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Played
July 18, 2011 10:00 PM EDT
Empire Field, Vancouver
July 18, 2011 10:00 PM EDT
Empire Field, Vancouver
Vancouver Whitecaps 1-2 Manchester City: English club rallies to defeat Major League Soccer's worst team
Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute as Manchester City avoided a draw against the Canadian club.
By Mike Slane
Yaya Toure, Manchester City (Getty Images)
VANCOUVER - Manchester City had a couple scares in Canada.
The English club - which expects to make a run at the Premier League title and will play in the Champions League next season - needed a late goal to avoid a draw with the worst squad Major League Soccer has to offer and watched a key player leave the game with an injury.
But Manchester City would walk out of Empire Field Monday night with a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps and midfielder Yaya Toure's ankle injury may not be as bad as it originally looked when he went down in the first half.
"It was challenging but the end result was good," City defender Vincent Kompany said. "The performance was also good given the condition of the pitch and travel."
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the game-winner in the 84th minute after teammate John Guidetti hit the equalizer 14 minutes earlier.
Camilo Sanvezzo gave the Whitecaps an early lead 30 minutes into the match.
The Blues played a majority of the game without Toure after the starter landed awkwardly on the newly placed grass surface after going up for a header in the 35th minute.
The team's training staff brought a stretcher out to take Toure off the pitch, but the 28-year-old walked off with the assistance of the trainers instead. He was substituted out of the game but not until minutes later after it was determined he would not return.
"I think he'll be out only three or four days," Mancini said. "I don't think it's too serious."
The Whitecaps, who have only won two games all season in MLS, looked like they would be on their way to a shocking victory, or at least a draw against one of the world's richest teams.
"In the first half, I think the Whitecaps played better than us," Mancini said.
Camilo put his squad on the scoreboard when he played the ball to Shea Salinas down the right flank, who squared back to Camilo at the top of the 18. Camilo's scuffed shot deflected off City defender Stefan Savic and left City goalkeeper Joe Hart with no chance.
But Manchester City would strike back after Vancouver made 10 substitutions at halftime.
The Blues had the Whitecaps on their heels in the second half and Guidetti finally scored on a header at the back post off a corner kick. Andrea Mancini, the son of club manager Roberto Mancini, recorded the assist.
The 2011 FA Cup winners put the game away with only a few minutes left when Wright-Phillips delivered a strike from about 22 yards out off a feed from Guidetti.
Gerald Narciso contributed additional reporting for this article
The English club - which expects to make a run at the Premier League title and will play in the Champions League next season - needed a late goal to avoid a draw with the worst squad Major League Soccer has to offer and watched a key player leave the game with an injury.
But Manchester City would walk out of Empire Field Monday night with a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps and midfielder Yaya Toure's ankle injury may not be as bad as it originally looked when he went down in the first half.
"It was challenging but the end result was good," City defender Vincent Kompany said. "The performance was also good given the condition of the pitch and travel."
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the game-winner in the 84th minute after teammate John Guidetti hit the equalizer 14 minutes earlier.
Camilo Sanvezzo gave the Whitecaps an early lead 30 minutes into the match.
The Blues played a majority of the game without Toure after the starter landed awkwardly on the newly placed grass surface after going up for a header in the 35th minute.
The team's training staff brought a stretcher out to take Toure off the pitch, but the 28-year-old walked off with the assistance of the trainers instead. He was substituted out of the game but not until minutes later after it was determined he would not return.
"I think he'll be out only three or four days," Mancini said. "I don't think it's too serious."
The Whitecaps, who have only won two games all season in MLS, looked like they would be on their way to a shocking victory, or at least a draw against one of the world's richest teams.
"In the first half, I think the Whitecaps played better than us," Mancini said.
Camilo put his squad on the scoreboard when he played the ball to Shea Salinas down the right flank, who squared back to Camilo at the top of the 18. Camilo's scuffed shot deflected off City defender Stefan Savic and left City goalkeeper Joe Hart with no chance.
But Manchester City would strike back after Vancouver made 10 substitutions at halftime.
The Blues had the Whitecaps on their heels in the second half and Guidetti finally scored on a header at the back post off a corner kick. Andrea Mancini, the son of club manager Roberto Mancini, recorded the assist.
The 2011 FA Cup winners put the game away with only a few minutes left when Wright-Phillips delivered a strike from about 22 yards out off a feed from Guidetti.
Gerald Narciso contributed additional reporting for this article
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to get the latest soccer news directly. Check out Goal.com's page; be part of the best soccer fan community in the world!Vancouver Whitecaps FC
18
4
15
2
25
37
33
28
15
29
36
Manchester City
25
13
25
23
15
11
4
34
17
42
10
Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match
Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In EDT
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker Real Madrid |
5 | 1 |
|
Karim Benzema
Striker Real Madrid |
5 | 0 |
|
Heiðar Helguson
Striker QPR |
5 | 0 |
|
Jason Roberts
Striker Blackburn Rovers |
4 | 1 |
|
Wayne Rooney
Striker Man United |
4 | 0 |