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Galaxy, Whitecaps clash at StubHub Center

Apr 11, 2014 - 8:52 PM Carson, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of Western Conference rivals will clash on Saturday as the Los Angeles Galaxy host Vancouver Whitecaps FC at StubHub Center.

After three early-season matches, the Galaxy find themselves with one win, one loss and one draw for four points, but will carry some positive momentum into Saturday's match after earning their first win of the season last weekend against Chivas USA.

The Galaxy put the game away with a dominant 20-minute display on either side of halftime against the Goats. Galaxy right back Dan Gargan sent a header into the box that snuck past Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to a waiting Robbie Keane, who walked the ball over the line for the opener in the 37th minute.

Four minutes later, Stefan Ishizaki collected a well-placed pass from Juninho, raced past the Chivas defense and hit home with a stellar chip to the far-side netting.

Nine minutes into the second half, it was 3-0 to the Galaxy. After a give-and- go from Keane to Landon Donovan, Baggio Husidic found just enough space at the top of the box and beat Kennedy with a low drive to the left corner.

"I thought it was a great performance from start to finish," said Keane. "Certainly the way we played, the manner that we played, keeping possession, keeping the ball, sometimes an extra pass can open up the defense, and that was certainly the case today."

"We're putting our best passing team on the field," said Donovan. "We have a lot of quality on the field, so we move well, we pass well and guys are combining. I think it's really difficult to defend against."

Vancouver, meanwhile, saw its four-match unbeaten streak come to and end last weekend at the hands of a 2-1 defeat against the Colorado Rapids at BC Place.

Whitecaps FC took the lead on 66 minutes when Darren Mattocks opened his 2014 account, finishing off a breakaway after Kenny Miller sent him in alone with a flicked pass up the center of the park.

But the match turned around in the 77th minute when referee Ioannis Stavridis showed Vancouver's Matias Laba a second yellow card.

Just two minutes later, the Rapids leveled the game at 1-1 when Jose Mari used the outside of his left foot to bend an effort past David Ousted from outside the penalty area. Then two minutes later, he fired the Rapids into the lead with a right-footed effort teed up by teammate Nathan Sturgis, again from outside the box, this time straight on from goal.

"It's disappointing, I said we win as a group and we lose as a group, today was our first loss," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. "But it's important that we bounce back in the correct way, and we're going to have more losses throughout the season, I've got no doubt about it. It's a tough one to take, especially at home."