U.S. Defender Has Gained a Corner on Market : Soccer: Lalas again proves the perfect target for a set play in a 1-0 victory over Jamaica.

The players on the U.S. soccer team know how to solve their problem with scoring goals. See to it that they have several corner-kick opportunities and get the ball to the head of Alexi Lalas.

Lalas, a defender, has scored four goals for the U.S. national team this season and all have been headers off of corner kicks. His fourth came Sunday night against Jamaica, good for a 1-0 victory before 5,318 at Titan Stadium at Cal State Fullerton.

The U.S. team has always done well on set plays. But it doesn’t always get as many chances as it did against Jamaica. The team had nine corners Sunday night to Jamaica’s two, but even with that advantage, the United States failed to score more than once.

“We dominated the game and we couldn’t score,” Lalas said. “Again. Pull the same quotes and change the dates.”

The same can be said for the method of Lalas’ goals. The 6-foot-3 Lalas is highly prized in these situations, for his ability to leap and to time his jumps for best positioning.

Lalas, whose quick wit often prevents him from answering questions seriously, credited “lots of milk and lack of showering” with his excellent positioning in the air.

His goal came off a crossing corner kick from Hugo Perez.

Lalas, from Birmingham, Mich., is one of the most recognizable players on the otherwise nondescript U.S. team. Lalas’ long red hair hangs in ringlets to his shoulders and his goatee dangles nearly to his chest. Lalas’ spare time is spent pursuing his career as a rock musician. He sang a song he wrote, “Kickin’ Balls,” at the opening ceremony of the team’s national training center.

Jamaica packed its defense in the second half, but the U.S. team still poured through. The United States had more scoring chances than usual and out-shot Jamaica, 19-4. The U.S. national team is 8-12-11 in international competition this season and 5-0-2 against regional rival Jamaica.

The Americans had better chances in the second half. One opportunity came when Dominic Kinnear sent a floating pass to Dante Washington, who missed. Washington had the team’s best chances of the night, but bad luck and slightly bad aim plagued him.

Washington, a member of the 1992 Olympic Team, has been brought in to training camp on an extended tryout. He is very quick and can score. With Peter Vermes sidelined for two months because of a lower back injury, Washington has a chance to catch on.

“I’m trying to play as loosely as I can,” he said. “I’m here to score. I’m trying. I came so close, yet so far.”