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Red-And-White Ties Vancouver During Mid-Week Action

June 2, 2011 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


CARSON, Calif - The Tommy Soehn era in Vancouver started well, but a second victory in 2011 continued to elude the Whitecaps as they drew Chivas USA 1-1 in front of 11,753 at the Home Depot Center on Wednesday night.

After a drab first half that was highlighted by sloppy play, Nick LaBrocca gave Chivas USA the lead just seconds into the second half after receiving a pass from Gerson Mayen in midfield. LaBrocca collected Mayen's pass and took the space Vancouver's midfield offered, then fired in a 20-yard shot that proved too much for Whitecaps goalkeeper Joe Cannon.

Just two minutes later, Vancouver found an equalizer when Camilo, who had been a forward under previous coach Teitur Thordarson but started on the wing Wednesday, collected a rebound and curled a shot past Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.

However as the Whitecaps began to control possession, they were dealt a blow when Eric Hassli-who was dangerous and positive throughout the match - picked up his third red card the season for a reckless tackle on Chivas USA midfielder Ben Zemanski.

The Whitecaps would play the final 23 minutes of the match down to ten men.

The closest Chivas came to breaking the deadlock was in the 82nd minute. First, forward Justin Braun beat the offside trap and forced Cannon into a sprawling 1-on-1 save. On the rebound, LaBrocca drive was cleared with a diving stop by Jay DeMerit from about six yards out.

Chivas USA had their last chance to take the lead stopped by the Whitecaps in the 86th minute when a shot by Braun forced Cannon to make an acrobatic one handed save over the cross bar.

Before the action took off in the second half, the Whitecaps had the finest chance of the first half when Hassli struck the crossbar with a curling shot in the 39th minute of play.

In the first match for Soehn since taking over for Thordarson - who was dismissed on Monday - the Whitecaps made a total of four lineup changes. The most notable was a change in goal with Cannon, who made his second start in a Whitecaps uniform, preferred over Jay Nolly.

Chivas USA also made four changes from their last match due to international call-ups and suspension. Simon Elliott and Andrew Boyens missed the game while on international duty with New Zealand, Alejandro Moreno is in camp with the Venezuelan national team, and Jorge Flores was serving a one-game suspension for a red card suffered against Columbus on the weekend.

The Rojiblancos did welcome back two players from injury as Mike Lahoud and Paulo Nagamura made their first appearances since May 15th and April 16th respectively.

The Whitecaps (1-5-7), who will travel to Utah to take on Real Salt Lake on Saturday, are winless in 12 and remain at the bottom of the Western Conference. Chivas USA (3-4-5) remain in seventh place in the West, and continue their home stand on Saturday with a match against the Portland Timbers.



Major League Soccer Stories from June 2, 2011


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