LA Galaxy’s defeat to Portland Timbers was not a reality check said head coach Greg Vanney, but he lamented his side being their own worst enemy in their seventh loss of the season.
The Galaxy were beaten 4-2 at Providence Park last time out, seeing their lead at the summit of the Western Conference table cut to five points by Real Salt Lake following their victory.
While Vanney’s side have already secured their place in the playoffs, the Galaxy head coach was keen to eradicate those recent mistakes during the final five games of the campaign.
"I don't know if it's a reality check. I think everybody understands the challenges of this league and competing on the road, and they're a good team,” Vanney said.
“We create our problems with how we lose the ball, in rushing and forcing attacks and things that need to be allowed. We need to allow ourselves to develop. We did such a good job of that the other night (vs. LAFC) specifically in the second half.
“Tonight, for sure through the first half of the game and some stretches in the second half when we were chasing the game, impatience is sometimes our biggest enemy. That's ourselves undoing ourselves.
“We have to recognise this again as we come to the end of the season and go to the playoffs, because it's these things that hurt ourselves.”
Vancouver, meanwhile, continued their impressive MLS form with a 1-1 draw against Houston Dynamo and have now lost just one of their last 10 league matches.
The Whitecaps also set a new club record of 25 points from their games away from home, leaving them in sixth place in the Western Conference standings.
Ahead of their trip to Dignity Health Sports Park, head coach Vanni Sartini is expecting a tough encounter, but is confident his players can keep their run of form going this weekend.
“I think that against the Galaxy, we need to be pressing in a way that is intelligent because if we put being relentless ahead of being organised, they can break our press and kill us,” Sartini said.
“We need to be willing to play a game where they may have more possession than us, but not defending in our final third because we have seen the quality that they have.
“The key for me is to try and have the ball as much as we can because we will be doing something that they hate. Maybe then we can sneak a victory – that would be fantastic.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Joseph Paintsil
Paintsil scored his ninth goal of the season for the Galaxy on Wednesday after Dejan Joveljic (14), Gabriel Pec (12) and Riqui Puig (10) have already reached the 10-goal mark for LA in 2024.
No team in MLS history has had four 10-goal scorers in a single regular season campaign.
Vancouver Whitecaps – Brian White
White came off the bench to score the equalising goal in Vancouver’s draw at Houston on Wednesday.
The goal was White’s fifth as a substitute for the Whitecaps, equalling Pedro Morales for the most in regular season play in club history.
MATCH PREDICTION: LA GALAXY WIN
The Galaxy won each of their first seven home matches against Vancouver from 2011 through the end of the 2014 season. Since 2015, however, the Galaxy have just four wins in 12 home matches against Vancouver in all competitions (D3 L5).
However, the hosts have won 11 of their last 12 matches at Dignity Health Sports Park (D1), including the last nine in a row. The Galaxy have lost only one of its last 23 league matches in Carson, dating back to June 2023.
But Vancouver are unbeaten in seven straight away matches in all competitions (W4 D3) dating back to the start of July, the longest road unbeaten run since the club joined MLS in 2011. The Whitecaps have allowed multiple goals in only one of those seven matches.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 46.9%
Draw – 26.4%
Vancouver Whitecaps – 26.7%
Saint Lucia, Haiti stay perfect in Groups B and C of League B
Saint Lucia and Haiti consolidated their leads atop their respective Concacaf Nations League groups following contrasting wins in their League B encounters on Friday.
Caniggia Elva’s late brace in the 76th and 90th propelled St Lucia to a 2-1 win over Saint Martin, who led for most of the contest courtesy of Axel Raga’s 30th-minute strike in their Group B clash at the Darren Sammy Ground.
The win moved Saint Lucia to maximum nine points from three games. Curacao and Grenada, who played out a goalless stalemate in the other group contest, sit second and third on four points each, while Saint Martin is still yet to get on the board.
Over in Group C, Haiti beat host Aruba 3-1 at Guillermo Prospero Trinidad Stadion.
Tyron Perret Gentil fired Aruba in front in the sixth minute, but Haiti responded through Frantzdy Pierrot (31st), and a brace from Duckens Nazon, who scored from the penalty spot in the 38th, followed by a 61st-minute close range effort.
The win saw Haiti move up to nine points from three games, three points ahead of Sint Maarten, who clipped Puerto Rico 3-2 in the other fixture.
Chovanie Amatkarijo (44th, 85th) and Imar Kort (49th) got the job done for Sint Maarten, while Rodolfo Sulia (2nd) and Alec Diaz (90+5) got Puerto Rico’s goals.
Puerto Rico remain on three points, with Aruba still pointless.
Saka and Jones withdraw from England's Nations League squad
England have confirmed that Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Liverpool's Curtis Jones have withdrawn from the squad ahead of their Nations League clash with Finland on Sunday.
Saka was replaced by Noni Madueke in the 51st minute during England's shock 2-1 defeat to Greece at Wembley on Thursday after picking up an injury in his right leg.
It only adds to Mikel Arteta's injury worries ahead of facing Bournemouth next Saturday after Martin Odegaard was injured on international duty for Norway last month.
Saka has enjoyed a fine start to the Premier League campaign, scoring two goals and laying on a further seven assists in the Gunners' opening seven games.
The England international has also created more chances (27) than any other player in the division, with his nine goal involvements a total only bettered by Chelsea's Cole Palmer (11) and Manchester City's Erling Haaland (10).
Lee Carsley will also be without uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, who was added to the Three Lions squad earlier this week, but has since withdrawn due to a personal commitment.
Jones earned his first call-up in May as part of Gareth Southgate's provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, but did not make the final cut.
The 23-year-old was part of the Young Lions side that won the 2023 European Under-21 Championship under Carsley, scoring the only goal in their 1-0 win over Spain in the final.
Former Liverpool defender Matip confirms retirement
Former Liverpool defender Joel Matip has confirmed his retirement from professional football.
Matip, who joined Liverpool on a free transfer in 2016, has been without a club since leaving Anfield at the end of last season and has since decided to call time on his 15-year career.
The 33-year-old started his career at Schalke, making 258 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit and helping them lift the DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in 2011.
Matip was among the first signings made by Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, joining in the same window as Sadio Mane, Georginio Wijnaldum and Loris Karius.
He helped the Reds return to the Champions League in Klopp's first full campaign in charge, making 29 Premier League appearances and keeping nine clean sheets.
However, his spell with the Reds was marred by repetitive injuries, sustaining 16 different issues across his eight-year spell on Merseyside.
The former Cameroon international's final appearance for Liverpool came in a 4-3 win over Fulham in December 2023 after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the same game.
Matip made 201 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and winning six major honours, which included the Reds' sixth Champions League triumph.
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