VANCOUVER, B.C. – Ariel Lassiter was left relatively pleased with his performance in his first career start in the LA Galaxy’s scoreless draw with a 10-man Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Lassiter played 66 minutes up top alongside Sebastian Lletget in his second MLS appearance of his career. Despite not being able to find the back of the net, the 21-year-old seemed to acquit himself well to the league, repeatedly making dangerous runs toward the Vancouver goal.
“I felt pretty good,” Lassiter told LAGalaxy.com. “I felt good. I was able to get in there and make my first start. Hopefully, this is the first of many. We still need to gel. They need to continue to learn my runs, and I need to learn to play to their strengths, and what they’re going to do on and off the ball. I think it’s something that over time is going to get better and better.”
Alongside the more deep-lying Lletget, Lassiter was given room to roam forward and try to exploit the space behind the opponent’s defense. The pairing was not perfect, however, as both strikers had moments where they appeared out of sync with the other’s runs.
Despite some bumps along the road, Lassiter nearly put the Galaxy ahead just moments into the second half when he almost connected with an Ema Boateng cross. Unfortunately for the young striker, his shot went harmlessly wide of Vancouver’s net.
Despite not grabbing a goal, Lassiter’s more experienced teammates were pleased with his showing.
“I thought he showed a lot of energy. It’s good experience for anyone, his first start,” Lletget said. “It’s never easy, but he showed some great stuff. We’re going to see a lot of great stuff from him this year; he’s a good young player.”
Added Mike Magee, “Ari was great. He hustled and ran; I don’t think we played to his strengths. He did well. The kid has an incredibly bright future, and today, we should have found a way to get him in behind a little more. It would have played into his strengths better.”
What comes next for Lassiter remains to be seen. However, with Giovani dos Santos still on the mend and Robbie Keane out for a prolonged period, Lassiter may have an opportunity to take the field once again when the Galaxy host the Portland Timbers next Sunday.
If he is given the opportunity, the young striker pledges to put the lessons of his first start into place.
“I’m getting into good spots, and I think that’s the most important thing. The next thing is to finish. I had one or two opportunities, and as a player, I’m my hardest critic,” Lassiter said. “I could have done better, but it’s a start, and it’s the first of many. I want to continue to get out there and show my worth, and show the team that I’m ready for this.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com
