Galaxy Discovers Spark
The days of stepping onto a field and dominating a game with sheer skill might have passed by Cobi Jones, but the veteran Galaxy forward proved he still can have plenty of influence.
Jones, a nine-time Major League Soccer All-Star who will turn 36 on Friday, helped put an end to the Galaxy’s seven-game losing streak Sunday when he scored a goal in the 88th minute to salvage a 1-1 tie against D.C. United, the top team in MLS, at Home Depot Center.
“Any time you have a player of Cobi’s quality, it’s going to lift your team,” Galaxy Coach Frank Yallop said. “His game savvy; it’s nice to have that available.”
That savvy was on display for only 23 minutes as Jones came into the game as a second-half substitute for John Wolyniec after having sat out the previous three games because of a right Achilles’ tendon strain.
As soon as Yallop summoned Jones from the bench to warm up, a buzz could be heard from fans who were looking for anything to lift the Galaxy from its doldrums.
“We spoke before the game and we had said no more than 20 minutes,” Yallop said of his plan for Jones. “So I guess I squeezed a little bit more out of him.”
Namely the tying goal, as the Galaxy, which had controlled the flow for most of the game but failed to convert on a variety of chances, finally was rewarded for its persistence.
The play started when midfielder Paulo Nagamura chipped a pass over the middle of the defense. Retreating United midfielder Domenic Mediate, who had come on as a substitute in the 81st minute, slowed the ball down with his outstretched left foot but couldn’t control it.
As United goalkeeper Troy Perkins rushed out to challenge, Jones sliced his way between defenders and got to the ball first, heading it past Perkins to the goalkeeper’s left and tapping it into the open net.
“It’s something that we need to see a lot more of, runs from the outside, guys cutting in and getting that ball over the top,” Jones said of the play.
“There was definite eye contact with Paulo and he saw it, recognized it and hit a great ball.”
United Coach Peter Nowak said that whenever a player such as Jones is around, that type of scoring play can occur.
“We didn’t expect to turn the ball over in the back like we did,” Nowak said. “Cobi was there, and it was an unfortunate touch for Mediate.”
For the Galaxy (2-9-2), the tie gave it its first point since a 3-2 win at Real Salt Lake on April 29, and its first point at home since a 1-1 tie against the Chicago Fire on April 8.
“That’s the most important thing for me, ending that losing streak and just getting off seven points,” said Jones, who considers himself at about “60 to 70%” of where he’d like to be health-wise.
United (7-1-4) took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute on a brilliant goal by Argentine midfielder Christian Gomez, who cleverly back-heeled the ball over the head of Galaxy defender Ugo Ihemelu to free himself and then blasted a left-footed volley that seemed to catch goalkeeper Kevin Hartman flat-footed as it dipped under the crossbar.
