July 18, 2011
WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE
City comes back to beat Whitecaps

MANCHESTER CITY 2, VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 1
VANCOUVER---Two second half goals lifted Manchester City to a 2-1 win in a World Football Challenge game against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in front of 24,074 at Empire Field Monday night.

Camillo gave the Whitecaps the lead in the 31st minute, as Shea Salinas got hold of a ball from midfield, dribbled into the 18. Salinas then cut the ball back to the top of the area where the Brazilian was waiting to strike a right footed shot into the lower right corner of the net.

Last year’s FA Cup winners tied the game in the 68th minute. A corner kick from the left side by Andrea Mancini was met with a header at the far post by John Guidetti.

The game winner came in the 84th on a brilliant one touch blast from 20 yards into the upper left corner by Sean Wright Phillips.

The game was played despite problems with the grass pitch laid at Empire Field specifically for the game. The Whitecaps regular season MLS contest with Real Salt Lake on Saturday was postponed because heavy rains left large amounts of standing water on the pitch, but crew worked through Sunday and Monday with pumps and driers to get the field ready. It was playable, but not in great shape, causing an injury to City’s Yayo Toure who left the game in the 42nd minute.

Manchester City is now 2-0 in the World Football Challenge having beaten Club America in San Francisco on Friday. They continue their tour with a game against the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on Saturday July 23.