Campos’ Role May Be Pivotal
Two players hold the key to tonight’s third and decisive Major League Soccer playoff game between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the San Jose Clash at the Rose Bowl.
The odd thing is, one will not be on the field and the other might be found almost anywhere on it.
Eric Wynalda and Jorge Campos have presented different problems for Laurie Calloway and Lothar Osiander, their respective coaches.
For the Clash to win tonight and advance to MLS Western Conference finals, Calloway has to find a way to compensate for the loss of his leading scorer, Wynalda, who was red-carded in the final minutes of Sunday’s Game 2.
For Osiander to steer the Galaxy into the next round against the winner of tonight’s game between the Dallas Burn and Kansas City Wiz, he has to decide what to do about Campos.
The Galaxy’s offense has been particularly anemic lately. The team was held scoreless in a 1-0 loss at San Jose in Game 1 last Thursday, then went 83 minutes without scoring on Sunday before winning, 2-0.
It has only been when Osiander has taken Campos out of the nets, sending David Kramer on as goalkeeper and moving Campos to the forward line, that the Galaxy has looked remotely dangerous.
In each of the last two games at the Rose Bowl, Campos has created a goal. He did so against Dallas in the regular-season finale with that memorable “sombrerito” or “rainbow” move, and he set up Eduardo Hurtado on a fast break for Sunday’s second goal.
San Jose has a solid defense, with John Doyle, Tim Martin and Tayte Ianni having looked especially effective.
But the addition of Campos at striker poses a problem for Clash defenders. Doyle, the team captain, has primarily been used to guard Hurtado, the Galaxy’s leading scorer. The honors are shared so far in that individual battle. If Doyle also has to worry about the unpredictable Campos, it could distract his attention from Hurtado.
“I didn’t realize he was so good [as a forward],” Doyle said of Campos. “He’s very good. You always see him in the goal and he seems kind of small, but he’s not. He’s a good size and he’s an excellent player. It’s nice for Lothar to have that opportunity to play him like that.”
Osiander has brought Campos out of goal only for the final half hour, but he might use him as a forward even earlier tonight.
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Tonight’s Game
MLS PLAYOFFS
Galaxy vs. San Jose Clash
* Site: Rose Bowl
* Time: 7:30 p.m.
* Broadcast: No television; radio KTNQ (1020) Spanish.
* Series: The Galaxy and Clash are tied at one game apiece in their best-of-three MLS Western Conference semifinal series.
* At Stake: A place in the playoff finals against either the Dallas Burn or Kansas City Wiz, with the winner of that three-game series advancing to the MLS championship game.
