It’s a ‘Roll’ Reversal for Galaxy and Clash
It’s a familiar story whenever the Galaxy plays the San Jose Clash--one team comes into the game on a roll while the other is hovering around .500, trying to get its act together.
But this time, for a change, it’s San Jose riding high.
The Clash has put together a club-record, four-game winning streak that includes a win against the Galaxy earlier this month and has continued through a 2-1 victory over D.C. United at RFK Stadium last week.
The addition of striker Raul Diaz Arce, paired with fellow Salvadoran Ronald Cerritos, has provided formidable scoring punch. Equally crucial, defender Mauricio Wright has stabilized the back line for a team that likes to play an up-tempo, high-pressure style from a 3-5-2 formation.
True, all of San Jose’s victories have been in shootouts, worth only a point each, and are good for only third place in the Western Conference. But, as one team executive said, “We’ll take it.”
So would the Galaxy, which has lost three consecutive games and slipped to fifth place in the conference. The coach has been fired and the players are wondering what happened to a team that set a league scoring record last season.
“We’re expected to win,” defender Paul Caligiuri said. “The fans are disappointed. The players are disappointed too.”
So tonight’s game at the Rose Bowl is an entirely different story for the Galaxy, which holds a 9-4 lead in the series.
Not that San Jose hasn’t caught its Southern California rival on a downswing before. Early in the 1997 season, the Clash beat a Galaxy team that was off to a 1-7 start.
But this is the first time the Clash has been so hot while the Galaxy has been so cold.
That leaves the Galaxy looking for some spark, not to mention an end to its 125-minute scoring drought.
Maybe the expected return of captain Robin Fraser, on the mend from arthroscopic knee surgery, will boost the players’ spirits. Or maybe the surprise midweek coaching switch from Octavio Zambrano to Sigi Schmid will provide a jump-start.
“You want to see the team improve and win games,” goalkeeper Kevin Hartman said. “Whenever there is a change like this, a shake-up, people work harder.”
