It took some doing, but the LA Galaxy managed to cough up a stunning 4-3 home loss to the last-place Vancouver Whitecaps at Dignity Healty Sports Park on Sunday, potentially dealing a hammer blow to the Galaxy's prospects of a high seed in the Western Conference bracket of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Whitecaps center back Doneil Henry gave the visitors a shock early lead, beating Diego Polenta to Inbeom Hwang's corner-kick delivery to the back post and bundling it past Matt Lampson. The Galaxy responded within minutes, renewing the now-familiar Cristian Pavon-Zlatan Ibrahimovic connection on a quick transition as the Argentinean ran at Jasser Khmiri and centered for his superstar Swedish teammate to finish.
But Vancouver snuck in front again shortly before halftime, as HomegrownTheo Bair latched on to the loose ball and clipped it underneath Lampson after a Michaell Chirinos shot was blocked into a dangerous spot inside LA's penalty box.
The seesawing continued after the break. Uriel Antuna chipped a gorgeously-executed volley over Maxime Crepeau to level matters again, only for Tosaint Ricketts to nip between the Galaxy's center backs and nod Erik Godoy's pinpoint cross into the bottom corner.
LA pulled even yet again in the dying minutes when substitute Chris Pontius scurried onto Ibra's flick-on header and sidefooted home. But they still managed to throw away a costly three points at home when their back line were caught woefully out of position in injury time, allowing Inbeom to play Chirinos clear into acres of space, sparking a transition that ended with the ball in the back of the Galaxy's net.
Goals
- 20' – VAN – Doneil Henry | WATCH
- 23' – LA – Zlatan Ibrahimovic | WATCH
- 41' – VAN – Theo Bair | WATCH
- 58' – LA – Uriel Antuna | WATCH
- 64' – VAN – Tosaint Ricketts | WATCH
- 86' – LA – Chris Pontius
- 90+3' – VAN – Michaell Chirinos
Next Up
- LA: Sunday, Oct. 6 at Houston (4 pm ET | TV & streaming info)
- VAN: Sunday, Oct. 6 vs. Real Salt Lake (4 pm ET | TSN1 - Full TV & streaming info)
