Galaxy Skidding Along in Road Rut
The Galaxy’s road record fell to 0-8 after a 3-2 loss to the Mutiny in Tampa Bay, Fla., on Saturday night, and six of the losses have been by one goal.
Gilmar scored two goals, including the game winner on a deflection in the 75th minute, and Carlos Valderrama added three assists from game restarts as the Mutiny (8-8) improved its Major League Soccer-best home record to 7-1 before 10,111 spectators.
“It’s a glaring problem,” Galaxy Coach Octavio Zambrano said. “It can’t happen that you lose the game on two corner kicks and a direct kick. Maybe we’re not doing enough in dead-ball situations and we just need to be more aware. I don’t know what I’m going to do if it happens again.”
Twenty-five fouls were called by referee John Weselak, but it was a second-half non-call that left the Galaxy (4-11) fuming.
Television replays showed Mutiny midfielder Ivan McKinley, after being tackled, head-butted Paul Caligiuri behind the play. The action didn’t result in any sanctions.
“It was a glaring foul,” Zambrano said. “It should have been a red card. All I can say is this: If the league makes it a point to fine players for hard tackles, then it’s time that the league starts fining referees for performances like that.”
Tampa Bay opened the scoring on Gilmar’s header in the eighth minute. The Galaxy responded three minutes later when Welton scored from point-blank range.
Welton’s effort was the first Galaxy goal in the opening 20 minutes of a match this season.
After Cle Kooiman’s header made it 2-1 in the 40th minute, Los Angeles again battled back when Harut Karapetyan blasted home a 20-yard drive a minute later.
Kansas City 4, Colorado 3--Uche Okafor scored in the seventh round of a shootout to give the Wizards the victory before 9,580 in Denver.
Kansas City’s Digital Takawira scored in the 25th and 47th minutes to tie it, 2-2, and Mo Johnston gave the Wizards (11-5) the lead in the 49th minute.
Colorado’s Paul Brova scored his second goal of the game in the 87th minute to tie it, 3-3. Sean Henderson also scored for the Rapids (8-9).
San Jose 3, Dallas 1--The Clash won its first game under new Coach Brian Quinn, beating the Burn before 11,491 at San Jose.
Shawn Medved brought the Clash (6-10) back from a 1-0 deficit three minutes into the second half. In the 71st minute, he headed Eddie Lewis’ free kick to Lawrence Lozzano, who chipped in the game winner.
Damian Alvarez gave Dallas (8-8) the early lead by running onto Ted Eck’s free kick and beating goalkeeper Dave Salzwedel in the 18th minute.
