In the first leg of the USL playoffs, FC Los Angeles was transformed in the second half and defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps by a score of 5-2. Another victory in this match would have been a goodbye to the rivals.
In the first half of the match, the two teams exchanged blows and it was hard to distinguish between them. However, a brilliant second half performance by FC Los Angeles completely turned the tide as Dennis Buanga once again stepped up to the plate, contributing two crucial goals with his incredible speed, power and shooting skills. With a total of eight goals in his last four matches, his performance will undoubtedly be the talk of the game.
Two of FC Los Angeles' five goals came from corner kick attacks. I predict that they will remain a threat in corners and set-pieces in the upcoming matches. In addition, the team's creative midfielders such as Carlos Weiner and Bogus will create a lot of trouble for the opposing defense.
Although the Vancouver Whitecaps desperately need a win to keep their promotion hopes alive, I don't see them going all out on offense, as it's entirely possible that FC Los Angeles could mount a deadly comeback. This is a two out of three series and the number of goals scored does not determine the winner, so Vancouver Whitecaps just need to win.
Vancouver Whitecaps' Rheingart needed to make a difference in the game, and even though he didn't have a great performance in the first game, his excellent handling of free kicks earned his team the key goal. He is a key player for the team as he is good at handling set pieces and has excellent passing and shooting abilities.
Byrneveld has scored eight goals in his last 12 games and has been another key factor in the Vancouver Whitecaps' success this season. He will receive passes from teammates in the middle of the pitch and pose a great threat to the FC Los Angeles backline.
