CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena offered a positive assessment of Clement Diop’s first two MLS regular season appearances ahead of the Galaxy’s clash with Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Diop earned a 0-1-1 record during the Galaxy’s recent two-game road trip, making 11 saves and allowing three goals. During his two appearances, Diop showcased the same aggressive flair that has made him one of the top goalkeepers in USL, but he seems unlikely to start Saturday with Brian Rowe likely to make his return.
“Clement made some great saves, showed his inexperience at times coming off his line, and his distribution, but to be honest that’s what we expected. We’ve watched him over the last couple of years with Galaxy II, and he’s come a long way. But he’s still not the finished product,” Arena told reporters on Friday. “It’s going to take some time. He’s a young goalkeeper. On that first goal the other day he made a spectacular save, it just happened to be fall back to [Arturo] Alvarez. He did some good things, and obviously, he showed some of his inexperience as well.”
