CARSON, Calif. – LA Galaxy midfielder Juninho said he had a difficult time sleeping after last weekend’s last-minute, 1-0 loss to D.C. United, but he realized there was nothing more he could do then forget about it.
“I’m still very sad,” he said as he prepared for Saturday’s clash in Vancouver against the Whitecaps at a sold-out BC Place (7 p.m., Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Time Warner Cable Deportes), “but that’s the game, a tough result. It’s time to move on.”
Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez said he forgot about the loss the moment he stepped off the plane following his return flight to Southern California.
“I hung out with my family and I put it all behind me,” he said.
Galaxy captain Robbie Keane wasn’t even at last weekend’s game because he was with Ireland’s national team for Euro 2016 qualifying. But he did see highlights – if they can be called that – and rued over what he called “missed opportunities.”
“We certainly should have left there with something out of the game,” he said. “Sometimes a point is good enough away from home.”
The road has not been kind lately to the defending champions who haven’t won away from the StubHub Center since a come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rapids last Aug. 20. They are 0-3-3 away from Los Angeles during the regular season (0-4-4 including playoffs) since that memorable game in which they improbably rallied from a 3-1 halftime deficit.
They face another difficult road test in the form of the Whitecaps (3-1), who have matched a club record with a three-game winning streak and are led by Uruguayan native Octavio Rivero, who has a team-high three goals. Vancouver is also coached by Carl Robinson, one of Keane’s closest friends.
“He’s very, very good coach,” Keane said. “You can see the difference already with the team creating a good atmosphere with a good bunch of players.
“It’s a tough game but a game we’re looking forward to.”
One thing that could work in the Galaxy’s favor this weekend is their record against Vancouver. They have lost to the Whitecaps just once in 12 meetings all-time and are 4-0-1 in the last five games with their Western Conference rivals.
Such a history should help the Galaxy’s frame of mind after last Saturday’s stunning defeat, but veteran defender Dan Gargan said he wasn’t worried about any negative fallout.
“I think it’s easier for us to walk away from this game knowing we could have gotten points,” he said. “And we were good enough to get points. I think we have a veteran enough team to know there are things we can do better and we take those things and move forward.
“I think if it’s a younger team you may tend to dwell on it and maybe look a little bit harder at yourself. We know we were good enough to get points out of that game. Unfortunately we shot ourselves in the foot.”
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS vs LA GALAXY
BC PLACE, Vancouver, B.C.
April 4, 2015 (WEEK 5, MLS Game #31)
10 p.m. ET (TSN1)
- Whitecaps FC have matched their MLS club record with three consecutive league wins, following their 2-1 triumph over the Portland Timbers on Saturday evening at BC Place. The ‘Caps have recorded three-game winning runs once in each of the last three seasons.
- The Galaxy saw their road winless streak in league play extended to six games dating back to last season, following their first loss of the season, a 1-0 defeat at D.C. United on Saturday.
- Whitecaps FC have defeated the Galaxy just once in 12 matches all-time in all competitions – that coming May 11, 2013 at BC Place. The Galaxy are undefeated in their last five meetings with Whitecaps FC, dating back to 2013, winning four of those with one draw.
- The Galaxy won all six regular season meetings with Whitecaps FC in Carson, outscoring them 13-1; they also took a victory there in the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs, a 2-1 win in the Knockout Round.
