxy’s 2-0 defeat to Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Kekuta Manneh and Octavio Rivero scored for Vancouver as the Galaxy moved to 1-2-2 on the season.
VANCOUVER OVERWHELM GALAXY EARLY AND OFTEN
Vancouver Whitecaps FC outworked, outmuscled and outplayed the LA Galaxy en route to their convincing 2-0 victory on Saturday night.
The Galaxy were behind the eight ball from the opening whistle as the speedy Whitecaps never let them get comfortable. Only Vancouver’s poor finishing kept LA level in the first half, but things changed in the second stanza when Kekuta Manneh found the back of the net to give Vancouver the lead after 56 minutes. Up a goal, Vancouver continued to press and struck again 10 minutes later when Octavio Rivero pounced on a rebound on a Jaime Penedo save and fired into the net from close range.
After a thorough defeat to an up-and-coming team in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, the Galaxy will need to take a long look in the mirror before next week’s match against archrivals Seattle Sounders FC.
GALAXY ATTACK CAN’T TEST WHITECAPS
As the Whitecaps took shined in attack, the LA Galaxy offense failed to really ever get going in the defending champions’ defeat.
The Galaxy’s tandem of Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes had little to offer on the night as the Whitecaps dropped numbers into the box to prevent the pair from testing Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted. With added bodies in defense, the Galaxy could offer little as LA registered just six shots and only one on frame in the defeat. LA’s best attempt at goal came with Vancouver already up by two when Edson Buddle launched a header that sailed just over the net in the dying moments of the game.
The Galaxy have now gone scoreless in their last 267 minutes dating back to Robbie Keane’s third-minute goal in their 1-1 draw against Houston.
ROAD STRUGGLES CONTINUE
The LA Galaxy’s winless run away from StubHub Center was extended to nine games with their defeat to Vancouver on Saturday.
Since their last road victory on August 20, 2014, the Galaxy have complied a 0-5-4 record in matches away from the friendly confines of Carson. After two straight defeats away from home, LA will turn to a little home cooking to turn their season around as they prepare to host Seattle Sounders FC and Sporting Kansas City in the coming weeks.
Given LA’s 21-game unbeaten game streak at StubHub Center, chances are good that the Galaxy can get back in the win column soon, but when they do hit the road again against the New York Red Bulls at the end of the month, LA will need to bring some added intensity to the table if they are to snap their road skid.
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
