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Harjeet Johal ,

April 3, 2015 Twitter

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VANCOUVER, B.C - The star-studded LA Galaxy made a visit to BC Place on Saturday night to play the Vancouver Whitecaps, minus a few high priced stars. An early sending off to Matias Laba and a pair of first half injuries to Pedro Morales, and Ketuta Manneh meant that Carl Robinson and the Whitecaps had to bunker in and settle for a 0-0 draw. Los Angeles was unable to break through for a goal despite being a man up for 70-minutes. Vancouver did well defensively to steal a crucial point at home. LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena was none too happy with MLS officiating this season and the popular need to reach for red cards. Arena made his views known and stood up for MLS supporters who spend money to watch entertaining football matches and not caution after caution from over-cautious MLS referees. “Overall we played well, there’s just been too many red cards in this league. It’s ruining games, it doesn’t make the games entertaining and I don’t think the fans like it. I know about the players but, it seems like every game in this league there’s a red card now. It’s been tough certainly, we were deficient in our ability to create a few more chances. Technically we could’ve been better in the last third of the field. Obviously we’re playing on turf and maybe we’re not that comfortable on it, but that isn’t an excuse." Carl Robinson was also asked to chime in on the red card abundance and he also made his feelings known. “I agree with Bruce’s comment. There are too many red cards. Fans pay their hard earned money to watch games of football, watch the best players on the field. Eleven versus eleven. There are too many red cards. Us, as a group of coaches, and the players in there are unsure. We’ve got one of the top midfield players (Matias Laba) in the league who’s made a tackle today and he’s been sent off. I’m not sure why.” Mike Magee who was down on the pith as a result of Matias Laba's tackle, talked about the decision to send Vancouver down to 10-men. In the end the LA Galaxy leading-scorer offered up a surprising response to the questionable tackle. "He came in with his studs. He got me. I don't know how bad it was, but he definitely got me. I didn't notice if it should have been a red or yellow. To be honest when I got up, I was asking the ref if he got a card. I was pleading for a yellow, but he got a red, so I'll have to watch it again on film." Carl Robinson will appeal the red card to Laba and hope that Vancouver's top defensive holding midfielder will be available next Saturday away to D.C. United. David Ousted picked up his second clean sheet of the season and offered up his opinion on the over use of red cards in Major League Soccer this season. "I understand what they are trying to do, MLS, by protecting the players, but right now we are trying to take tackling out of the game. That’s not going to purify the game, it’s not going to make any player good to look at, it is especially not going to evolve this league. I understand that the MLS wants to protect us, and that’s a good thing, but it’s misplaced once in a while. I think it ruins games more than it actually benefits the players, and I think it’s something that needs to be looked at. We are in this together, MLS and the players, to develop this league into hopefully one of the best in the world, but I think some of the things are misplaced, and I think it is a duty of the players, as well, to sometimes speak up, and tell MLS that I don’t think we are moving in the right direction with this." Whether or not any fines or disciplinary action is handed down by MLS this week, remains to be seen. Both teams will hope to get their international players fully fit and move on. Vancouver and Los Angeles never seem to play a boring match. Despite no goals being scored this contest had plenty of talking points following 90' minutes of football. Full-back Robbie Rogers shared his thoughts on the actual match. "I actually thought that we played pretty well," said Rogers. "We've been trying to improve the way we've been playing and starting on the road, and I thought we did everything we wanted to. We came out in the first fifteen minutes and came out strong. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get a goal, but I'm pretty happy with the way the team worked, and the result." The Opening 45

After a long international break, both managers decided to sit some of their more talented players on the bench. Christian Bolanos and Blas Perez both started on the bench, while Bruce Arena chose to leave Gyasi Bardes out of his starting eleven. Vancouver was forced into making an early substitution in the 18th minute when MLS leading goal-scorer Pedro Morales left the pitch with a left hip strain. Andrew Jacobson entered the match for Vancouver in his absence. The Galaxy centre-backs were on early yellow cards as Daniel Steres held a streaking Octavio Rivero and moments later Jelle Van Damme set an NBA style defensive block on a charging Nicolas Mesquida in the 23' minute. The visitors attempted to set the tone early with some physical play, but did so while picking up yellows. Referee Jair Marrufo wasn't making any friends on either side as the Vancouver Whitecaps soon had a reason to be upset. Matias Laba was issued a straight red card in the 28' minute. Laba went in appearing to have his studs up, Mike Magee then went to ground after Laba had finished his slide. Marrufo appeared to reach for a yellow card. However, after being surrounded by LA Galaxy players and a vocal Nigel de Jong. Matias Laba was instead issued a red card and sent to the showers. Carl Robinson's match tactics took another blow as Kekuta Manneh had to leave the match in the 43' minute. Manneh has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury since last November. His exit forced Christian Bolanos into the match for the Whitecaps. The best scoring opportunity for both sides came in stoppage time as substitute Andrew Jacobson fired terrific effort on goal from 30 yards out. Brian Rowe had to make a diving save to his right to push the ball out of play for a Vancouver corner. Despite all the cautions, and injuries to the Whitecaps, the match remained scoreless at the half. Los Angeles held a possession advantage of 59 - 41%, but could not trouble Vancouver keeper David Ousted or the 10-men Whitecaps. Magee holding the wrong leg as he dives. Disgraceful. But more disgraceful from @PROreferees. @MLS #WhitecapsFC #MLS https://t.co/pLF3W3gtha — Vancouver Armada (@VancouverArmada) April 3, 2016 Waston on red card: "I dont understand #MLS rules. Tackles are in football. Do they want us to be kids playing with barbies?" #WhitecapsFC — Corey Basso (@CDBasso) April 3, 2016

The Second Half

Neither side made any changes prior to the start of the second half. The match remained a defensive chess-match as Vancouver did not want to be left vulnerable at the back while down a man. Los Angeles lacked fire-power without Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, and Giovani dos Santos. LA struggled to create chances against a stingy Vancouver back-four. In an effort to inject some pace and offensive flare into his lineup. U.S. international Gyasi Zardes entered the match in the 60'. It didn't take long for the 24 year-old get going with a scoring opportunity for the visitors. In the 69' minute. Sebastian Lletget sent in a cross that Zardes controlled off his body before attempting to send his volley past David Ousted. The Danish keeper made a quick save with his face while trying to keep his balance. LA came close, but goals remained nowhere to be found. #LAGalaxy's Bruce Arena on red cards. "Too many red cards are ruining this game. Seems like a red card every game." pic.twitter.com/zesEevN1h6 — Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) April 3, 2016

A stalemate ensued as Vancouver and Los Angeles did not do enough to warrant a goal. Both teams will head into next with a single point gained from this match. The Whitecaps will be happy to have picked up a point, while the Galaxy will wonder why they could not take advantage of an early sending off to Matias Laba. Man of the Match



David Ousted

Ousted was the top man for the Whitecaps and he certainly had to be. With defensive midfielder Matias Laba sent off, Pedro Morlaes, and Kekuta Manneh leaving with first half injuries. David Ousted had no margin for error. The 'Great Dane' made 4 saves and held Vancouver in the match when LA owned possession. The Galaxy should have picked up all three points, but David Ousted and the Whitecaps had other ideas. Sometimes you need your goalkeeper to steal you points and tonight was a fitting occasion as David Ousted was in fine form. “I thought they tried all they could today to get at us, but it was the work of the back four, the work of the midfield that made that nil-nil game today. We were tough to break down, I think that’s why the Galaxy didn’t get the goal.” Who was your Whitecaps Man of the Match?

Vancouver Whitecaps Starting XI: David Ousted; Fraser Aird, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Matias Laba, Pedro Morales(C) 18 (Andrew Jacobson); Cristian Techera, Nicoals Mezquida, Kekuta Manneh 43 (Christian Bolanos); Octavio Rivero 74 (Blas Perez). 4-2-3-1. LA Galaxy Starting XI: Brian Rowe; Robbie Rogers, Daniel Steres, Jelle Van Damme, Ashley Cole; Emmanuel Boateng 74 (Bradford Jamieson), Nigel de Jong(C), Baggio Hasidic 60 (Gyasi Zardes), Mike Magee; Sebastian Lletget, Ariel Lassiter 67 (Alan Gordon). 4-4-2 Notes: Vancouver actor Jacob Tremblay best known for his work in the movie 'Room' attended the match.