Galaxy Has Jolley Good Time, Beats Miami, 5-3

On an uncomfortably hot and sticky night in South Florida, a night of eight goals and countless miscues, it was Steve Jolley who delivered the best goal and the best line.

The Galaxy defender scored what must surely be a leading candidate for goal of the season a mere two minutes into his team’s 5-3 Major League Soccer victory over the Miami Fusion in Fort Lauderdale.

The 14,731 fans at Lockhart Stadium had barely settled into their seats when Los Angeles struck. Here’s what it looked like in slow motion:

Cobi Jones curled a corner kick in from the right wing. Carlos Hermosillo leaped to send a header crashing into the crossbar. The ball ricocheted downward, then bounced back up to shoulder height.

Jolley, standing 10 yards or so in front of the net, executed a bicycle kick that would have made any Brazilian striker proud.

The ball flew into the right corner of the net, sending the Galaxy on its way to a victory that not only improved its record to 22-7 but also clinched Los Angeles home-field advantage throughout next month’s MLS playoffs.

Once he had picked himself off the ground, Jolley sprinted into the clear and performed a double somersault in celebration. He knew that he had scored. He just wasn’t sure how.

“I was just basically trying to get some part of my body on the ball,” Jolley said. “To be honest, I don’t even remember actually getting a touch on the ball. I kind of got smashed [by a Fusion defender].”

“I didn’t see the ball go in the back of the net, I just heard everybody’s reaction. That made me assume the ball had gone in the net and I ran down the field like an idiot and did a back flip.”

If Jolley’s effort was prettiest of the night, teammate Welton’s two goals were the most telling. The first tied the game at 3-3 in the 76th minute, the second locked it up at 5-3 in the 88th.

The Brazilian forward began the game on the bench, banished there by Galaxy Coach Octavio Zambrano for showing some attitude when he was substituted during Los Angeles’ 3-0 win over the Dallas Burn on Wednesday night at the Rose Bowl.

“I’m glad that I got upset and I’m glad that he got upset,” Zambrano said. “Because he certainly came out with fire and wanted to show that he belongs in the starting lineup. I think he made his point.”