Disclaimer: We apologize we couldn’t do a proper post game article for the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy. We got busy, well me in particular.
It wasn’t the best game for the Whitecaps. Let’s face it, the Galaxy deserved to win. After all, they had 61.8% possession and 16 total shots. After Riqui Puig scored in the 16th minute, the Galaxy had plenty of opportunities to make it 2-0.
However, despite being quiet for most of the second half, the Whitecaps woke up in the final 15 or 20 minutes of the game. Ryan Gauld’s shot was tipped into the net by Lucas Calegari in the 81st minute.
Then, the heist began.
It wasn’t Ocean’s Eleven like but it felt that way. It looked like the match was heading to penalty kicks but the Whitecaps had other ideas.
Last season, they were the Cardiac ‘Caps, always leaving things late. The Cardiac ‘Caps returned. Deiber Caicedo’s ball was deflected off the defender, then off Ryan Gauld and Brian White was at the right place and at the right time for the winner. That is 12 goals in all competitions for White this season and that ties White’s career high as a Whitecap. He scored 12 goals in MLS play in the second half of the 2021 season after being traded from the New York Red Bulls to Vancouver.
“I think the game turned around in the first half,” said Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini after the match. “We played a bad first half even though we had a couple of chances. The Galaxy were the best team on the field. We weren’t able to press them and we didn’t do the things we usually do…they have quality players in the midfield and that’s why they were the better team…I think we deserved to tie, the win is a steal. I don’t think we deserved to win, to be honest.”
“Everyone’s buzzing we’re through,” said Gauld. “Not our best performance by a long way but we stuck in there and made it 2-1.”
Gauld was asked about his assist on White’s winning goal.
“I was just trying to kind of, shape it to the back post,” he said.
The Whitecaps looked down but they told the Galaxy to call an ambulance, but not for them. It was a steal of a victory, indeed.
Tigres come to town
Tigres UANL beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 a few hours after the Whitecaps game in LA. As a result, they will be the Whitecaps’ opponents in the round of 32.
The Whitecaps have faced Tigres before. These two teams met in the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League back in 2017. Vancouver lost 4-1 on aggregate and that included a 2-0 Tigres victory at BC Place. Brek Shea scored the only goal for the Whitecaps in the tie and their squad included the likes of Fredy Montero, Kendall Waston, Mathias Laba and a teenager named Alphonso Davies.
“We’re going to have a giant on CONCACAF come to BC Place,” said Sartini on Tigres. “The more experience we have against stronger very strong CONCACAF teams, the better it is.”
With the win over San Jose and the 2-1 win over the Portland Timbers on July 26, Tigres won their group.
The Whitecaps opportunity to knock off a CONCACAF giant is on Friday, August 4. Kickoff time will be confirmed once Monday’s Leagues Cups matches are completed.