San Francisco Is No Match for Heat, 2-0
With all the fuss earlier in the summer about the Los Angeles Heat moving, one has to wonder if Saturday night’s first game of the American Professional Soccer League West championship at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach was the final nail in the South Bay’s coffin.
Playing before 3,500--its largest home crowd of the season--Los Angeles dominated the San Francisco Blackhawks in a 2-0 victory.
The home-and-home series resumes Wednesday at San Jose’s Spartan Stadium and all the Heat have to do is win in regulation to claim their first APSL West title. A 30-minute mini-game would be played if San Jose wins.
San Francisco midfielder Marcelo Balboa, a member of the United States World Cup team, reinjured a ligament in his right knee in the first half and limped off the field. His status was listed as day-to-day. Balboa scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over the Heat at West Torrance High on July 22.
The Heat won only five of 10 league games at West Torrance High, normally their home field, but has won seven of their last eight road games. Overall, L.A. has won eight of its past 10 games.
Heat midfielder Jim Gabarra scored the first goal by slapping a weak cross off the sole of his foot into the net with 20:43 gone.
The Heat came out shooting and led in total shots 14-9.
Forward Brad Smith, who scored the second goal off an assist from Bobby Bruch with 35 minutes remaining, said, “We have to take them one at a time, and we have one left, but we have finally found the picture.”
Heat President John Ajemian might have found the picture, too. A handful of dissident owners were rankled when Ajemian, who bought into the team this spring, announced he was planning to move the team to South Orange County next year. But excited by the results and the crowd Saturday night, a Heat spokesperson said that the team might consider playing at Veteran’s Stadium, a compromise of sorts, between the South Bay and Orange County.
The APSL West champion advances to play Maryland, the APSL East champion, for the national title on Sept. 22. The winner of that game plays the Canadian champion Vancouver 86ers for the North American title on Sept. 26.
