The game in 100 words (or less): The Vancouver Whitecaps are generally a very good counter-attacking team, given the blazing speed of Kekuta Manneh and Darren Mattocks, the threaded through balls of Pedro Morales and the usually reliable finishing of Octavio Rivero. Apparently someone forgot to tell the LA Galaxy about this, because two of the above mentioned men combined for a lethal counter-attacking goal, the only of the game in the Whitecaps’ 1-0 victory over the LA Galaxy on Saturday night. The same question remains for the Galaxy: where are the chances going to come from for Bruce Arena’s bunch? Robbie Keane is still working his way back from two months out and Steven Gerrard doesn’t arrive for another month. There’s a lot of points to be won — or lost — in that timeframe.
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Three moments that mattered
32' — Manneh twists Gonzalez, finishes near post — Poor Omar Gonzalez. Actually, pity on any center back that encounters Kekuta Manneh in open space on the counter. This time it was Gonzalez who had the misfortune of meeting the Gambian speedster in his proverbial dark alley. End result: 1-0, Whitecaps.
41' — Techera rattles the post, nearly doubles the lead — Cristian Techera was played through by Manneh and the tiny Uruguayan unleashed a shot befitting a striker 12 inches his giant, but found only the near post of Brian Rowe.
54' — Manneh gets behind, nearly bags his second — Manneh’s blinding speed was on display all night long, and he nearly doubled the Whitecaps’ lead in the 54th minute, but Rowe came rushing out in a hurry and got just enough of the ball at just the right moment.
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Man of the match: Kekuta Manneh — Saturday night we got to see “good Kekuta,” which is a joy to behold when he’s the version that shows up. Oscar Sorto and Omar Gonzalez had their hands full all night,
LINEUPS
LA Galaxy: Rowe, Husidic, Leonardo, Gonzalez, Sorto, Maganto (Lletget 75'), Vayrynen (Walker 56'), Juninho, Ishizaki, Buddle (Gordon 60'), Keane
Vancouver Whitecaps: Ousted, Harvey, Kah, Waston, Beitashour, Koffie, Laba (Teibert 75'), Manneh (Rosales 75'), Morales (Mattocks 81'), Techera, Rivero
Goals: Manneh (32')
