Once Burned, Twice Shy Against Galaxy?

Dave Dir, coach of the Dallas Burn, thought he had figured out a way to beat the Galaxy.

By forcing Los Angeles’ three main offensive threats--Cobi Jones, Mauricio Cienfuegos and Welton--to do more defending than attacking, Dir figured his team might have a chance in Game 1 of Major League Soccer’s playoffs.

It didn’t work out that way, as the Galaxy swept aside the Burn, 6-1, Thursday night at the Rose Bowl.

Now Dir has another problem. Unless he can come up with a better plan, Dallas’ season will come to a sudden end today when Game 2 is played at the Cotton Bowl.

One more victory in a season that already has provided 25, including a league-best 13 on the road, will put the Galaxy in the Western Conference finals.

“There’s not much you can say about that game,” Dir said of Thursday’s defeat. “They took the game to us from the first minute until the last. The only positive thing from our side is that the guys kept battling in the second half when the game was clearly over.

“They clearly outplayed us. We tried to open it up and go at them a little bit, but it seemed like we gave possession away so easily in the midfield that every time we gave the ball away they were right down our throats.”

Jones, the second-leading scorer in MLS this season, was shut out, but Cienfuegos and Welton each scored, Carlos Hermosillo had two goals and, most surprising of all, Danny Pena scored his first two goals of the year.

“This was the first game where the coach allowed me to push forward on free kicks and corner kicks,” Pena explained after the victory.

Galaxy midfielder Martin Machon had another explanation.

“He’s a very special player on our team,” Machon said of Pena. “He’s the one who actually controls our midfield, he’s the one yelling all over the place, but he’s not known for scoring.

“But he told me before the game, ‘Just hit the ball into the middle and I’ll put it in.’ And the first time I did, he scored. It was unbelievable. I think it’s good for him, his confidence is going to be even better, and it helps our team. Now we know everyone can score.”

Dir knows that too. What he isn’t sure about is how to prevent it.

Galaxy Coach Octavio Zambrano believes Dallas will be a much more formidable opponent on its home field.

“We have to pretend that this [6-1 victory] never really happened and really take care of business,” he said. “I still think they are a dangerous team. I think Dallas is a good team. We are not going to take them lightly.”