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Beckham and the Galaxy Take on the Whitecaps in BC Place

  • Al Dannity's Author profile. Al Dannity

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The Vancouver Whitecaps take on the LA Galaxy tonight in a game with massive playoff implications for Major League Soccer (MLS). Al Dannity looks ahead to a huge game in BC Place.

A quick reminder
Despite their poor start to the season, the Galaxy are good. Really good. David Beckham made sure the world was reminded of his prowess with this wonder goal against the Portland Timbers. The defending MLS Cup Champions sit four points behind the Whitecaps in fifth place in the Western Conference. Fans in Vancouver are well aware of the talent at the Galaxy’s disposal. The last time these sides met, it ended in a 3-0 win for Los Angeles. It was an ugly display in the Home Depot Center, one Martin Rennie won’t let his charges forget for a long time.

A job to do
Martin Rennie’s recent moves imply he has a long term plan built around pace and work-rate. Dane Richards, who was acquired in a trade that saw Sebastien Le Toux go to New York, joins his fellow Jamaican Darren Mattocks in the Whitecaps’ rank. Richards and Mattocks both bring plenty of pace to the Vancouver line-up and that should balance well with the veteran guile of Barry Robson. The latest piece in the puzzle, Kenny Miller, won’t feature against the Galaxy, but it will be interesting to see how Richards affects the Vancouver system. In Rennie’s eyes this is not a league built around flash and style. The fundamentals are critical to the Scotsman’s vision and look for Vancouver to place a greater emphasis on these aspects of the game against the Galaxy.

A big draw and a bigger challenge
In three games against the Galaxy since joining MLS, the Whitecaps have been out-scored 10-0. Tonight the visitors bring an attraction that fans in Vancouver have been waiting for since a 2007 friendly. David Beckham was suspended for LA’s trip to BC Place last year but he will play on the artificial turf tonight. The lure of Beckham means the game is set to be a 21,000 sell-out, the 10th straight sell out for a Galaxy road game. Despite being a big draw, Beckham shouldn’t expect the warmest of welcomes. Fans in Vancouver know that a good result tonight would do wonders for the Whitecaps playoff push. As it stands, the Caps would host the Galaxy in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs but there is still a long way to go before the post-season. Every point matters and Rennie will be reminding his charges of that before they take the field.

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