Zodiac Takes Advantage of Sacramento Mistakes

Before a season-high crowd of 891 at Santa Ana Stadium, the Zodiac beat the hapless Sacramento Geckos, 3-1, Friday night.

The Geckos, still looking for their first victory after eight games, scored two own goals and created only two scoring opportunities the entire game. The Zodiac (7-5) won its third consecutive game.

Among the season’s biggest crowd was Sigi Schmid, coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, the parent club of the Zodiac. Schmid was scouting players for the upcoming MLS supplemental draft and for possible emergency callups. The Galaxy have had problems scoring goals all season and Schmid probably didn’t see anyone on the field Friday who could provide much punch.

The Zodiac blasted 21 shots at Geckos goalkeeper Justin Rothling (10 saves), but only converted on one, a rebound shot by P.J. Polowski in the 14th minute that gave the Zodiac a 2-1 lead.

The Zodiac scored its first goal when a shot by Polowski was deflected in by Geckos defender Jeremy Schultz. The third goal came in the 35th minute on Martin Vasquez’s cross that was headed in by Geckos defender Tim Maestretti.

“We’ll take ‘em,” Polowski said. “Any goals are good goals. We started to play some defense. Now we have to get our offense going.”

Mysteriously absent from the lineup was second-leading scorer Steve Patterson (12 points), who had started every game this season. Patterson was not told why he was benched, but he was replaced by Gustavo Leal, who was named to the A-League all-star team Wednesday.

“We’re still looking for that combination,” co-coach Ricardo Minaya said. “That’s why we started the two Vasquezes [Martin and Jose].”

Leal leads the Zodiac with 13 points, but he missed several point-blank opportunities.

“Gustavo had two excellent goal chances,” Minaya said. “He has to finish those.”

Sacramento, which was recently bought by the ownership group in San Diego, scored its only goal on an own goal.