There are games which shape a season and there are games which show the character of a team. Tonight Vancouver Whitecaps and Los Angeles Galaxy had both in the one match.
Following a 3-0 trouncing in Los Angeles just a few weeks ago, the Whitecaps regrouped to hold their own against a sometimes out of sorts looking LA Galaxy side, but one which showed why they are right back in the playoff mix.
In the end, a late two goal fightback by Los Angeles left Vancouver heartbroken, but the crowd enthralled, in a 2-2 draw at BC Place.
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A suspension to Alain Rochat and an ankle injury for Eric Hassli, limited Vancouver’s starting options and Martin Rennie chose to go for basically the same team that finished the 1-0 defeat to Chicago, with Darren Mattocks taking on the main striker’s role once again.
It was a cagey start by both teams, with a dipping David Beckham free kick in the tenth minute all that either side had to show for their efforts.
The Whitecaps started to get more time on the ball and took the lead in the 18th minute.
Camilo surged forward and was blocked by Marcelo Sarvas in the middle of the Galaxy half. As the Brazilian appealed for the free kick, the ball had broken to Gershon Koffie and referee Silviu Petrescu played the advantage, much top the surprise of the Ghanaian, who seemed to have almost stopped with the ball.
In acres of room, Koffie took his time, found his composure and buried it low into the bottom right hand corner.
It was a goal, and a lead, that surprised many, and acted as the impetus for Vancouver to go on and dominate the rest of the half.
Their pressure paid off in the 27th minute when Barry Robson rose to powerfully head home a pinpoint Young-Pyo Lee cross, giving Josh Saunders no chance in the Galaxy goal.
It was Robson’s first goal for Vancouver and his 100th career club goal
And it was nearly three to the home side in the 38th minute.
Koffie played a delightful ball over the top of the LA defence and Dane Richards chased it down quickly, bore down on goal, but pulled it wide right of the advancing Saunders.
It would have been a goal that would have put Vancouver out of sight but instead it set up a thrilling second half.
Both teams were in attack mode as the game restarted, without really threatening to add to the scoreline, but the Caps had a let off as the hour mark approached.
Jay DeMerit was forced to foul Landon Donovan, as he easily got past him and tried to hit the byeline.
Beckham swung in a perfect ball into the six yard box and as a scramble ensued, the ball was played across an open goal and just inches away from the head of Robbie Keane.
LA kept the pressure on and Keane again came agonisingly close to getting his head on a cross in from the right.
Vancouver’s goal seemed to be leading a charmed life.
With twenty minutes remaining, a Beckham corner hit off the back of Donovan’s head and forced a scrambling Joe Cannon to tip the ball onto the crossbar.
As the rebound bobbled down, Koffie was on hand to head the ball out from under his own crossbar, as Keane was set to pounce.
Vancouver needed to take some of the pressure off their defence and Robson nearly did so in the 72nd minute when he was allowed to run into the box and curled a shot inches past the right hand post.
LA had the crossbar to thank themselves in the 80th minute after Saunders just managed to tip a long range rocket from Koffie onto the woodwork.
Instead of killing the game off, Vancouver found themselves clinging on to just a one goal lead two minutes later.
Donovan cut the ball back to Beckham on the edge of the box and the English veteran curled a deflected shot past Cannon and into the net.
The Caps were left cursing the woodwork again in the 84th minute when a Robson free kick from near the right touchline had Saunders all at sea and crashed off the post. The Caps couldn’t capitalise on the rebound and the danger was cleared.
Despite the Caps pressure and play, there was a feeling that LA could get themselves back level and they did just that in the 87th minute when substitute Jose Villareal hit an unstoppable long range strike past a full stretch Cannon.
It was an agonising goal to lose for Vancouver but even more agony came in stoppage time when Robson hit a fierce 30 yard free kick that Saunders did well to tip over.
If you had asked most in Vancouver before kick off, they would have happily taken a point, but with the way the Caps played and the spirit they showed, you have to be a little bit disappointed by it at the end of it all.
As an entertainment spectacle though, you have to hope that it won’t be the last full house at BC Place we see this season.
FINAL SCORE: Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 2 Los Angeles Galaxy
ATT: 21,000
VANCOUVER: Joe Cannon; Young-Pyo Lee, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Jun Marques Davidson, Gershon Koffie, Barry Robson; Dane Richards, Darren Mattocks, Camilo Sanvezzo (Michael Nanchoff 68) [subs Not Used: Brad Knighton, Greg Klazura, Carlyle Mitchell, Russell Teibert, Matt Watson, Etienne Barbara]
LOS ANGELES GALAXY: Josh Saunders; Sean Franklin, A.J. DeLaGarza, David Junior Lopes, Todd Dunivant (Bryan Gaul 31); Hector Jimenez (Jose Villareal 71), Marcelo Sarvas, David Beckham, Michael Stephens (Juninho 57); Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane [subs Not Used: Brian Perk, Bryan Jordan, Jack McBean, Tommy Meyer]
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