MLS Reserve League: Chivas USA tie Vancouver Whitecaps 3-3

Chivas USA played their third MLS Reserve League match of the year Wednesday, just a few days after their last Reserve League game, and this time, they tied the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-3 in British Columbia. The Goats gave the hosts a three-goal spot before roaring back with three second half goals to get the draw.

Vancouver started the scoring early, with Kekuta Manneh burning by Chivas' defense to score in the 6th minute. Tommy Heinemann then provided a first half brace to give the 'Caps a 3-0 lead. On all the goals, Chivas' defense was shockingly bad.

Much like the first team, Chivas USA finally woke up around the hour mark, when Josue Soto hit an absolute rocket in the 58th minute to scream by Vancouver 'keeper Simon Thomas and put the Goats on the board. Man, if he can shoot like that, why doesn't he ever shoot like that?

Jose Manuel Rivera followed that up with a brace of his own, beginning in the 70th minute when he scored on a nice free kick (again, maybe he should get a look on set piece service when he's on the first team?). Rivera then completed the comeback in the 85th minute when he chipped Thomas.

Here was Chivas' starting lineup for the game: Patrick McLain; Steve Purdy, Josue Soto, Carlos Borja, Marky Delgado; Marvin Iraheta, Giovani Casillas, Laurent Courtois, Jose Manuel Rivera, Martin Ponce; Armando Flores

Flores is a member of Chivas' U-18 Academy team and follows Jorge Villafana as a winner of "Sueño."

Substitutes in the match for the Goats were Omar Elmasri, a former Chivas USA Academy player who played in the Reserve match against Real Salt Lake, who replaced Purdy today for the second half; Angel Gonzalez, who is reportedly a member of the new Chivas USA U-23 team and who also played in the Reserve match vs. RSL, replacing Iraheta at the half; And U-18 Academy player Brian Kennedy, who played Sunday in the Reserve win over the Seattle Sounders and who replaced Flores in the 71st minute.

The best part of this game? Vancouver has highlights of the match! Big thanks to them for taping the match and publicly releasing the highlights!

The result gives Chivas USA a 2-0-1 record so far this year in the MLS Reserve League, keeping them atop the Western Conference standings on a points per game basis. They still trail most of their opponents in games played to this point, so we'll see if they can keep the good form up (at least in the Reserve League).

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