Donovan leads Galaxy over Whitecaps
Posted July 30, 2011 9:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
VANCOUVER — Landon Donovan scored twice, including off a penalty kick in the 75th minute, as the L.A. Galaxy extended their unbeaten streak to 14 games with a 4-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer play Saturday afternoon.
Midfielder Sean Franklin in the 85th minute and Adam Cristman in the 90th minute also scored for the Galaxy. It was the fourth time in five games L.A. has won in a shutout.
The Whitecaps held their own for the first half against the league-leading Galaxy, who played without superstar David Beckham. Vancouver striker Eric Hassli was the biggest threat to Los Angeles, twice just missing the corner of the net in the second half.
Donovan’s first goal came in the 61st minute when he took advantage of a fall by Whitecaps’ defender Michael Boxall. The L.A. captain took a long pass from Franklin, let the ball bounce off his chest, then chipped a shot past Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
Donovan, who sat out this week’s all-star game with a calf injury, celebrated by blowing kisses into the stands, then bowing to the booing crowd.
The second goal came after referee Baldomero Toledo called Vancouver defender Jordan Harvey for a hand ball. Donovan struck the ball home for his 11th goal of the season, bringing another round of boos.
A sellout crowd of 27,500 filled the stands at Empire Field on a warm summer afternoon. They were denied the chance to see Beckham, who was serving a one-game suspension after accumulating eight yellow cards on the season.
The game was a battle of first against worst.
The Galaxy lead the league with a 12 -2-9 record for 44 points. They are riding the crest of a 8-0-6 unbeaten streak.
The expansion Whitecaps are last in the MLS with a 2-11-9 record for 15 points. Vancouver is 0-5-1 since a June 18 win over Philadelphia at home.
Neither team scored in the first half, but the Whitecaps applied some early pressure.
The smoke from the pre-game fireworks was still drifting away from the stadium when Vancouver’s two designated players teamed up on a nice play. Hassli fed a pretty pass into the box for Mustopha Jarju, but the forward from Gambia fired the ball over the net.
A few minutes later midfielder Shea Salinas sent a ball through the Galaxy defence that just rolled off Jarju’s toe.
The Galaxy found their form late in the half. In the 38th minute Brazilian midfielder Juninho fired a rocket that a leaping Cannon sent over top of the goal.
The crowd was still buzzing over that save when Franklin was left looking at an open corner, but sent his shot wide.
Cannon was forced to look sharp again in the 56th minute. Gonzalez stole a ball, dribbled down the field, then fed Donovan. He fired a shot that a diving Cannon grabbed. Donovan put his hands on his head and looked skyward.
Vancouver’s Camilo had a chance late in the second half. He let go a booming shot that L.A. keeper Josh Saunders got a hand on.
It was the second time this year one of the marquee teams in MLS came to Vancouver without its biggest draw. In May, a knee injury kept Thierry Henry out of the New York Red Bulls lineup when they tied the Whitecaps 1-1 in Vancouver.
.NOTES: Vancouver’s Omar Salgado missed the match playing for the U.S. U-17 team. …Whitecaps striker Eric Hassli has scored two goals in a game three times this season. …It was the first MLS meeting between the teams but the Whitecaps have played the Galaxy twice in exhibition. A crowd of 48,172 watched the teams tie 0-0 at B.C. Place on Nov. 7, 2007, and Vancouver beat L.A. 2-1 before a crowd of 37,104 in Edmonton on May 13, 2008.
