The Vancouver Whitecaps were beaten 2-0 by the Los Angeles Galaxy in a closed-door training game Monday in Arizona.
Just as Chivas USA did on Friday, the Galaxy started a lineup that’s likely close to what we will see in the regular season. With the exception of David Beckham, most of the Galaxy’s projected starters got into the game against the Whitecaps, playing its third game in four days.
Chris Birchall and Juan Pablo Angel scored for the Galaxy. Landon Donovan had a hand, er, foot in Birchall’s opener, sliding a pass to Juninho, who spotted Birchall on a run and then got the ball to the goal-scorer.
The Galaxy started Omar Gonzalez, A.J. de la Garza, Frankie Hejduk and Gregg Berhalter in the back, with Todd Dunivant coming as a sub later in the game. With Donovan Ricketts in goal, that corps represented a stiff challenge for a Whitecaps attack spearheaded by former FC Dallas man Atiba Harris, Brazilian trialist Camilo da Silva Sanvezzo, Swiss forward Davide Chiumiento and Chinese striker Long Tan. Harris and Tan came on as subs in the second half.
At least the Whitecaps’ trialists are playing against MLS-grade players and not other trialists. It should help coach Teitur Thordarson help evaluate if these players are up to par or not, which is hard to do when you get unproven rookies against unproven rookies.
