LA Galaxy lose 4-2 thriller to Vancouver Whitecaps

The LA Galaxy fought hard, but ultimately fell 4-2 to the Whitecaps Saturday night at BC Place in downtown Vancouver.

Clement Diop started once again in place of Brian Rowe and was immense in the early going, blanking Cristian Techera from point-blank range and preventing a sure goal.

But Diop’s glory was short lived. In the 19th minute Sheanon Williams switched the field to an open Cristian Techara just outside the 18-yard box, and when Diop came out to intercept the pass but failed to get there in time, Techera swiveled and passed the ball into an empty net.

For a few minutes the Galaxy were on the ropes, as Jelle Van Damme was frankly lucky to avoid conceding a penalty.

And then the Galaxy equalized off a few moments of quality. Jermaine Jones played an inch-perfect floating pass to Romain Alessandrini, and after engaging Jordan Harvey, the Designated Player unleashed a low strike that Ousted could only parry off the post then past the goal line.

Five minutes later with his back to goal, Jack McBean beautifully set up Emmanuel Boateng who cutback a cross right into the path of a onrushing Alessandrini, and the Frenchman put away a low finish to give the Galaxy the lead.

It was smooth-sailing for LA until the 66th minute when bad defense and a tame Diop save led to Fredy Montero poking the equalizer into the net, and a minute later a complete breakdown in the back four allowed Matias Laba to drive a rocket past Diop, sending BC Place into a frenzy.

Try as they might the Galaxy were unable to get back into the match, and LA were done late when Matias Laba got on the end of another Diop rebound to powerfully head home.

Speaking of heading home, the Galaxy travel back to LA to battle Montreal this Friday at the StubHub Center.