SOCCER : NCAA MEN’S TOURNAMENT : UCLA Warms to Task, Beats Portland, 3-0

At halftime of Sunday’s UCLA-University of Portland soccer match Bruin Coach Sigi Schmid told his team he had noticed something about the way Portland goalkeeper Kasey Keller was playing. Keller was pinching in, Schmid told the Bruins, so try wide shots at the goal.

Joe-Max Moore, UCLA’s most prolific scorer, had a chance in the second half to test Keller. Moore launched a shot from 30 yards to the side of the goal, from about the end line with near-zero angle. The shot was intended as a cross, a pass to the center of the field in front of the goal.

But Moore’s shot curled severely, and, to the surprise of Keller and even Moore, the ball flew into the upper corner of the net.

“It was the best cross I’ve ever seen,” said Keller, who was a backup goalkeeper on the 1990 U.S. World Cup team.

That shot was indicative of the ease and style with which UCLA beat Portland, 3-0, in front of 1,353 at UCLA’s north field.

The victory moves the Bruins into the third round of the NCAA tournament. UCLA (18-3) will play Santa Clara (18-1-1) next weekend at a time and place to be determined.

The Bruins figured to do well against a Portland team that was thinned by injuries. Pilot Coach Clive Charles knew his team would be overmatched and planned a first-half strategy that was heavy on caution and counterattacks. His plan worked well and the half ended scoreless.

But with almost no bench to go to in the second half and a warm day taking its toll on his players, Charles knew Portland was in trouble.

“I looked at our guys at halftime, and I was looking at a couple of guys who had nothing left,” Charles said.

The Bruins pounced on their first scoring opportunity of the second half, and midfielder Cobi Jones scored in the 46th minute.

Moore’s goal came in the 52nd minute, and that 2-0 lead “seemed to take the steam out of them,” Schmid said.

“I knew as soon as the second goal went in, it was all over,” Charles said. “The best team won. We’re not going to argue about that.”

Tim Gallegos’ goal off a rebound finished the scoring.

Charles was lavish in his praise of UCLA, calling the team the best in the nation. However, because of collegiate soccer’s lack of a uniform ranking system, there is little agreement as to which team is the best.

The Bruins are ranked No. 11 by a national soccer magazine and No. 3 by a coaches’ poll. And, while UCLA is the top-seeded team in the West for the tournament, even that placing was debated. All season, Santa Clara was top-ranked in the Far West, but NCAA selectors ignored the rankings and gave UCLA the top seeding and a first-round bye.

Schmid said next week’s match against Santa Clara would settle the ranking question.

“It’s time to put the discussions to rest,” he said.