MLS WRAP WEEK 9: Galaxy thumps struggling Burn
- by Soccer America , May 31, 2004
By Ridge Mahoney
Columbus continues its home mastery of San Jose; the Metros and Fire snap winless streaks; Dallas loses its fourth in a row; and D.C. gets a break to post a road win.
BEST GOALS: Not many to choose from, as no team but the Galaxy scored more than one goal -- in a 4-1 rout of Dallas -- and four teams were blanked.
Of the nine goals scored, two were own goals, another bounced in off a defender's foot, one was a penalty kick, and yet another probably didn't cross the goal line although it was awarded.
Ronnie O'Brien briefly revived Dallas's hopes when he drove straight up the gut to cut the Galaxy's lead to 2-1. O'Brien darted past Hong Myung Bo and evaded Sasha Victorine's challenge before pushing a low shot past Kevin Hartman with the inside of his right foot.
Victorine had put away a powerful header from a sharp angle to open the scoring. Cobi Jones's cross from the right flank dropped perfectly for Victorine crashing at the far post. The cross had been created by an early crossfield ball by Andreas Herzog to Alejandro Moreno, who cleverly directed it to Jones.
BEST SET PLAY: Columbus dropped the Quakes 1-0 on a throw-in. Eric Denton tossed it to ex-Quake Manny Lagos, who played it right back for Denton to bend a cross that Jeff Cunningham leaped over Jeff Agoos to head in. The Crew has won its last 11 home matches against San Jose, which is an MLS record for one team's dominance over another.
BEST SAVE: Crew rookie defender Chad Marshall atoned for failing to stop Jamil Walker's dribble by sliding to save a shot off the goal line. Walker zipped past Marshall before playing the ball wide to Ian Russell on the left side. Marshall tracked back and was in the right spot to kick the ball clear after Russell's shot had slipped past keeper Jon Busch.
OGGIE FEST: Steve Jolley rose strongly above Victorine to head a Herzog free kick, but instead of clearing it he nailed it on the bounce past his own keeper to give the Galaxy a 2-0 lead.
D.C. posted a 1-0 win over New England thanks to Brian Kamler's own goal. Earnie Stewart buzzed past a stumbling Leonard Marshall on the flank and dribbled nearly to the goal line before delivering a low cross that Kamler's left foot lofted softly into the net.
Jolley's right foot also diverted a Jovan Kirovski header into his own net, but since the ball had already beaten keeper Scott Garlick and was about to go into the net anyway, Kirovski should retain credit as the goalscorer.
Kirovski added a stoppage-time penalty kick for his fifth goal of the season, which matched the five goals in 36 games he scored for English First Division club Crystal Palace in the 2001-2 season. That's his high-water mark in club play.
BAR TALK: Nate Jaqua slammed a shot off the underside of the crossbar that appeared to land squarely on the goal line before rebounding back into play, but officials awarded a goal and by that margin Chicago beat Colorado, 1-0.
The Metros scored their goal to down Kansas City, 1-0, on an Eddie Gaven header that came off the crossbar for John Wolyniec to head just inside the far post. Amado Guevara surprised the Kansas City defense with a quickly taken free kick that Gaven, while turning, nodded over keeper Tony Meola onto the bar. Chicago ended a threegame winless streak, and the Metros won after going five straight games without a victory.
