Chirinos lifts Caps over Galaxy in wild win

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:20 am

Michaell Chirinos scored on a two-man breakaway in the third minute of second-half stoppage time, and the last-place Vancouver Whitecaps stunned the LA Galaxy 4-3 in Carson, Calif., on Sunday night.

The Chirinos goal dropped the Galaxy (16-14-3, 51 points) from third to fourth place in the MLS Western Conference, despite goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Uriel Antuna and Chris Pontius.

The Whitecaps (8-15-10, 34 points) never trailed in the game and got goals from Doneil Henry, Theo Bair, Tosaint Ricketts and Chirinos. Inbeom Hwang assisted on three of his team's goals.

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Pontius appeared to have saved the Galaxy from defeat, settling a ball in the box and scoring the tying goal to make it 3-3 in the 86th minute of a back-and-forth match. But no one was back far enough on defense to stop Chirinos and Hwang, who unselfishly passed instead of shooting, giving Chirinos an empty net behind charging goalkeeper Matt Lampson.

Ibrahimovic scored his 29th goal of the season, and Antuna chipped a long volley over Whitecaps goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau in the 57th minute. Ibrahimovic ended the day still two goals behind LAFC's Carlos Vela for the MLS lead, as Vela tied Josef Martinez's single-season mark of 31.

The Galaxy survived a dangerous moment in the first minute of the game, clearing away a Whitecaps attempt inside the 6-yard box.

But in the 20th minute, the Galaxy couldn't stop Henry from heading in Hwang's set piece.

Michaell Chirinos
Michaell Chirinos
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Galaxy played without top goalkeeper David Bingham, who was ruled out with a quad injury. Lampson made his first start of the season in the second-to-last regular season match of 2019.

The Galaxy answered in the 23rd minute. Cristian Pavon crossed inside to Ibrahimovic, who finished from close range to tie the score at 1.

Bair, who hit the crossbar with a first-half shot, scored in the 41st minute when he controlled a loose ball in the box and put it in for a 2-1 Vancouver lead. The Galaxy raised their arms in hopes of an offside call, but the goal was not reviewed.

A 78th-minute goal from Ibrahimovic was waived off for an offside violation, and his header went just wide in the 85th.